Book Review — Fisher’s Light by Tara Sivec

“You and me against the world, Fisher.
It’s always been you and me, and it always will be.”

• Buy FISHER’S LIGHT (Kindle)
• Buy FISHER’S LIGHT (Paperback)

WOW. WOW. WOW!! I finished this incredible book with my heart overflowing with emotions. I was captivated from the first page and was unable to put it down until the end! This was exactly the kind of book I most LOVE to read! A heart-wrenching, achingly beautiful story of true love spanning 15 years. It’s a second chance military romance and one of the best books I’ve ever read. Everyone should read it!!  

5+ STARS!!

From the moment I read the blurb, I knew this was a book I had to read. Even just that little tiny glimpse into Lucy and Fisher’s story made my heart ache. I needed to know what happened next…

Gah!! You feel it too, right?!

Lucy and Fisher first met in high school. The day they met was the same day he enlisted. His need to serve his country and his utter devotion to and love for Lucy were the two things that drove him. They built a life together on the island. It wasn’t always easy, but they made it through together. She understood and supported his need to be a Marine and did everything in her power to help him heal and find peace each time he came home on leave. But over the years, he was changed by his experiences in the war…

“I love that he has this need to protect our country and our freedom, but at the same time I hate it because it takes him away from me. And sends him back just a little more broken every time.”

Fisher suffered from severe PTSD. It changed him, but Lucy didn’t stop loving or believing in him… until one day, he finally pushed too far and forced them apart. A year later, he returns to the island, intent on proving to Lucy that he had conquered his demons and that he’d never once stopped loving her. This is the story of a marriage built on a love so strong that nothing — not war, not separation, nor even divorce — could destroy it. As heart-wrenching as it is, it’s also truly inspiring and ultimately uplifting.

“I’m going to fix this. I have to fix this… I hate every moment that I’m away from her, but I will do whatever it takes to find the man she once loved and bring him back to her.”

The story is told in a mixture of present day events and memories of the past, from both Fisher and Lucy’s POVs. These storylines were seamlessly blended together in a way that strengthened the story and gave deeper meaning to each and every scene. In order to appreciate what each of them were going through in the present day, you had to understand their past and every new bit of their past that we learned would always have a direct impact on your emotional reaction to the present day events.

I really connected deeply to Lucy’s character. I loved the way she stood by Fisher through the worst of everything he went through. She hung on as long as she could even after he forced her out of his life. I loved how understanding she tried to be, and I fully understood the depths of her hurt. It was soul deep. And yet, the progression of her growth over the course of the book — how she got stronger and stronger with everything she endured — was just perfectly portrayed.

“I only have room in my heart for one man, and it’s always going to be Fisher who occupies that space.”

My heart broke for Fisher over and over again. Tara Sivec really did an outstanding job of showing his experience living with PTSD and what was going on inside his head. We experienced it from both sides. First by seeing what Lucy saw — him from the outside — and then from his POV. Seeing what he was going through and living with inside his head was utterly heart-breaking. Heart-crushing.

“It’s a strange thing, feeling like you can’t breathe without another person. Physically, I know I’m breathing and my heart is beating when she’s not around, but… when I’m away from her, I feel like my life is on hold and she’s the only one who can restart it.”

Their story owned my heart. More than anything, I loved seeing them work through their issues together. Even through the worst of their mistakes, the one thing I never once doubted was their love for each other. You could feel it on every page. Some of the hurt was impossibly deep, but their love was always there.

“I’m going to remind her why we’re perfect for each other. I’m going to show her that there’s no one else on this earth who can love her like I can.”

Everything that happened felt believable. The characters’ emotions were understandable. This entire story felt real. It was gut-wrenching at times, at others it was unbelievably romantic, and some scenes even had me laughing out loud. My heart was broken, torn to shreds, but left healed and whole. In every way, this was the kind of story I most love to read about. A heart-felt story of the resiliance and healing of true love.

“I will always fucking fight for you, Lucy.”

I can’t recommend this highly enough. For me, this is one of the best books of the year. Actually, to be honest, I’d say that at this point, it’s tied with The Mason List for my #1 top favorite of 2015.

I loved this book. Lived it. And I know I will never forget it. This is an epic love story. If you’re looking for an heart-wrenchingly emotional and yet powerfully uplifting new book, this is it!

Rating: 5+ STARS!! Standalone Adult romance.

• Buy FISHER’S LIGHT (Kindle)
• Buy FISHER’S LIGHT (Paperback)

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Fisher’s Light is a standalone full length novel.
Worth The Trip is a companion novella (Trip’s story) meant to be read after.