Between You and Me By Susan Wiggs (Review by Jennifer McCord)
Rating: 4/5*
When a tragic accident threatens to take the life of Caleb’s nephew, Jonah, he chooses to go against the wishes of his Amish community to get him the best medical care available. Reese, a 4th year medical student working in the hospital treating Jonah, finds herself inexplicably and intensely drawn to Caleb. Though their backgrounds are worlds apart, Caleb and Reese realize that they have more in common than at first glance. Both are forced to make difficult choices as they struggle to balance their own desires with a sense of obligation to family and tradition.
Between You and Me is a cozy romance story where the romance sometimes seems like an afterthought. The story draws you in with complicated and nuanced themes; culture clash, recovery from trauma, and grief all play a key role in this story. Caleb and his community grapple with the tension between their religious beliefs and the medical rights of a child who doesn’t have the ability to make those choices for himself. Reese has a somewhat belated coming of age story, wherein she struggles to discover her own desires for her life and career after years of blindly following the plan laid out for her by her high-achieving parents.
This book’s biggest strength is the cast of characters, who feel very fleshed out and have engaging desires and backstories. Wiggs introduces us to characters who seem worlds apart, but their deepest wants connect them and hint at universals in the human experience. The details about the Amish community, while occasionally feeling a bit forced in, are interesting and informative. Bits of the story feel predictable, but never in a way that takes away from the enjoyment. Despite some of the heavy themes in this book, the overall impression is of a light and comfortable read. Between You and Me is a heartwarming story that truly brought characters and a culture to life on the page.