Firebird Book Awards First Place: Fiction, Divorce Fiction, and Romance (2024)
A coming-of-middle-age novel that challenges the assumption that the status quo is as good as it gets.
A love story of self, of past, of present, of future. One woman’s journey to put the pieces of her life together in the most meaningful way — at times chaotic, at times cathartic, but ultimately beautiful in all its imperfect pieces.
Jenn, fifty-something and empty-nesting, feels like a donut: whole on the outside but missing the middle. The deafening sound of silence in the picture-perfect, oversized home she shares with a husband who does not see her makes the voices arguing in her head hard to ignore. One voice tells her to stay because safe and simple is good; another says leave so you can be the version of yourself not defined by others. The thought of ever after without happily feels like purgatory.
The chance discovery of her long-forgotten diaries unearths memories of a first love long buried, reminders that the most beautiful love is sometimes wasted on the young. Her words become a very real reminder of everything first love had been when she reconnects with Tripp in unexpected ways.
Long Enough to Love You by Kirsten Pursell follows Jenn – a courageous yet vulnerable protagonist – as she dissects and unpacks her marriage in an emotional journey to stay true to herself despite societal norms and middle-age stereotypes that would suggest otherwise.
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"Pursell's excellent character descriptions and her ability to tell an emotional story without becoming sappy, make this book unforgettable and one I'm sure I'll reread many times. One excellent read." -Authors Show Linda
"In this meditative tale of self-discovery, author Kirsten Pursell ponders and challenges conventional wisdom about being middle-aged. Beautifully written in a heartfelt, candid manner, the book is well paced with surprise twists that will keep readers captivated...Powerful, honest, and unputdownable...meticulous execution of plot and character development." -Book Excellence