When Bitterness meets Happiness…

Synopsis

Tom and Emma drift through life, both burdened with a heavy sense of grief. Both have suffered devastating loss and have closed themselves off to the possibility of happiness. Then, at a funeral, their eyes meet and they feel something neither expected. 

Supported by their quirky friends and a ‘right to the point’ pensioner, will they overcome their fears and find the solution to the pain within each other, or will they give up and go their separate ways? 

In turns funny and sad, A Reason to Grieve is a romantic tale about two people fighting their feelings, about love and loss. And about funerals.

My review

Tom and Emma are both struggling with their emotions. They are unable to grieve for a loss they had in the past. The only way they can cope, is attending funerals of totally strangers.
At one of those funerals, they meet and feel an instant click.

A friendship is created with feelings ready for more. But are Tom and Emma emotionally ready to take this leap of faith while their hearts are scattered?

In first instance, I found it a bit of a morbid story…  I didn’t understand the need of both characters for attending funerals of total strangers.
But slowly, as we get to know Tom and Emma better, the necessity they feel for going to funerals is clear.

Tom seems to have it all, but he didn’t manage to grieve over the loss he faced when he was a child. Thanks to his friends, and also the need he feels himself, he takes baby steps to overcome his grieve. And when he meets Emma, for him it’s clear he has to learn to get out of his shell.
during the whole story, it’s clear what an amazing friend he is. In time of need, no matter what the cause is, he does whatever he can to help.

Emma is grieving for a whole other reason, but her pain is immense anyway. Working in a hair salon with friends, she has a share of clientele that are more than just clients. And when one of her dearest clients has bad news, she wants to do everything she can to cheer Doris up.
She also shows what an amazing friend she is. And somehow she is even more introvert than Tom. But for those that are in her circle, she would move mountains!

This story was an unexpected surprise for me. I didn’t doubt that I would like it, but I loved it more than expected!
The premises sounded a bit weird, so I didn’t know how the story and the characters would evolve. So I had a little fear that it would be a story too confusing, making no actual sense.
But I liked every bit of it!

Tom and Emma are everyday people, they can be your friends, members of your family etc.
It’s no so hard to relate to them, understand their feelings and fears. And when the past is uncovered, their feelings make even more sense than before!

And for your share of laughter, be sure to count on Doris!!!