The In-Between Hour by Barbara Claypole White

Author: Barbara Claypole White
Publisher: Mira (Harlequin)
Date of publication: January 2014

Bestselling author Will Shepard is caught in the twilight of grief, after his young son dies in a car accident. But when his father's aging mind erases the memory, Will rewrites the truth. The story he spins brings unexpected relief…until he's forced to return to rural North Carolina, trapping himself in a lie.

Holistic veterinarian Hannah Linden is a healer who opens her heart to strays but can only watch, powerless, as her grown son struggles with inner demons. When she rents her guest cottage to Will and his dad, she finds solace in trying to mend their broken world, even while her own shatters.

As their lives connect and collide, Will and Hannah become each other's only hope—if they can find their way into a new story, one that begins with love.

The In-Between Hour is a beautifully written book the pulled me right in from the first page.  I should warn, that this is a pretty intense book.  Every character in this book has major issues, so it's not what I would consider a light read.  Will is dealing with the grief over the loss of his son as well as the loss of his dad in a way.  Jacob, his dad, is dealing with memory loss (they never say that it's Alzheimer's, but it's like that).  Hannah is grieving for her son Galen who is battling depression and has lost the will to live.  Pretty messed up bunch, right?  But what they find together on a mountain is love and home.

I enjoyed this book.  I found myself tearing up at times. My heart really hurt for Will over the loss of his son.  Bu,t I also felt badly that he couldn't grieve properly.  By having to keep his son "alive" for his father, Will isn't able to move on in the process.  After a while, that would catch up with anyone.  I also felt for Hannah.  I don't think any mother likes to see their child struggle. 

The story is told from the view points of all of the characters.  The ones I enjoyed the most were Jacob's thoughts.  Even though his mind is muddled, he seemed to always see the truth in what was going on around him.  He really is the most honest of everyone.  The love story between Hannah and Will is subtle and, I thought, pretty secondary to the story.  They find a friendship first before they realize they are in love and that made their ending much sweeter.  

This is a book I definitely recommend.  It's one that made me think about things in my own life and will stay with me for a while.  It's the first book I have read by this author.  I look forward to trying out her first book and seeing what she comes up with in the future!

About the author:

Barbara Claypole White writes and gardens in the forests of North Carolina. English born and educated, The Unfinished Garden, Barbara’s debut novel, won the 2013 Golden Quill for Best First Book. The In-Between Hour is her second novel.

she’s married to an internationally-acclaimed academic. Their son, an award-winning poet / musician, attends college in the Midwest. His battles with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have inspired her to write love stories about damaged people.

Connect with Barbara on her website www.barbaraclaypolewhite, Facebook, or Twitter @bclaypolewhite.

Barbara’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, December 31st: bookchickdi
Thursday, January 2nd: Bibliotica
Monday, January 6th: cupcake’s book cupboard
Tuesday, January 7th: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, January 8th: Tina’s Book Reviews
Thursday, January 9th: Chronicles …
Tuesday, January 14th: Becca Rowan
Wednesday, January 15th: From the TBR Pile
Friday, January 17th: Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, January 17th: Not in Jersey
Monday, January 20th: Staircase Wit
Tuesday, January 21st: Sweet Tea and Lollipops
Wednesday, January 22nd: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Friday, January 24th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Monday, January 27th: As I turn the pages
Tuesday, January 28th: Book Journey
Wednesday, January 29th: Found Between the Covers
Thursday, January 30th: Good Girl Gone Redneck