Life Among the Ashes

by Emily Kazmierski

Tess is devastated when her firefighter husband dies on the job. She wants only to grieve, but a young son and a dwindling bank account balance compel her to return to waitressing. Meanwhile, Tess searches for a career that evokes passion in her, like the zeal Michael showed for helping people and fighting fires. Tess’s memories of her brief time with her husband inspire her to reach for a new dream. With her friends and family by her side, she discovers that the heartbreaking struggle she has endured has made her stronger, more self assured, and serenely prepared for whatever comes next.

292 pages, Paperback

Published July 25, 2017

About the author

Emily lives in sunny Southern California with her husband and two daughters. When she's not in her book dragon form devouring books, she can be found in the kitchen making homemade ice cream or baking something delicious. In addition to reading and writing, Emily loves watching police procedurals, playing with makeup, and cuddling with her two long-haired dachshunds Nestlé and Kiefer.

Reviews

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars
Wonderful Tear Jerker * Hallmark Movie Quality!
This novel is so well done! The emotions of losing the other half of you, the struggle through the black fog, the surprise of surviving the pain – wow! The depth of character and realism of emotion were spot on. I truly enjoyed this book and cried through most of it. Well Done! I will be reading ALL of this author's work - Excellent!

[Cindy Kaisi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow read.

Very slow read. Almost gave up but kept thinking it would lighten up. Unfortunately, it really never did. It was a very long read and though the subject was death of a loved one, it could have been handled less dismally.

[Susan E Nordstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Losing your spouse

Writing about grief must be very difficult and Emily Kazmierski did it well. I liked her characterization and her story moved along nicely.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life Among The Ashes is a beautiful story of triumph over tragedy. The book takes you through the journey of a young woman who tragically loses her husband and is forced to raise her toddler son on her own with the help of both sets of grandparents. She is suddenly thrust into the position of being mother, father and head of household and must learn to navigate the frightening road ahead without her beloved husband who was the love of her life. It is a story of friendship, love, and determination and the lengths to which a mother will go to take care of her child.