Fragments of Light

Fragments of Light came up on my reading list at just the right time.  June 6 was the seventy-sixth anniversary of D-Day (or Operation Overlord, as it was sometimes known), and this book revolves around D-Day. 

This was my introduction to Michele Phoenix's writing and I am thrilled to have read this book.

Cal McElway was in the 506th paratroop group that dropped in France on D-Day.  His chute got caught in a tree and sisters, Sabine and Lise, cut him down out of the tree and tended to his injuries after his fall. 

Ceelie Donovan is fighting breast cancer, first by having a double mastectomy, and then by having chemo treatments. During her treatments, she meets Darlene, a wild woman in her seventies who has battled cancer before and knows what Ceelie is going through.  After all of her treatments are done, Ceelie's husband, Nate, tells her he's leaving her.

Darlene has had a hate relationship with her absent father, Cal McElway, who left when she was still a baby.  She convinces Ceelie to help her find out who he was, where he went, and possibly why he left.  When Darlene's cancer comes back with a vengeance, Ceelie takes on the task with an extreme urgency.  The task served as  a way for Ceelie to deal with Nate's betrayal, and a way for her to reengage into her career as a newspaper journalist after being away from it during her cancer treatments.

Michele bounces back and forth between D-Day and present day to give background to the story.  She keeps the reader involved from the beginning to the end.

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a clue to help you understand your past.

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.