Jenna is flailing about in a life she no longer wants to live. When her car breaks down, she finds herself stuck in a small town, forced into close proximity with Lars, who has also suffered unimaginable loss. Jenna finds purpose again when Lars enlists her help in solving a decades old mystery. This was an endearing novel about the strength that can be found within oneself after suffering a great trauma. Fans of books by Barbara Claypole White and Catherine Ryan Hyde will enjoy this book.

Jenna's life is saved by Lars one night as she tries to walk out on a frozen lake and end it all. Her life hasn't been the same since she lost her husband and 3 kids in a plane crash. Jenna ends up staying with Lars for a few days while her van gets fixed. Both Jenna and Lars have suffered through horrible tragedies-Lars wife has been in a mental hospital for 29 years and 2 of his children have also been missing since then.
Jenna and Lars end up helping each other through their tragedies and Jenna even helps solve the mystery of what happened to Lars 2 children. This book is a drama/suspense with good character development and likeable characters to root for. A satisfactory ending helps complete the novel.

The begining of the story started slow but developed as the plot continued,good development of the characters and special relationships developed between the characters.
A page turner,and as you read the story you feel the grief,despiration and human tragedy,a tear puller.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
At the start I wasn't happy with Jenna. She's devastated after having lost her whole family and is driving haphazardly, looking for the perfect place to end her life. I felt very sad for her, but couldn't believe she left her dog! He's the only part of her family and she leaves him behind...no way I could do that! But when she finds a beautiful frozen lake, I understood her better as she walked towards the middle where the ice wasn't thick enough to hold her. Lars, an elderly man, drags her back kicking and screaming and they start an uneasy relationship. Her truck won't start and she reluctantly stays with Lars. As they get to know each other, she realizes he too is still broken hearted decades after he lost his wife and 2 of his small children. A former journalist, Jenna agrees to look into the disappearance for him and they slowly help each other accept their grief, helping each other claw their way out of the trauma in their lives.
The stunning conclusion of the book is heart wrenching with shocking revelations, uncovered secrets (and tail wagging!); I have to admit I had tears in my eyes and felt uplifted. It's quite a moving and satisfying read and I highly recommend it.

I was intrigued by the friendship between Lars and Jenna and how the story went from there. Their interactions with each other and the personal demons they both battled really kept my interest.

4.5 stars

"She had no one at all. There was only him. An old man with a broken heart."

When Jenna loses everything, there is nothing to live for. So she makes up her mind and walks onto the ice of a frozen Minnesota lake. As you've read in the synopsis she is saved by Lars, who has his own demons he is struggling with. An unusual friendship develops between these two broken characters. I loved seeing this grow further into the story, and how they were healing each other in a way. To keep Jenna from leaving and finishing what she started, Lars asks her if she could look into the disappearance of his two young children twenty-nine years ago. This case is very mysterious and no one really knows what happened to these two children. Are they able to solve this case and bring peace to Lars after so many years? You'll have to read and find out!

I have devoured every book by Eliza Maxwell, so I didn't hesitate when I had to chance to read The Widow's Watcher. I blindly trust this author to come up with stories that are original, unpredictable and engaging. This book was another great story by Eliza, I usually don't read these type of stories but I just can't put down her books. I am hooked from the start and look forward to seeing what will happen next. I love seeing old secrets being revealed and the ability of the author to shock me with them. Every character plays an important role in this book and they really brought this book to life. Like with the previous three books by this author, I couldn't contain my tears again. There was a moment I had to tell myself that this is just a book, because I was getting too involved and sad. This book was heartbreaking, but also very uplifting. I am already looking forward to Eliza's next book.

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The Widow's Watcher was such an interesting read. It starts out fairly darkly, with Jenna walking out onto a frozen lake in winter hoping to find a spot to end the misery she lives with. Lars, curmudgeonly Lars is not going to allow that to happen. Not on his lake and not in his backyard, no sir.

With that beginning unfolds a tale of two people that are hurting, finding a way to go on day by day and helping each other in the process. There are secrets, many secrets and especially near the end, heart wrenching moments that make everything look brighter.

This book is definitely something that quite a few people could relate to in one way or another and will leave you thinking long after the story ends.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and pubishers for an early copy.

Do you believe in fate? That is the question I asked myself when Jenna's quest to find the perfect location to end her own suffering put her in Lars's backyard. The perfect storm of events (a grumpy Lars who prevented her from doing what she set out to do, a broken down van not allowing her to leave, and the lack of hotels to stay at in the tiny, out of the way town) threw Jenna and Lars together - two people who were struggling with a sense of loss. Helping Lars with his seemed to help Jenna find a new purpose. I found this to be an incredibly powerful story of loss, love, hope, and friendship (with a bit of humor mixed in). I really enjoyed this story. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley- my opinions are my own.

"Forgiveness is hard. It's painful. It's giving when you have nothing left to give, from places you can't afford to lose anything else."
A book of grief, resilience and love, lots of love.
Two people who have each suddenly, lost their families by tragic circumstances meet by coincidence ( is it ever?). They learn from one another to forgive and fight their way back in the world.
This novel has mystery, mental illness, heartache and yet is very up-lifting.
I truly loved this story! Let me add, reading the last few chapter I needed a *box of tissues*.
"Mom, it was an accident" are the magic words in this beautiful book to be learned and accepted. Excellent!

Eliza Maxwell has created a world of broken people in bleak situations that manages to leave the reader with hope for new beginnings and beautiful possibilities. The Widow's Watcher is, at times, heartbreaking (more than once, I laid the book down to think "there but for the grace of god go I") and lovingly crafted. Each character seems to hold a special place in the author's heart as they are rendered with fine strokes and thoughtful back stories. In equal turns gripping and gleeful, the Widow's Watcher is a well-paced story of healing, forgiveness and tragedy, with enough unexpected twists to keep readers guessing.

This story has sadness all through it. But it also has a great deal of hope and shows how friendships can save your life. Really well written and made me think what I would do if it was me. This was not a light read for me but that is ok sometimes you need to rise above the fluff and this book is definitely one to help do that. I was given an arc of this book for an honest opinion

This was a story of two people helping each other heal through devastating heartache. The story starts where Lars is drawn to a woman on the ice and through his own heartache is annoyed that he has to rescue someone else. With Jenna stuck in this little midwest town with a broken down van she is stuck staying at Lars while his son Owen fixes her van. Lars and Jenna after a tumultuous beginning start building a friendship. Jenna gradually finds purpose to stick around and help Lars find some answers. The history of sadness they both carry is heavy and is felt through out the book.