So this, it turns out, is not the book to read when you have a head cold and you’ve recently lost an elderly loved one. Just as Ceelie completes all of the treatment for her breast cancer, her elderly friend Darlene has a recurrence. Darlene’s new desire to know what happened to the father who abandoned her as a child soon becomes Ceelie’s mission. Putting her investigative journalism background to use, the story travels to Missouri and eventually to France, where D-Day celebrations lead to revelations of the past.

Interspersed with Ceelie and Darlene’s storyline, as well as Ceelie’s marital issues, is the story of Darlene’s paratrooper father Cal landing off course and encountering two sisters and the villagers taking refuge in their home. Told first from the younger sisters point of view, then switching to Cal’s, the events on that fateful day in 1944 unfold. 

Ceelie’s husband is one of the low points of this story - leaving her as soon as her cancer treatment ends. But then, with part of the central storyline being a consequence of her friend Darlene’s father having deserted his family not long after returning from World War II, I suppose abandonment and reconciliation might be considered central-adjacent themes. And they do compliment the themes of bravery and healing.

As always, Michele Phoenix delivers an emotional story of people facing difficult times in Fragments of Light, which just might be the most personal of her novels so far, drawing on her own life experiences of cancer, living in France, and working with World War II veterans.

While I voluntarily requested and receive a digital NetGalley copy, courtesy of the publisher, this review refers to a purchased paperback. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoy reading historical fiction books that are set during WWII. And while part of this book occurs in that time period, it is a dual timeline book. Not much focus is placed on the past. This is an emotional read on many levels. Experiencing Ceelie’s cancer treatments and then having her husband walk away from their 24-year marriage right after has rung the bell that she is cancer free is heartwrenching. And then Ceelie takes on the challenge of helping Darlene find out about her father. This is a story of pain, loss, friendship, and purpose. There is a twist of mystery and a touch of romance. You will experience so many emotions as you journey through the pages of this wonderfully written sage.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

What a ride! This book spans time and place and takes you on a beautiful and heart felt journey. It is a story of love and loss, of times of war and what a hero really looks like.

This was a good book. The two storylines blended well. I only whoosh it were more about the main characters family history than her friends.

An emotional dual timeline story exploring the issues of cancer and war, I felt invested in the characters and read the book in one sitting so will look for other books by this writer

Fragments of Light by Michele Phoenix is an excellent, emotion packed novel. I expected a good novel with a historical bent. The historical part of the book is well done and full of loss and regrets. That part alone is excellent. But the modern day story that overlays it all--- that story blew me away. It is full of tragedy and grief, pain and loss. I felt such deep emotions while reading this book, from grief and pain to hope and rebirth. I can't recommend this novel strongly enough. When I finished reading this book, I wanted to tell everyone I know. It is that good. I cannot wait to read more by this author. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Fascinating read!! This book is a real page turner. I couldn't put it down. It has everything: Adventure, Romance and Drama. The romantic parts are just right, not to graphic. I really enjoyed the great details in this authors writing technique. I really enjoyed this one. I highly recommend it.

Ms. Phoenix pens a beautiful but realistic story of the power of forgiveness over a life that is haunted by pain and regrets in a split-time novel with an intriguing plot that kept me invested to the end. As Ceelie struggles with her own battles that life has dealt her, she befriends an elderly patient whose cancer has taken a turn for the worse. Their journey to bring Darleen closure to the resentment from the past gives Ceelie hope as she struggles with grief and abandonment of her own. This compelling story told quietly but with the confidence that provokes deep thought into the power of long buried emotions that can shadow one's life will tug at your heartstrings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved the way this one explored the grief and difficulty of surviving cancer and finding yourself after coming out of such a difficult experience. I loved how pro-marriage this story was, even as it showed the cost of a difficult diagnosis on both partners. I felt like the two timelines didn't work as well as I was hoping. I just wasn't as invested in the WWII timeline, and the switching felt more distracting than helpful. I enjoyed this one though. B for me.

Due to finding out a friend was once attacked by this author over a review I will not be reviewing this book afterall.

Cancer and a chance meeting in a waiting room are the beginning of Ceelie and Darlene's friendship. As Ceelie faced her breast cancer, her new friend, older and a two-time cancer survivor was an inspiration and a confident. When the final chemo is done and the bell rung, Ceelie finally exhales, ready to start life again with her husband by her side. When that does not happen, Ceelie again turns to the older Darlene for support. Soon the tables turn and Darlene seeks Ceelie's assistance in a question that Darlene has avoided her whole life, "Why did her father leave she and her mother, after returning wounded from the war, only months before? Why did notification that he'd received a purple heart and a white cross cause him to leave without any message, never to return?" Can Ceelie find any answers for Darlene, allowing her friend to set aside the resentment and anger she has harbored for more than 70 years? Will this search give Ceelie and her estranged husband a path to their own forgiveness and healing? Michele Phoenix has written a unique split time novel which spans from the countryside of Normandy to modern day Illinois to a deserted Missouri farmstead. Dual time novels, with one time period featuring characters fighting or surviving either WWI or WWII have been very popular the past few years. Each seems to come at war a bit differently. Phoenix's novel explores the topic of self-perceived guilt or unworthiness. Today we would classify Darlene's father as a soldier with untreated PTSD. Most of these dual time novels feature a family member stumbling upon a hidden memory or story. Perhaps a single memento leads to a search for truth. FRAGMENTS OF LIGHT is unusual in that it is not a family member, but a friend who takes up the mantle to find answers, spurred on by letters that clearly show that the young soldier Cal McElway had loved his wife and eagerly awaited a time he could begin a life with them. I received an ecopy of this novel from Netgalley. All opinions are mine.

This story will hit so many women with words that need to be heard.

Cancer can take more than your body; it can take your spirit. Ceelie understands that more than most. After undergoing a double mastectomy, chemotherapy treatment, and reconstructive survey, the day she is finally free of everything turns out to be worse than the initial diagnosis. Her husband wants out. He’s finished. This devastates Ceelie even worse than the cancer itself. The man who vowed to be by her side through sickness and health decides she isn’t worth it anymore. Shortly after this, her one friend and fellow cancer survivor, Darlene, finds out that her cancer has returned with a vengeance and after going through this twice, she is content to live out her days. But before she goes, she has a request of Ceelie. She wants her to help track down whatever happened to her father. He returned home from D-Day and only stayed a few weeks with her mom and her before he left them with no explanation. Darlene has harbored bitterness toward him her whole life but when some letters resurfaced, she decides she wants to know what really happened. Will Ceelie be able to help her find out before it’s too late?

This was a powerful read, as Michele Phoenix books tend to be. The raw emotion over the surgery and recovery could only be painted by someone who had experienced this herself. All that pain was poured into Ceelie’s character and each reader could feel it alongside her. There are definitely some dark moments throughout the book, but as the title states, fragments of light make their way through the darkness. I loved Darlene’s character. She was so spunky and energetic for a woman in her 70s that I hope to be her at that age, always encouraging others and living life to her fullest. I also enjoyed the time slip aspect of this story set during Normandy on D-Day and what happened to change the life of Darlene’s father forever. It takes all the way to the end to find out the truth, and when it comes, it is understandable but so sad at the same time. I hope that readers find enjoyment and enlightenment through this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

This book is emotional reading. It’s an amazing, outstanding story, and flows so very well. The characters took hold of my heart, and it’s a book that I’ll have on my shelf to read again. Outstanding work on this one by Michele Phoenix.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Fragments of Light by Michele Phoenix is a story within a story and the two take place seventy-five years apart. Ceelie and Nate have been married over twenty years when she is diagnosed with breast cancer. Soon all aspects of her life as she knew it fall apart. If not for her friendship with fellow patient Darleen, she would not have survived her ordeal. But unfortunately Darleen’s condition becomes terminal and it’s now Ceelie’s turn to help her old friend. Darleen grew up fatherless because she and her mother had been abandoned when she was an infant. In the little time she has, Darleen wants to find out about her father. It will be up to Ceelie to discover what became of this elusive man. Now for the other story. Seventy-five years ago, a paratrooper crash-landed in Normandy on D-Day and was helped to safety by two young French sisters. Now you need to read this book to discover how these stories came to be linked. This slow-moving and passionate relationship fiction is one of the best books I have read this year. I look forward to reading more books by Michele Phoenix. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first novel by Michèle Phoenix, but it won’t be my last. I was utterly taken in by this story—by the struggles Ceelie was facing in the aftermath of her cancer treatment; by the mystery of what happened to Darlene’s father; and by the contemplation of the different ways in which we deal with the cruel blows life sometimes serves and the impact this has on our relationships, whether they be with spouses, family members, or friends.

This story begins in the style of a time-slip novel, alternating between Ceelie’s point of view in the present and Cal’s point of view in the lead up to D-Day, however the contemporary storyline takes over once the novel reaches the halfway point. That might sound like an odd way to structure the story, but in this case it worked really well, and I found myself relishing the opportunity to stay with Ceelie as she tried to uncover Cal’s story from this side of history, not to mention work through her own emotional wounds. Even more interesting was the way in which Ceelie’s experiences, particularly her relationship with her husband and with Darlene, began to shed light on Cal’s story from afar, even before she learned the whole truth.

The story definitely takes an emotional toll, but Darlene’s character countered this time and again with her quirky conversation and her can-do attitude. “As rare as rocking-horse poo” is now officially one of my favourite similes! Lol. Even so, be prepared to feel the deep wounds that love can inflict and to grapple with what it can mean to let those wounds define your future. Or not.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

A dark and realistic look at war.

Not many books portray the realistic view of women going through cancer way back when. While this was a difficult book to read at times, it was an important book to read. I think it captured the tone and emotion of what women have to go through in both times of trouble and normalcy.

If you are at all interested in D-Day or historical fiction I'd recommend this.

3.5 stars.

This book, not really a HEA story, catches you by surprise, giving you the back story to the pain of the present. There were things you may not understand, but you have permission to have those feelings as you read. I felt the pain of the characters as it investigates PTSD, survivors guilt and the untold stories set in history.

If you are looking for a great women's fiction book to read, Fragments of Light by Michele Phoenix fits the bill. Especially for those of you that love books without romance, this is one that you will not want to miss.
A story of forgiveness and restoration along with heartache of loss. It does have death in it, mentions of cancer and talk of divorce as well, but in the end, you see the strength of forgiveness, while still addressing the wrong.

I truly found this book to carry me into another place, hints of history throughout, but mostly set in modern day.

Recurring themes: Cancer. Marital discord. Enduring friendship. Split time (WWII and present day). Unresolved issues (can't we all relate to that one!) and reminding us how wounds from the past can affect multiple generations. Forgiveness....and so much more.

Ceelie believes she has just turned an important corner in her breast cancer journey. She has made it through treatment and surgery, and is finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel - when she is completely blindsided. Reeling, she turns to her dear friend Darlene, who she met during treatment. Darlene is nearing the end of her life and realizes that she has some unresolved circumstances regarding her father, which leads Ceelie on a journey to hope and perhaps some healing of her own.

I appreciated that not everything was tied up "perfectly" at the end, because it felt much more realistic. The veteran's stories, the marriage journey, challenges in regards to forgiveness and healing - all beautifully illustrated in this lovely book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book is one that shouldn’t be missed! It it’s full of themes that will make you feel some very deep emotions.

Fragments of Light by Michèle Phoenix

Many easy-to-follow stories in one, all is tied together in the end when a mystery is solved. The time span covers World War II in France and present day in the midwest USA, with stories shifting back and forth.

There is heavy reference to cancer and war, so be prepared. There is also an abundance of filler conversations, meaning no action, just talk.

Two women meet and begin a friendship in a cancer treatment center, while Cal, the father of one lady, now 76 year old Darlene, is portrayed as a young paratrooper itching for battle in 1944. Darlene was abandoned by Cal as an infant and begins a quest initiated by found letters to find out who he was

Her friend Cecelia has her own problems, but ends up helping Darlene in her search. Will they solve the mystery of Cal’s life in time as Darlene’s cancer threatens? A good book club choice with the caveat of the heavy emphasis on cancer and the perils of WWII near Normandy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #ThomasNelsonFICTION#NetGalley