OF ASH AND ANGELS

Circumstances throw together two broken souls in a torturous romance in this novel.

Decker introduces readers to Justin Abernathy, a man being smothered by grief, most recently losing his beloved mother, and Norah Carpenter, who gets dismissed from her teaching job. Norah’s vengeful ex-boyfriend posted nude photos of her on social media. Unemployment doesn’t work well for Norah, so she takes a temporary job with the Hand to Heart program, visiting and helping shut-ins. At the prodding of his best friend, Davis, the homebound Justin signs up for the program, and he meets Norah. Initially, they annoy each other, but still there is a strong pull of lust between them. Their relationship grows closer when Justin tells Norah the secret that usually kills his relationships: The firefighter-turned–digital marketing strategist is agoraphobic. He developed the condition after the tragic death of his 14-month-old son, Jaxson. Norah wonders if she can be with a man who may never leave his house again. Once she decides she wants to remain with Justin, she creates a plan to overcome his phobia, including outings to challenge his anxiety triggers. But the climactic event in Justin’s recovery is a misunderstanding that occurs when a former lover returns, leading to a rift with Norah. The message that Decker deftly delivers is that you can never be sure what’s happening inside someone’s head. Justin is self-confident and sexy, yet loss is crushing him to the point that he can’t leave his home (“The fact is, some things can break you. I mean, shatter your soul and cast it into the wind in a billion tiny pieces”). The last thing the rebounding Norah needs is to be fixing a troubled man. Yet each is just what the other needs, as they slowly discover. The author alternates between Justin’s and Norah’s takes on their romance, an inspired choice that allows readers to see both lovers’ perspectives. The fact that physical attraction is a bedrock of their relationship also comes through clearly in this edgy, engaging story. Readers will find it refreshing that Justin and Norah manage to recognize that they are soul mates after such a rocky start.

This engrossing tale skillfully shows two lovers sanding off each other’s rough edges.