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A Soft Place to Fall by Liz Flaherty
Early McGrath doesn't want freedom from her thirty-year marriage to Nash, but when it's forced upon her, she does the only thing she knows to do-she goes home to the Ridge to reinvent herself. Only what is someone who's spent her life taking care of other people supposed to do when no one needs her anymore? Even as the threads of her life unravel, she finds new ones- reconnecting with the church of her childhood, building the quilt shop that has been a long-time dream, and forging a new friendship with her former husband. The definition of freedom changes when it's combined with faith, and through it all perhaps Early and Nash can find a Soft Place to Fall.
Paperback
First published April 25, 2013
225 people want to read
About the author
Liz Flaherty
74 books352 followersRetired from the post office, Liz Flaherty spends non-writing time sewing, quilting, and doing whatever else she wants to. She and her husband Duane live in the old farmhouse in North Central Indiana they moved to in 1977. They’ve talked about moving, but really…40-plus years’ worth of stuff? It’s not happening. It would require removing old baseball trophies from the attic and dusting the pictures of the Magnificent Seven, their grandchildren.
Liz thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself.
Liz thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 10, 2018
Sometimes - just occasionally I pick a book by its cover. And A Soft Place to Fall was one of those, all because of the quilt on it. Reading the blurb the story sounded like I might enjoy it and so I went ahead and read it.
Its a gentle yet moving story of life in a large extended family. Early and Nash have just been divorced because Nash has a bit of the mid life crisis going on. They are still the best of friends, care about each other and their family. I liked them both and never at any time felt impatient with them. I liked that the divorce gives Early a chance to explore her new freedom and to take her life in the direction she would like it to go. Up until now she has been the chief caregiver, and although that doesn't halt, she does have opportunities.
One opportunity is the chance to open a quilt shop called A Soft Place to Fall, its a good place where women gather, quilt, talk, heal and support one another. I liked this aspect of the book even though it was only a small portion.
There is tension as Early had a sister who died and Sarah her daughter was adopted by Nash and Early. Who is her father? As the search unfolds it brings both sadness and blessings.
The story ends in a way that was perfectly satisfying to me and I did enjoy this funny, caring family.
Its a gentle yet moving story of life in a large extended family. Early and Nash have just been divorced because Nash has a bit of the mid life crisis going on. They are still the best of friends, care about each other and their family. I liked them both and never at any time felt impatient with them. I liked that the divorce gives Early a chance to explore her new freedom and to take her life in the direction she would like it to go. Up until now she has been the chief caregiver, and although that doesn't halt, she does have opportunities.
One opportunity is the chance to open a quilt shop called A Soft Place to Fall, its a good place where women gather, quilt, talk, heal and support one another. I liked this aspect of the book even though it was only a small portion.
There is tension as Early had a sister who died and Sarah her daughter was adopted by Nash and Early. Who is her father? As the search unfolds it brings both sadness and blessings.
The story ends in a way that was perfectly satisfying to me and I did enjoy this funny, caring family.
May 15, 2023
I love this seasoned romance! It’s a “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” story with wonderfully relatable characters and settings that draw you right in. If you’ve been married for a long time, you’ll recognize the pitfalls. If you haven’t, consider this story a lesson in love. It will make you think hard as you cheer for Nash, Early, and their family. Love, loyalty, and forgiveness are resounding themes that give this story depth and dimension. There’s so much good stuff here. I highly recommend this book!
May 23, 2013
“He’d been a soft place to fall long before it had become wither a popular phrase of the name of a quilt shop.”
Liz Flaherty has written a tender story that will rock your heart to the core and cause you to consider the soft place to fall in your own life. The story of the McGrath family begins at a very broken point. Divorce after many years of marriage becomes rather like trying to untangle the threads of – well, of a quilt for instance. The stitches of your life are so blended that its hard to determine a good or right place to begin pulling it apart. Early and Nash McGrath have grown children, grandchildren and aging parents to care for, and they are finding it difficult to move in separate directions with so many threads binding their hearts and minds. Nash has declared his intent, and Early finds herself in a home of her own, running a business and caring for her parents. Is this the new direction of her life?
Direction is something that both Nash and Early are seeking, and both of them can’t seem to find anyone to point the way. And then….life takes unexpected and alarming twists and turns, and the entire McGrath family must make profound decisions that will change the course of their lives forever.
Flaherty’s novel is a magnificent portrait of family, mercy and unfailing grace. This novel kept me glued to each page, and left me challenged and changed. It has mounting tension, realistic emotion and family dynamics that will make your heart ache. I laughed. I cried. I was left a different person than when I began the journey. I enthusiastically recommend this novel!!
The Wordsmith Journal strives to guide readers to books of personal interest, with the understanding and respect that what appeals to some may not appeal to others. Therefore we attempt to keep our reviews focused on content, genre and style. The rating is necessary to make use of Goodreads and Amazon. It reflects the reviewer’s own level of enjoyment, but the review is intended to be informative for the benefit of all readers.
July 31, 2015
Of course I bought this and read it as soon as I found out about its existence. Didn't put it down until 3 am then I woke up early to finish it. THAT'S love.
New Liz Flaherty? WHY DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS?!
New Liz Flaherty? WHY DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS?!
June 8, 2018
Powerful Christian story of Family and Love… Early held her family and marriage together for 30 years. Early didn't understand but accepted when her husband, Nash, wanted a divorce. After her father-in-law has a heart attack and wants to move back to The Ridge, Early decides to move with him. There Early learns to find herself while still caring for her father-in-law. This is a story told from both Nash and Early's point of view.I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Net Gallery. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. Through friendship and faith, Early is able build a life for herself as well as a haven for her family. I really liked and admired Early and how she knitted her family stronger than ever. I loved this book and will look for more by the author in the future.
February 8, 2023
Learning to love again.
Early and Nash have divorced after being married thirty years. Their children are grown and on their own and they have somehow forgotten what their marriage meant to them. Early decides to return to her hometown and reunites with her old friends and starts a new life for herself. But she never forgets the love she once shared with Nash. Nash has moved on too, but when he needs someone the most, he still turns to Early. The love Early and Nash once had is still there. They just need to find their way back to each other.
This is a powerful Christian story filled with love and hope and a family that is always there when you need them. I found this to be one of those books that will stay with you a long time after reading it. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a nice feel-good story with a happy ending.
Early and Nash have divorced after being married thirty years. Their children are grown and on their own and they have somehow forgotten what their marriage meant to them. Early decides to return to her hometown and reunites with her old friends and starts a new life for herself. But she never forgets the love she once shared with Nash. Nash has moved on too, but when he needs someone the most, he still turns to Early. The love Early and Nash once had is still there. They just need to find their way back to each other.
This is a powerful Christian story filled with love and hope and a family that is always there when you need them. I found this to be one of those books that will stay with you a long time after reading it. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a nice feel-good story with a happy ending.
May 7, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. Liz Flaherty’s story about this family was written flawlessly. This is a story of a family who struggles with difficult situations and the consequences of wrong choices. But Mrs. Flaherty pulls it all together in great style and wraps it up with faith, hope, and love. I think that is the first book I’ve read from this author, but it certainly will not be my last. A clean romance with no bad language or embarrassing scenes.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion about this book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion about this book.
February 5, 2023
A lovely Christian novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I will have to say it was hard to read the part right before Christmas. For some reason, the words were terribly blurry. Family is everything.
July 4, 2013
The first words of Liz Flaherty’s story broke my heart as Early (Earline) McGrath angrily planted carrots in her garden because her newly divorced husband of a few hours hated carrots. Early felt revenge, not “freedom,” over the dissolving of her thirty year marriage to Dr. Nash McGrath; deeply hurt, confusing and exasperating to her. Truthfully, I questioned whether I could continue reading because of relating to her feelings, having experienced the personal pain and rejection of divorce during my past life. The hurtful memories returned fleetingly as God reminded me that he had healed and enabled me to forage on with a “new normal” life. I quickly grew inquisitive and excited over this story as I continued reading. I learned the true heart of Liz Flaherty’s writing – that the Holy Spirit was present and active throughout and in her character and story development.
Early was barely sixteen and two months pregnant, with Nash only just graduated from High School when they married. (A similar family issue when our 15 year old became pregnant…I could easily relate as a mother and the child as empathetic feelings surged from my heart)….Excuse the interruption. Ms Flaherty’s story taught me a great deal about myself while learning the wisdom instilled in Early’s character. Reading this family’s story became a remarkable experience.
Divorce between couples married 30 years and over statistically doesn’t appear to be high at four to ten per cent. There doesn’t appear to be a soft place to fall particularly for the mid to late life divorced woman. Early’s marriage was much more like the long marriages of my generation. Liz Flaherty dealt with this predicament as though she had lived through it.
Early and Nash had a cordial relationship that God used to intensify changing direction in all their lives. Liz Flaherty wrote the family through chains and threads of ever connecting stitches that began to appear as a beautiful quilt Early might have made. Quilting was Early’s God given talent that became business potential to support her singleness financially as well as offering therapy to other’s problems through their own creativity. Many turns of events for every family member brought more tension, excitement; stress, physical and emotional – serious and laughable to this amazing story. I gasped when danger came as a surprise to Early, cried over the tenderness between this divorced pair, and laughed at the amusing family escapades.
Ms Flaherty wove humor, love, hurt, loyalty, sadness, and daily life of family and friends with meandering, inter-weaving, zigzags, through loops and bends to quilt together this story as if laid out in “fat quarters.” You don‘t know what that term means? Then you must read Liz Flaherty’s story of this remarkable family. Ms Flaherty is an astonishing imaginative writer that appears to write truth in life as fiction. God has blessed her with an incredible talent, standing tall among the finest Christian authors of fame to the reading community.
OF POSSIBLE INTEREST TO READERS: The National Quilt Museum located in historic downtown Paducah, Kentucky
Early was barely sixteen and two months pregnant, with Nash only just graduated from High School when they married. (A similar family issue when our 15 year old became pregnant…I could easily relate as a mother and the child as empathetic feelings surged from my heart)….Excuse the interruption. Ms Flaherty’s story taught me a great deal about myself while learning the wisdom instilled in Early’s character. Reading this family’s story became a remarkable experience.
Divorce between couples married 30 years and over statistically doesn’t appear to be high at four to ten per cent. There doesn’t appear to be a soft place to fall particularly for the mid to late life divorced woman. Early’s marriage was much more like the long marriages of my generation. Liz Flaherty dealt with this predicament as though she had lived through it.
Early and Nash had a cordial relationship that God used to intensify changing direction in all their lives. Liz Flaherty wrote the family through chains and threads of ever connecting stitches that began to appear as a beautiful quilt Early might have made. Quilting was Early’s God given talent that became business potential to support her singleness financially as well as offering therapy to other’s problems through their own creativity. Many turns of events for every family member brought more tension, excitement; stress, physical and emotional – serious and laughable to this amazing story. I gasped when danger came as a surprise to Early, cried over the tenderness between this divorced pair, and laughed at the amusing family escapades.
Ms Flaherty wove humor, love, hurt, loyalty, sadness, and daily life of family and friends with meandering, inter-weaving, zigzags, through loops and bends to quilt together this story as if laid out in “fat quarters.” You don‘t know what that term means? Then you must read Liz Flaherty’s story of this remarkable family. Ms Flaherty is an astonishing imaginative writer that appears to write truth in life as fiction. God has blessed her with an incredible talent, standing tall among the finest Christian authors of fame to the reading community.
OF POSSIBLE INTEREST TO READERS: The National Quilt Museum located in historic downtown Paducah, Kentucky
January 30, 2016
How have I missed this author until now? This is my first read by Liz Flaherty, but it won't be my last. I loved this book! It's truly a love story--the main characters having been married for thirty years in round numbers. It's a story about knowing someone so well that he/she becomes like a habit, and then all of a sudden you break the habit--what do you do then? I cried my way through the entire book. It's a beautiful story.
April 24, 2017
4.5 Stars
I really love Liz Flaherty's mid-life marriage in trouble books. Her characters are richly dimensional and their situations are authentic. This was a reread, and I'm sure I will reread it again.
I really love Liz Flaherty's mid-life marriage in trouble books. Her characters are richly dimensional and their situations are authentic. This was a reread, and I'm sure I will reread it again.
March 12, 2018
A soft Place to Fall is a well written inspirational romance. Loved the plot and the characters. I highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews