The Life Intended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel

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I created with Gemini AI
G👀dreads About Summary

A woman who lost her husband twelve years ago is ready to move on, but her subconscious won't let her. Is she just dreaming of her late husband—or slipping through to the life she should have had?

Twelve years ago, newlywed Kate Waithman had it all—until the day her husband, Patrick, the love of her life, was killed in a car accident.

More than a decade later, Kate has found happiness as a music therapist and has finally fallen in love again with a kind man named Dan. Life should be perfect, except that on the night she and Dan get engaged, Kate begins having jarringly realistic dreams in which Patrick is still alive—and he and Kate have a daughter. The dreams feel so vivid, so right, that Kate has to wonder: Is Patrick trying to tell her something?

Attempting to navigate between dreams and reality, Kate must uncover her husband’s hidden message. Her quest leads her to a sign language class and into the New York City foster system, where she finds rewards greater than she could have imagined—and learns that even in loss, love never really leaves, but waits to guide us exactly where we need to be.

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Mystery

The How/Why: Influenced. Kristin Harmel asked me to! Well, not me personally, but to me as a follower on IG. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

🎉🎊 Overall Storytelling? 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 all categories

  • Setting the stage. Atmosphere, Vibe 
  • Likeable Characters: Protagonist, Supporting Cast, Extras 
  • Unlikeable Antagonist 
  • Executing the premise  
  • Lives up to the promise 

🎣🎏 Did it grab and keep my attention? 🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣

🗣️Would I recommend it to anyone? Yes ➕

🕮 Would I want a sequel? No ➖not necessary

📚 Would I want to read more books by this author? Yes ➕ I've listened to two others by her. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, 4 Star Review >> here, and Meet Me In Paris, 5 Star Review >> here. 

⚠️💣💥 📢 Content Warnings? Ǥriɇf & ɃɇrɇaṼɇmɇnt, DɇaṪh of a Sp0use (Car Accident, no graphic scene), Infɇrtility, F0ster Cɐre SɎstem

🌶️🫑Spice? No

🌪 Plot Twist? Yes, Predictable? Mostly

👟 Pace? Good

💻 Tidbits ~ I adored this story and its exploration of ongoing grief, the hard of hearing community including cochlear implants, the foster care system, and the importance of having supportive family and friends. 

Character Cheat Sheet:

Kate: Protagonist. Trying to balance the death of her husband vs new fiancé, and decisions of motherhood.
Patrick: Kate's late husband, died 12 years ago.
Dan: Kate's new fiancé.
Gail: Kate's super supportive sister.
Andrew: Sign language instructor.
Hannah: Young hard of hearing girl who appears in Kate's dreams.
Susan: Kate's fiercely loyal best friend.
Diane: Patrick's mother.
Allie: Young girl in foster care system. 

12 Years after the death of her husband, Kate continues to struggle with grief. She is recently engaged but feeling guilty that she's betraying Patrick by moving on. She also feels love is not the same with Dan. But is it supposed to be?

She starts having vivid dreams of an alternate timeline where Patrick is alive and they have a daughter who is hard of hearing. This leads her to take sign language classes in her real life in an effort to communicate with her daughter in her dreams.  This also leads her to discover her passion. She uses music therapy to communicate with hard of hearing children in foster care. 

Warning: Hannah and Allie will most likely tug at your heartstrings. 💔💕

Favorite Character: Diane, Kate's Mother-in-Law. She appreciates having Kate in her life but worries their relationship might be holding Kate back from moving forward. 

Favorite Breakfast: Blueberry and Peanut Butter Pancakes. I might have to try that combo. 

Favorite Quote: Patrick: "I knew before I met you..." Kate: "that you were meant to be mine." 
Slightly overused throughout but still. 

My only complaint is the absolute most overused expression: "Are you okay?" It's asked about 100 times. No I didn't count, but I'm shocked it got through the entire editing process. They all had a turn of saying it, and most of them multiple times. 
Still only a minor annoyance so I didn't deduct any stars. 

🎧 Narrator: Madeleine Maby - Excellent

🎧11.4 hours (Listening on Libby) 🕮 367 pages

Extra Tidbit - Originally published in 2014, it got a reboot 9-1-2026: New cover, new author's note, light updates to the text. 

Five Star Highlights
I provided the highlights
Gemini AI provided the background

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