The Light of Hidden Flowers

By: Jennifer Handford

Narrated by: Amy Rubinate, Will Damron

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

Book-smart Melissa Fletcher lives a predictable life in her hometown, working behind the scenes for her charismatic father in a financial career that makes perfect sense. But when her dad is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Missy is forced to step up and take over as his primary caregiver and the principal of the firm.

After her father's death, Missy finds a letter from him in which he praises her for being a dutiful daughter but admonishes her for not taking any risks in life.

Devastated, Missy packs her suitcase and heads for Italy. There she meets a new friend who proposes a radical idea. Soon, Missy finds herself in impoverished India, signing away her inheritance and betting on a risky plan while rekindling a lost love.

The Light of Hidden Flowers is a deeply felt story of accepting who we are while pushing our boundaries to see how much more we can become. It's a reminder that it's never too late to pursue our dreams.

©2015 Jennifer Handford (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Dutiful Daughter, Wounded Warrior, Big Wide World

A tender story of a thirty-five year old woman, testing her limits, after a life, well lived, yet safely so, as a partner in her father's financial firm . . . having lost her mother at the age of four, Missy had stuck close to her bigger-than-life father, always choosing security over out-and-out joy, for fear of losing it . . . never being a risk taker . . . her one true love was in high school, Joe Santelli . . . and since then, she's played it safe in relationships, too, staying single all these years . . . yet, sometimes late at night, she still dreams, of Joe, of flying off to Italy . . . of helping others . . . once she even boarded the airplane, only to be led off again because of her fear of flying . . . and now, faced with her father's Alzheimer's . . . and more unexpected changes, Missy's world isn't as stable as it once was . . . her "sure thing" boyfriend, Lucas, who quotes the tax tables at dinner doesn't really "do it" for her . . . but at 35, she doesn't have too many chances left . . . she's "friends" with Joe on facebook . . . but she never posts anything . . . just looks at the pics of his three beautiful kids . . . and thinks about his wonderful life . . . and Joe . . . he's going through his own private hell . . . raising three kids alone, after two tours in Afghanistan and losing a limb, and waiting for his divorce to be finalized . . . while his wife globe trots with her rich clients . . . this is a multi-layered story of young love and two adults re-united with an appreciation and renewed love for one another and what they once had . . . and still have . . . a history . . . and a future. Its a story of hope beyond the horrors of war, beyond a childhood of loss, beyond teenage years of "being different", beyond our own small world of selfishness, and beyond the torture of one's own fears. There are a few times in the story that I would have wished for a little more permanence, a little more faith, and a lot more future . . . but all in all, this is a wonderful story . . . of life.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great read!

I recommend this book five different ways. Partially because I could relate but it was a good story.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Nice easy relax story

I like how the story ends. First world girl growing up under her rich Dad’s wings finds passion in helping others in third world

Very enjoyable beach read

This is a perfect book for the beach, it's deep enough to be meaningful but fun enough to be chick lit.

Growing up

This was an interest study in reading about the trials of facing life. We all can relate to the struggles this contractor went thflugh. Well written and enjoyable.

AWESOME STORY

Would you listen to The Light of Hidden Flowers again? Why?

YES

What did you like best about this story?

THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE, THE LOVE WE FIND IN ALL DIFFERENT WAYS...

What does Amy Rubinate and Will Damron bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

THE EMOTIONS OF REAL PEOPLE

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

YES IT MADE ME HAPPY AND IT MADE ME CRY

Any additional comments?

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good story and character development but...

As a Christian the world view of no future hope without a loving God who has a plan for each life this book left me empty in that regard. Presented instead was a life of chance of rebirth and second chances leading towards what I thought was almost reincarnation theology. If you can get past that part of the bookI learned much about wounded warriors , India poverty and reaffirmation of how blessed we are to live in United States.

The Light of Hidden Flowerr

This was a great pleasure to read a book of quality in every way. I will recommend it to my friends.

BEST BOOK EVER!!!

This book made me laugh and cry. I was never sure what was next.

Great plot, but the characters lacked depth

What would have made The Light of Hidden Flowers better?

The characters were more caricatures than deep. Same with the situations. There was too much of the author telling us things than showing us things. For example, when Melissa visits an orphanage, we learn that this is definitely "an orphanage in need" when she reads a sign that says the orphanage is a home for the destitute. This could have been gotten across by describing the children in the orphanage and the living conditions, which is done afterwards; the bluntness of telling the listener what conclusions to draw hinders a deep involvement in the story. It's shallow in feeling.

What could Jennifer Handford have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Lead the listener to conclusions, don't just state them.

Have you listened to any of Amy Rubinate and Will Damron ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Typical excellent Amy Rubinate performance. Will Damron is new to me, but also did a admirable job.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Light of Hidden Flowers?

Melissa's obsession with fancy food and her boyfriends lack of interest in it.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful