Every book is a joy to write and The Passing Storm was no exception. The plot takes the reader to northeast Ohio, where an historic blizzard will alter the character's lives. A thrilling and heartwarming story.

Once I started reading THE PASSING STORM I was instantly invested in the story and had a hard time putting it down. Why does my family always want to eat when I’m reading such an awesome story?Then there are the twists and turns you never saw coming with an ending you can’t even imagine! Rae has suffered so much grief and hardship. How can she possibly move on and let it all go? THE PASSING STORM is all about grief, forgiveness, and letting go of the past. But it also a story of friendships and hope and moving your life forward. All of the characters are flawed, not one is perfect, but they are perfectly written by this wonderful author.

I think Christine Nolfi does a great job unfolding the story and slowly revealing why Rae has never been able to handle being in the same room as Quinn. She reveals just enough to pique your curiosity and keep you reading on. I mean, I get that Lark and Quinn were friends, but that can’t be the only reason right? Once I started, this book was hard to put down! The plot of the story, for the most part, rolled along smoothly and quickly. I had originally picked up THE PASSING STORM expecting a mystery. It was more of a contemporary women’s fiction with lots of drama folded in. All the characters are dealing with grief, but they each learn to lean on each other and try to push through.

THE PASSING STORM is going to pull on your heartstrings and never let you go. Christine Nolfi sure knows how to write a story that keeps the reader emotionally invested in all the characters, not just the main ones, but all of them. It takes the whole town, coming together, to untangle the mess of what happened the night of the sleepover and you will find yourself cheering them all on. If you love small town fiction with family drama thrown in, you have to give THE PASSING STORM a try. If you are looking for something a little lighter, try Christine’s Sweet Lake trilogy. You will not be sorry and I bet you will want to know about these wonderful characters, just like me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Lake Union through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Review of The Passing Storm by author, Christine Nolfi (ARC)

The Passing Storm is a beautifully written story woven with elements of love, loss, grief, and strength. It gives to the reader an experience where the past meets present, and the future can hold promise when even the darkest of clouds give way to hope, forgiveness and light.

From lives shaped by choices made, to its tension, and the unraveling of secrets, Ms. Nolfi's characters are written as fragile, strong, and full of personality.

The Passing Storm is an emotional family drama~ a solid depiction of joy and bitterness that energizes yet rattles the emotions as it breaks the heart, allows you laugh, and brings you to a most memorable conclusion.

I thank the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to experience a most compelling narrative of survival and healing that readers of any genre will find entertaining and meaningful.

5 Stars

#ThePassingStorm
#ChristineNolfi
#LakeUnionPublishing

Wild Sage Book Blog

Christine Nolfi is one of those authors that you really just should not pass up. Rae's story in The Passing Storm, is a story set in a Midwestern town, and being from one myself, I feel like I related to the story on an even deeper level than normal. Rae has been through many things in her life that most haven't, so when she begins to peel back those layers, and we catch a glimpse of what she's been through, it'll have you turning pages faster and faster as the book progresses. You cannot help but feel connected to her and just want her to find her way again to life.

This book was extremely well written and all about dealing with our past in order to heal, family, grief, and forgiveness. Don't wait to buy this one, you won't regret it!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A interesting drama novel. Recommend

In this story, we are introduced to a storm, The White Storm, that came through and shook Rae Langton, the main character, to her core, changing her forever. I see this storm as a metaphor through the book on how Rae copes with the trials and challenges she has to overcome. The storm comes in, shakes her up, beats her down, then leaves. Rae is left to pick up the pieces and try to put them back together. In the midst of one of the worst time in her life, Quinn Galecki, a teenage boy with baggage of his own enters into her life. Rae takes the boy in, provides a stable home environment for him as she heals her broken heart. In the meantime, having Quinn around helps Rae deal with her past as she accepts, forgives and moves on with living.

I received this book as an ARC and I am so glad I did. This was an amazing story full of mystery, heartbreak, and renewal. The characters were so real and easy to relate to. The storyline, not being the most positive of subject matters, really came across in an awesome way. I was kept guessing at times, while at others I was in shock and awe.

I definitely rode a bit of an emotional roller coaster during this read, but I wouldn't change it a bit. It was written well and this author has once again presented a wonderful tale that I'd happily read again (and share, of course)!

A mother mourns the loss of her teenaged daughter and blames it on the boy who she thought caused it, thinking her daughter was sneaking around with someone closer to her than she could ever imagine. Before her death, her daughter was on a quest to find her real father and this quest takes a surprising sad turn. You mourn the loss of innocence, you mourn the loss of family, and you mourn the loss of the "what might have been" with this book. Even though it's not my typical genre, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read if you like family dramas.

Christine Nolfi, the author of “The Passing Storm” has written a heartfelt, memorable, intense, and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are Historical Fiction, Fiction, and Mystery. The story takes place in Ohio, and the reference is the blizzard that took place historically that cost many lives. Symbolically the “storm” can also be described to the characters in the novel, who are complex and complicated. There are deep dark secrets, betrayals, and danger.

After a tragedy, Rae Langdon attempts to deal with grief from her past, but in order to move forward, has to learn to forgive, and understand. An abused teenager has been thrown out of his home, and Rae and her father offer him a place to stay. Quinn, the teenager is turning 18 and is suffering from loss and low self-esteem.

Kudos to Christine Nolfi for writing a novel that touches the heartstrings encourages second chances, forgiveness, the acceptance of family and friends. The author also discusses the devastation of alcoholism. This is an intense, intriguing, and thought-provoking novel that makes me think of nature vs. nature. I would highly recommend this amazing novel to other readers.

3.5 stars.

Overall, the plot was sweet, but I just couldn’t get into it. The characters were fine, the story was fine, but kind of felt like a chore to read until the last 20%. I also wasn’t really a fan of the dialogue, which often bordered on cheesy. Had it been a little less meh, I would have read it a lot quicker, but oh well. Glad it had a nice ending, at least.

Nonetheless, thank you to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I love when a story is told through a nonlinear timeline. Even though this is not a thriller, the timeline gave me suspense and questions about Rae’s past that kept me reading. I loved the theme of family throughout and you could really see Rae’s development as you learned more of her past. What happened to this family was so heartbreaking but I loved how they ended up.

Thank you @christinenolfi @suzyapprovedbooktours @netgalley and #lakeunionpublishing for the gifted copy

This was a slow burn but so worth it! One of the things I loved about this book was that it took place in Ohio. One of the characters attended Ohio University where I started my college career. I’m so glad we finally got some measurable snow so I could take a fitting picture for this gorgeous book!

The book centers around a storm, nicknamed The White Hurricane. In the author’s notes Nolfi indicates that she changed the dates of the storm to have happened in more recent history. I had thought she was talking about the blizzard of 1977, because my parents talk about that frequently but when I looked it up it was the blizzard of 1913 that descended on the Great Lakes region.
During this storm when tragedy strikes Rae Langdon’s life is set on a different trajectory. Her dreams of college and the life that she had planned are forgotten. She has to grow up faster than planned and remain in her hometown of Chardon, Ohio.

Years later another loss has left Rae in shambles. She is living with her father on their 40 acre farm that has been neglected trying to get over the latest trauma when she takes in a young boy, Quinn, that has been kicked out of his home by his parents. Quinn forms a special bond with Rae and her father. His need for family helps to heal Rae’s broken heart. Quinn’s parents aren’t willing to let Quinn find happiness with the Langdon’s. Through this struggle secrets are revealed that connect Rae with Quinn’s parents.

This book really pulled at my heart strings! Although there is a lot of trauma there is also hope. l really connected with Rae’s maternal side and her need to protect her children and those she thought of as her offspring. This book tackles some tough subjects including rape, alternative agression in girls and loss of a child. However there are also a lot of moments to celebrate. Another thing I really enjoyed is how elevated Nolfi’s writing style is as evident through her word choice!

𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦!

Simply stunning, The Passing Storm is a beautifully writen novel about love, loss and second chances that captivated me completely. Emotional, full of hope and uplifting. This is my first book from this author and it won’t be my last. All the stars.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours, Lake Union Authors and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi released November 1, 2021.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

A well crafted book about life after loss, this novel is for readers of contemporary fiction who enjoy family drama. I appreciated that that secrets kept by the various characters added an element of mystery, yet there was enough foreshadowing to piece it all together before the reveals.

The Passing Storm
Author, Christine Nolfi
Pub date: 11.1.21

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours, @christinenolfi, #lakeunionpublishing, and @netgalley for my gifted e- copy!

Rae Langdon is experiencing an unbelievably sad season in her life while she struggles with incomprehensible grief. Life has handed her some challenging situations that has left her with scars, secrets, and pain. With her father, Connor, she runs their farm in Ohio and takes in a local teenager Quinn Galecki, who is in dire need of kindness, love, and support. Quinn is also dealing with his own pain and emotional struggles.

The three attempt to forge a life together that's bonded by their unexpected shared pasts' and these secrets that they are only beginning to reveal to each other. But sometimes, secrets aren't meant to be shared...

The Passing Storm is an engaging and emotional story about hope and second chances that also exposes the rawness of grief and loss as well as the complexities of human relationships.

There is some difficult content that may be considered spoilers if discussed, but nothing is too detailed, in my opinion, to be considered a "trigger."

About the Book

Rae and her father, Connor live together on their family farm in Ohio. The two still grieve the lost of the family matriarch, Hester, who died during the white hurricane 16 years prior.

Adding to that, Rae is still reeling from the recent tragedy of her teenage daughter’s death.

When a teenage boy named Quinn finds safe shelter with Rae and Connor, the trio slowly unravel past hurts, secrets to find healing.

My Thoughts

I did a combination of reading and listening to this family drama and after several days post read I’m still thinking about this book.

I think what I loved most about this book was that even though this book is laced with past tragedies (and I don’t mean tiny tragedies but mountain size ones), I always felt a sense of hope and promise that these characters would work together for a happy tomorrow.

I really enjoyed the way the plot is slowly revealed and there are hints of mystery and a second chance romance along the way.

I thought the characters were all excellently written and kept the integrity of the book’s theme.

The narrator was fantastic in the audio version.

This is my first read by @christinenolfi but it will not be my last.

Liked the family drama and the setting. I felt it was a long winded story or way to relay the story. Overall I enjoyed the relationships. Very relatable.

Wow! Talk about a book that comes full circle! This book keeps its secrets for awhile. Gives you just enough info to keep you interested while also making you want to keep reading well into the night. Such a great read!

This novel gave me all the emotional feels. It tugged at my heart, brought tears to my eyes, and had me smiling through the tears. Rae, my heart broke for her. Her life had so much tragedy, but her daughter’s unexpected arrival set her on a different path and brought her father back to her. Then another tragedy changed Rae’s life, again. Grief and anger, until a chance encounter with Quinn made her question what she thought she knew and face her past and find her strength to move forward.
I truly can’t imagine what Rae had to face, and I can say, as a mom, the thought terrifies me. THE PASSING STORM by Christine Nolfi is a well-written novel with strong, realistic characters, and a satisfying conclusion. Once you start, you will fly through this one.
Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#ThePassingStorm #ChristineNolfi #LakeUnionPublishing

This book is a beautifully written story about how grief affects people and how they deal with it. There are several characters who are trying to live with different levels of grief. They want to go on with life but are continually pulled back into the grief that affected them so much. Here are the main characters:

Rae is dealing with grief from the loss of her mother and recently from the loss of her daughter. She wants to blame someone for her daughter's death to make herself feel better but instead she is cutting herself off from her friends.

Conner, Rae's father is still dealing with the loss of his wife. Their farm has fallen into disrepair and he isn't able to take care of it until Quinn starts to help him.

Quinn, an 18 year old boy who has been kicked out of the house by his alcoholic and abusive parents. He was friends with Rae's daughter and knows what happened to end her life. Rae wants to blame him for her daughter's death but then feels sorry for him when his parents kick him out so she invites him into her home and family.

Will the three of them be able to move forward by sharing their feelings about the death of Lark? Will they be able to forgive each other but most of all themselves and begin their lives again?

This is an emotional look at dealing with loss. It's about dealing with grief, love, family and friendship and reconciliation. It's my first book by this author and I plan to read some of her earlier books.