Redemption Grove

Chris is a drug addict living on the streets of LA. His sister Aida (who is a nurse) flies to LA and offers her help to get him clean. He agrees and flies to Alaska (where Aida lives). Rules are set in place and Chris stops the drugs...cold turkey. Aida believes he is making good progress, however Chris has been unable to sleep, and it's driving his want for pills. One night he breaks out the window of his room and heads to downtown Anchorage in search of drugs. During this search, Chris is robbed and beaten. Aida, who manages to find him, saves him from a worker date. Now, Aida has no choice but to kick him out for breaking the rules. Where will he go? How can she kick him out knowing he will return to drugs?

Max and his wife Julia are hiking in the Alaskan wilderness. A tragic accident occurs and Julia is killed. Max is no longer able to function in life, he shuts everyone out and has withdrawn to his remote property. Harboring thoughts of suicide, he is barely making it from one day to the next. Will he ever be able to heal and move on?

Aida is torn. She has to find somewhere else for Chris to go. Max, who is her friend, is hurting and she doesn't know how to help him. She wants to help them both but has a family of her own to take care of. She comes up with the idea to have Chris live with Max while helping Max build a cabin on his remote property. She believes that Max and Chris can help each other and just maybe become whole in the process.

This book is such an intense, emotional read. Chris' story hit hard and close to home. Alaska is rampant with opiod use and as such our family is no stranger to the heartache and devastation drug addiction can cause. There were so many times I was in tears and had to take a break as it brought such clear memories of the pain of betrayal.

Max's story is utterly heartbreaking. The grief he feels at losing Julia is so raw, and real. He doesn't want to live and feels he should suffer as she did. There is a chapter where I could barely breathe...and had to stop for a bit before I could read again.

I absolutely loved the references to Alaska, like the Xtra Tuffs being the “Alaskan Sneaker” (yes I have a pair