I’m so glad I picked up “A Light in the Forest” by Melissa Payne as my read for this week. It is a beautifully written novel with terrific characters. It does cover some traumatic topics – abuse, cruelty to animals, domestic violence, near death experiences and homophobia. It also shows the power that kindness and friendships can have on making lives better and instilling hope. I couldn’t put this one down – it was a very gripping story!
Vega grew up living with her mother, Renee, in a van – always on the move. Vega had a loving life with her mother, but had no one else because they never stayed anywhere long enough to make friends. Renee’s mission was to help women escape abusive relationships. When Renee died, Vega was so lonely that she missed the warning signs and ended up with Zach, an abusive husband. Now Vega fears for herself and her baby as Zach’s abuse continues. Vega goes on the run with her baby but fears that Zach will come looking for her. She runs to a little town called Crystal in Ohio. Her mother used to mention that it was “full of nobodies” – so Vega hopes that she will be able to hide there. The town of Crystal has a wonderful cast of characters, but not all are good people. Who should Vega trust? Does anyone in Crystal remember her mom? Will Zach still be able to find Vega?
“A Light in the Forest” has 2 timelines (past and present) that were both really interesting. I loved the secondary characters – Eve (a storeowner), Heff (a local artist and deputy), Carl and Betty (a couple who seem to help everyone) and more. This novel shows that in the bad times, friendship and love can triumph over the evil in the world. Not everyone in the story sees situations the same way, but I loved the emphasis on caring for others!
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