5+ stars for The Sun Never Dies: A Novel by AR Hadley #bookreview #newrelease #literaryfiction #novella #womensfiction
- N. N. Light
- May 1
- 3 min read
Title: The Sun Never Dies: A Novel
Author: AR Hadley
Genre: Literary Fiction Novella, Women’s Literary Fiction
Book Blurb:
Do you believe in love at first sight?
A laconic novel fraught with exquisite tension and arresting beauty, The Sun Never Dies is the unforgettable story of one woman's journey back to self after encountering a strange young man twenty-three years her junior.Meet Beth, a newly single woman in the late 1990s, and Liam, a recent college grad backpacking his way across the world — as the two collide unexpectedly one fateful night.
Liam’s philosophy on life greatly conflicts with Beth’s. She’s also concerned her family won’t approve. Over the course of two years, this couple sifts their way through a series of life-changing events, ultimately resulting in growth and lessons learned.
Namely two:
That we meet people for a reason.
And there are no coincidences.
Leaving the reader to beg the question…
Does the soul plan out this miraculous trip we call life?
Author Note: The Sun Never Dies is a 37,000-word literary novella. A tale of connection, not romance. The characters and their intense and realistic actions drive the plot. Contains graphic content that may trigger some readers.
My Review:
A chance meeting at an art gallery leads Beth and Liam on a journey neither expected. Some call it fate, while others call it coincidence. The age difference is an obstacle at first but then it isn’t. It’s all about the connection. When two souls connect, it makes all the hardships of life worth living.
The Sun Never Dies is an emotional tale of life, love, truth, and sorrow. A truly unforgettable read, this book will leave you with a hangover. Using her classic writing style I’ve come to crave, AR Hadley takes you on an emotional journey, full of sound and fury, as the old adage goes. The narration infuses each scene with tension, angst, and emotion. The characters become a part of you. I read this late into the night.
The crux of this tale is Beth and how she grows over the course of this book. Liam opens her eyes to ideas, emotions, and experiences. It is so gut-wrenchingly beautiful to watch her change and be more open-minded, self-aware, and confident.
AR Hadley has penned another extraordinary piece of literary fiction. Her poetic prose shines a light on how glorious and traumatic life can be. This is a bucket list read, hands down.
Note: Even though I edited this book, it in no way influenced how I felt reading the finished product.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Author Biography:
A.R. Hadley writes imperfectly perfect sentences by the light of her iPhone.
She loves the ocean.
Chocolate.
Her children.
And Cary Grant.
She annoys those darling little children by quoting lines from Back to the Future, but despite her knowledge of eighties and nineties pop culture, she was actually meant to live alongside the Lost Generation after the Great War and write a mediocre novel while drinking absinthe with Hemingway. Instead, find her sipping unsweet tea near a beautiful garden as she weaves fictional tales of love and connection amid reality.
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Reviewed by: Nancy
