'Joella develops his characters with enormous empathy. The pleasure of discovering connections is one of the most basic joys of reading and is key to Joella's storytelling. The soothing tone and warm worldview of this grown-up bedtime story will be good for what ails you.' - Kirkus With an observant eye and poetic sensitivity, Joella captures poignant moments and intense feelings, leaving the reader with a sense of recognition and comfort… One of the most meaningful things a person can say is simply “I’m here,” and this is the level of profound connection that Joella evokes without ever straying into cliché.” - BookPage “Once again, Joella’s characters are as real as they come. “Ethan Joella's A Quiet Life explores the depths of grief through a widower, the daughter of a murder victim, and the mother of a kidnapping victim…As their lives begin to converge, Chuck, Ella, and Kirsten walk unique roads to find their way to healing.” - PopSugar 'Community and grief are at the center of this tender novel in which three residents of a tightly knit Pennsylvania suburb are each grappling with losing loved ones when their lives begin to converge in unexpected ways.' - The New York Times Book Review Emotionally riveting and infused with hope, “the soothing tone and warm worldview of this grown-up bedtime story will be good for what ails you” ( Kirkus Reviews). In this beautiful and profoundly moving novel, three parallel narratives converge in poignant and unexpected ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. But as time passes, old dreams and new romantic interests begin to surface-and Kirsten finds herself at another crossroads. Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out.Īfter the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an animal shelter. Now, just months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her belongings-her favorite towel, the sketchbooks in her desk drawer-as he struggles to pack for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.Įlla Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her days while she anxiously awaits news-any piece of information-about her missing daughter.

Set in a close-knit suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.Ĭhuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat-that yearly taste of relaxation they’d become accustomed to after a lifetime of working and raising two children.

From the author of A Little Hope-a Read with Jenna Bonus Pick-comes another “heartwarming, character-driven” ( Booklist) life-affirming novel about three individuals whose lives intersect in unforeseen ways.

A quiet life ethan joella