Hi friends, happy Monday! I hope you’re all doing well. Today I’m posting my review of Susan Meissner’s novel As Bright As Heaven.

As Bright As Heaven by: Susan Meissner: The Bright family make the move from their small town to city life in Philadelphia, going to live with an uncle who owns a funeral home, hoping to make a better life for their children. They begin to make a home there when not long afterwards World War I breaks out and so does the Spanish Flu. The world that they once knew is no more. As they lose loved ones, they take in an orphaned baby who brings the family closer than they’ve ever been and shows them the true meaning of family. This surprised the reader in how much heart and connectivity this novel had. Going in, knowing it took place during the Spanish Flu, this reader wasn’t exactly thrilled to read a pandemic book, but this had so much more going for it. The story was so heartwarming, despite all the bad that was happening around. The plot was fast-paced and had the reader not wanting to put down the book, it was very captivating and engaging. Even though, it could be predictable at times and the ending was tied up perfectly with a bow, the reader still couldn’t get enough. The reader also liked that this didn’t focus on romantic plots, sure there were some thrown in, but they weren’t the focal point; they were the sub-plot to a story revolving around this family. Not only was the plot and story really well written, but so were the characters; they really brought the heart to the story. There was something about them that was so charming and gripping to read; they were so developed with such vast personalities that there was never a question as to who was who. Each of them had these unique interests and hobbies that made them interesting to read about. The way they each interacted with each other also felt true to real life and it was enjoyable to read about this family coming together, especially after tragedy. This was a really compelling and delightful read, with beautiful writing and touching characters.