What happens when we die?  Have we been here before, and if we made mistakes in our lives, will we get an opportunity to make them up to our loved ones?  This is the stuff of S. Carol Crovo's new novel, "More Than Good-Bye~As One Journey Ends, Another Begins..."  She poses the questions and spins a story that will answer these questions in her own way.

Through the eyes and lives of her main character, Jane, who has died suddenly and is given a second chance at her own life, we see how one can become a more fulfilled person by experiencing life to the fullest with love, joy, acceptance of sorrows, forgiveness and sharing a spiritual kindness.  Expressing love to others becomes a significant key to Jane's happiness and completeness.  Her life and her connection to her loved ones is made more significant, infinitely more meaningful; and, she's able to "relive" it without feeling she's left messages to them undone.  We learn along with Jane that love is the answer to life's meaning.

S. Carol Crovo writes her novel from a gentle and caring perspective.  Her sense of timing in the character interactions is spot on, as is the fleshing out of her characters.  We come to believe the people and places of the novel can actually be found somewhere in mid-America. Jane is an "everywoman" with the mind of any woman who has died without being able to say good-bye to her children and husband.

I was particularly interested in Ms Crovo's handling of Jane's connection with the spiritual.  By means of "Golden Boy" who served as guide on her relived journey, there was less confusion and more a sense of clarity in the story as a whole.  This clever device was one that was not intrusive, but fit the storyline perfectly.

"More Than Good-Bye" is a gentle and sweet book.  Written by an author who has a message of hope and meaning.  This is not a book for those seeking a deep literary experience, however, but for those seeking an answer to what it might be like to be able to "come back" and relive their lives.  It is a sort of confirmation of life in another stage and dimension~life continuing on after this earthly existence.  I must be clear that it is not a Christian novel, however, rather it's a book that works to transcent religions in a "what-if" manner in order to reach a wider audience.

If you're looking for a novel that's one to sail through and that may answer some of your musings about life after death, this one might interest you. It's a charming book that's light-hearted for the most part, as well as being a map of dealing with tragedy and loss. It might bring some comfort in the loss of a loved one to a sudden death without having time for final good-byes.

While I cannot recommend this book to all my readers, I can recommend it to those mentioned above.

Deborah/TheBookishDame

Reviewed on 05/09/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Deborah Previte

             S Carol Crovo's touching novel “More Than Good-Bye” is much more than a story – it's a journey that will find its way into your heart and stay.  When Jane Bell finds herself in a strange train station with no memory of how she got there, a young man - Golden Boy as she calls him – comes forward to help her.   With the help of her Golden Boy, Jane is faced with and comes to terms with the fact that she is no longer living.  With a choice of re-visiting her prior life, or moving on, Jane chooses to revisit her life.  We are fortunate enough to go back with Jane and relive a live of love, loss, happiness, and heartbreak – Jane's life. 

            This is one of those novel's that will stay with you forever.  Life consumes us all, and we sometimes forget to stop and appreciate what we have when we have it.  “More Than Good-Bye” reminds us just how precious every moment is.  It also makes us realize just how important every life is – how each life on this earth has a significant role and purpose.  As Jane looks back on her life, we can see that in the darkest moments come a sliver of light and realize that happiness is always there – but it's up to us to take it.  We must all face tough times but its how we pull through them that matters.

            I don't just recommend this book; I feel that you would be missing out on something truly special by not reading it.  This is so much more than a novel.....

Reviewed on 11/22/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Kristina Barrett

More Than Goodbye
S. Carol Crovo
978-1-61566-981-3
Tate Publishing

What would you do if given the chance to re-live your life again after death with no changes? Jane Bell is given this chance when she wakes up in an unfamiliar train station. Confused as to how she arrived, Jane discovers she has died. Her guider gives her a choice of two trains to take. Train A will continue her journey into the next phase of life, the life not lived on earth. Train B will take her back to re-live her life again, as it was, with no changes. She is given the chance to say goodbye and find closure to her death in her own way. Jane chooses to live her life again and starts her journey that is filled with moments of reflection and understanding. It is a journey sure to hold more than goodbye.

Every once in a while I come across a book that shocks and amazes me. This was one of those wonderfully enjoyable books. From the moment I started reading More Than Goodbye I knew it was something special. I immensely enjoyed this novel. Ms. Crovo writes with beauty and ease. The book flows from one page to the next revealing Jane’s live to the reader. She lives through the joy, the struggles, surprises and expected moments with new meaning. The author does a wonderful job with the reality of this novel. Jane, although re-living her life, is not aware of her death or the future until her guider visits her. Each appearance of the guider helps shed light and understanding of life and death to Jane as well as to the reader. The novel is beautifully written and full of emotion. The reader is left feeling just as much a part of Jane’s life as Jane was.

The author writes of life and death in the most peaceful and comforting way. The story started with a sad event and unfolded into a lifetime of memories to cherish and understand. Jane was given the chance to live again and see her life in all of its splendor as well as its darkest moments and arrive at the end with closure and contentment along with some enlightenment. I did not want to put this novel down. It is most certainly an unique read. The only confusing moment in the book happens when the author uses the same name for two different characters in the book. The first use is for a childhood friend who is a key character in the 1^st part of the novel. The second use is for Jane’s husband. The confusion arrives in the short amount of time where these two are closely written about. I was amazed at how easy the rest of the book was to understand and follow considering the subject matter. Ms. Crovo definitely has a talent for writing.

Reviewed on 09/08/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Tiffany Schlarman