When I received the book last week, I fell in love immediately with the cover photo of a finger drawing out an incomplete heart on a frosty window…
“A stunning debut novel of love and loss”, we follow the journey of Isabel’s heart
…from the day she signs the organ donation card, informs her husband, Alex Voormann about her decision and gets his consent and signature,
…to the day she dies from a car accident,
…to the day the heart is transplanted into Janet Corcoran, a young mother of 2,
…to the day Alex receives a card from Janet, the organ recipient.
“Irreplaceable is a the story of what happens after the transplant –
not only to Alex (husband to the organ donor) but within the concentric circles of family that spiral outward from him and from Janet (the organ recipient).”
Janet breaks the rules of contacting donor families, disturbs Alex’s peace and reminds him of his pain and loss a year after Isabel dies.
If that’s not bad enough, Isabel’s mother, Bernice, has actually replied to Janet’s mother’s email and encourages him to consider establishing contact with them.
What’s worse, Alex is stalked by Jasper Klaas, the man who killed Isabel and is intent to seek his forgiveness and become his friend!
In short, everybody just won’t leave Alex alone, although he’s still grieving from the loss of his beloved wife in a tragic car accident.
Like most people, Alex is not interested in death especially the business of organ donations. He’s horror-stricken when his wife brings up the card during a dinner date and he quickly signs it, shoves it deep in his wallet to get it out of the way.
However, the organ recipient’s gratefulness and interest to know more about Isabel and Jasper, the killer intent on forgiveness, force him out of his “I just want to get on with my life” attitude.
As I think of my late father’s upcoming death anniversary, I can relate to how Alex feels – a person you love is simply “irreplaceable” and initially, he feels revulsion at the thought of talking or meeting Janet because she’s alive while his wife is dead.
However, unlike my father who is gone, leaving behind only his photographs, memories and lessons on life, Isabel’s heart “lives” on in Janet and since she lives, her two children, 5-year-old Carly and 8-year-old Sam have a mother and Janet’s parents are spared the pain of losing a child, a loss Bernice feels for the rest of her days.
Finally, Alex see the beautiful results of his wife’s organ donation pledge.
In doing so, especially in the beautiful, emotional and touching moment in the ending, Alex comes to terms with his loss and finally finds the answer he didn’t know he was looking for.
Thank you, Stephen Lovely, for writing this beautiful novel. Reading your book has also helped me in the healing process of saying good bye to and remembering my dear father.
Add “Irreplaceable” by Stephen Lovely
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Voice; 1 edition (February 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1401322824
ISBN-13: 978-1401322823
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