The Patient One by Shelley Shepard Gray

"Some friends may ruin you, but a real friend will be more loyal than a brother. "—Proverbs 18: 24

Friendships are to treasure, for we never know when those close ties will change forever.  The Patient One begins with friends gathered for the unthinkable: Andy's funeral. They can't work out how it can possibly be that one of their own has died.  Each has their own precious memories of a friend who was the best sort of friend. Loyal, dependable, always with a willing ear.  Each wonders how they could have drifted on to their own busy, separate lives. 

Shelley Shepard Gray has hit the pulse of how it feels when death comes takes someone young from our midst. As those left behind struggle to reason with their loss, nobody has a good answer.  As Andy's friends struggle to understand his death, each grieves in their own way.  I liked this book, as I have others by this author. She tackles  hard topics and this was no exception as I thought of each young person in my life who died too young. It is inexplicable and painful. It is not easy, yet we can emerge with lessons learned, as all of Andy's friends do as they grapple with grief and what their lives hold for them in the future. And there is a future.  A rich future,  that may look differently than what they imagined, yet our faith in God reminds us of this promise.

I appreciate this book for the thoughtful way it was written.  I recommend it with 4 stars as it is a book that will make you think and remain in your heart for a while. It will make you think of absent friends and memories of times spent together making those memories.  Stay tuned for more books in The Walnut Creek Series. 

...notes from the publisher....

When word had gotten out that Andy Warner had committed suicide, everyone in Walnut Creek, Ohio, had been shocked. For seven men and women in their twenties, some Amish, some Mennonite, and some English, each of whom had once counted his or herself as one of Andy’s best friends, it had been extremely painful.

And, maybe, a source of guilt.

Years have passed since they’d all been together last. Some of them got into trouble. A couple got into arguments. Eventually they all drifted apart. But even though none of them really saw each other anymore, there was a steadfast certainty that they’d always have each other’s backs—even when no one else did. Their bond was that strong…until Andy did the unthinkable.

Now the seven remaining friends, still reeling from Andy’s death, have vowed to look after each other again. As far as they’re concerned, it doesn’t matter that they’re now in their twenties and have drifted far apart. They need to connect again…for Andy.