The Dive From Clausen's Pier

Twenty three year old Carrie Bell lives in a small town in the

heart of Wisconsin. She has her life long best friend, is engaged to her high school sweet heart, Mike and a small apartment of her own. Although everything feels like it is set for the future Carrie has a gnawing sense of discomfort and angst that won’t let go. She has graduated university and continues to work at her student job in the library. She stares at her engagement ring but doesn’t feel true joy. Carrie does not know exactly what is missing but something does not sit right and as she has watched her mother - who was abandoned with a baby (herself) live a small uneventful life - she refuses to believe that this is it, the grand finale. These worries get pushed aside the weekend at Clausen’s Pier. The holiday weekend that changes everything and everyone’s lives forever. After weeks in a coma, Mike is left paralyzed. Carrie feels guilt, regret, shame and sadness that dig deeper than anything she has ever known. Even though she is aware of what she has to do, she cannot bring herself to live a life based on lies. In search of the truth, Carrie flees. At first she struggles to find where and with who she belongs but later learns about honesty, friendship and the meaning of love. I don’t know what I was doing in 2003 when this was published but I am certainly glad I finally found this treasure of a novel. This is Me Before You long before Me Before You and I cannot wait to read author Ann Packer’s recently published novel, The Children’s Crusade, which happily sits in my TBR pile!