The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier
Published: 2012 by Crown Publishers
Source: Received from publisher for review
The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. asks a question: how well do we really know anyone close to us?
A year after her friend Elizabeth’s untimely passing in a plane crash one month before 9/11, Kate receives the legacy left her: a collection of Elizabeth’s journals. Though not part of Elizabeth’s will, she gave instructions to her lawyer that Kate should receive her journals since “… she’s fair and sensitive and would know what should be done with them, and ask that she start at the beginning.”
En route to the cottage where she and her family will be spending the summer, Kate picks up the journals from Elizabeth’s husband, Dave. Dave is curious about what is in the journals and why his wife did not want him to maintain custody of them, and it seems that he hopes Kate will not take them, but she does.
Throughout the summer the journals become an obsession with Kate, as she learns more about Elizabeth’s life. Though she considered Elizabeth a friend, she is surprised to find out how little she really knew her and seems to regret that she didn’t get to know her better, especially when the reason for her being on that plane becomes clear and is different than what Kate originally suspected.
Although I didn’t like the ending of the book, I enjoyed reading the journals along with Kate and learning about Elizabeth’s life and the events that shaped her. It seems a cliche, but I feel that Kate also learned about herself by reading the journals — especially the importance of being true to yourself as one balances between professional and family lives.
With its setting and light (but not too light) subject matter, this is an ideal book to read on your own summer vacation. And to assist with that, the publisher has graciously offered a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader (sorry, US and Canada only). Simply leave a comment below and I will randomly select a winner on Saturday, June 29.
And be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for this book:
Monday, June 4th: Library of Clean Reads
Thursday, June 7th: Knowing the Difference
Monday, June 11th: Ashley Loves Books
Wednesday, June 13th: Regular Rumination
Thursday, June 14th: Great Imaginations
Monday, June 18th: Luxury Reading
Wednesday, June 20th: Colloquium
Thursday, June 21st: Boarding in my Forties
Wednesday, June 27th: A Musing Reviews
Friday, June 29th: Broken Teepee
Monday, July 2nd: Girls Just Reading
bibliosue 
Thanks for the chance to win this – it looks interesting.
I think this book sounds intriguing and I’m interested in reading about the things Kate learns especially about herself during the course of the book
This is 1 of the books I’ve been dying to read. I put it on my to read list 2 weeks ago and really can’t wait to sit down & read it (well first I have to buy the book!)
I swear I’ve entered every giveaway for this book! lol! It really sounds amazing and I love stories with diaries. Thank-you so much for a chance of winning a copy!
Laura Kay
anovelreview(@)yahoo(.)com
Pingback: Nichole Bernier, author of The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D., on tour June 2012 | TLC Book Tours
I’m glad the fact that you didn’t like the ending didn’t turn you off from the book as a whole – it sound like you were really enjoying it up to that point.
Thanks for being on the tour!