Title: Searching for a Stranger and Finding Myself: A Memoir
Author: Wendy L. Scott-Hawkins
ISBN: 9781777882501
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 308
Source: Review copy from the author
Have you ever wondered how hard it would be to find someone if you didn’t know their name?
Wendy grew up knowing she had a half-sibling but didn’t have the details. When she hits thirty years of age and having suffered a few tragic losses, Wendy is compelled to search for this stranger. Questioning family members, weeding through library research, investigating several organisations, making cold calls, and building new relationships are just a few of the steps Wendy will guide you through. Along the way, she encounters circumstances that challenge her search and force her to make crucial moral decisions. If you were in Wendy’s shoes, what would you decide?
This true account of one woman’s struggle to find her half-sibling will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. This heartwarming and sometimes uncomfortably honest story will carry you along on Wendy’s quest for closure and peace.
What awaits Wendy at the end of her long journey? Will the path she takes enable this determined adventurer to find what she is looking for?
Official Summary
22 June 2022
This is a first for me. I have never reviewed a non-fiction book before. I hope I can do this book justice. The author tells her own story with an emphasis on dealing with loss, depression and anxiety. She is honest and shares a life story that really will leave you amazed at how much one woman can endure. When you reach for this book, you can expect an emotional read that feels like fiction. I regularly had to remind myself that this is someone’s life story – it felt hard to believe at times.
Wendy L Scott-Hawkins writes this book telling her story. While reading you are left feeling as if you are sitting listening to someone telling a story. She is honest and reveals a lot of pain and suffering, allowing you to feel her emotions as they unfold. At times you are left feeling as if you are listening to an elderly relative reminiscing about the good old days. You know the “in our time…” flashbacks.
This book tells Wendy’s life story, but it also looks at her losses and her determination in finding her half-sibling. The struggles and all the never-ending dead-end leads she faced while hunting for clues of who this person is and where they may be.
Searching for a Stranger is a moving emotional read that you will flip through quickly as you join Wendy on her search. The events of her life and all the heartbreak along the way is almost unbelievable. Yet the way she tells the story, you never doubt the truth of her words.
I was touched by Wendy’s determination to succeed and her strength in conquering her fears, anxiety and depression. She faced the worst kind of loss and struggled her way through it while keeping her family together and maintaining faith. I doubt many people would have kept going when so many things were standing in their way.
This was an unusual read for me and nothing like the books I normally review. However, I found myself deeply engrossed and eager to reach the end of this one. It is an emotional read with an added sense of inspiration. The author shows that no matter what life might throw your way if you have the will and determination, you can get through it.
Wendy L. Scott-Hawkins is a full-time Educational Assistant, mother of two adult children, an avid walker, and a Scrabble enthusiast. She uses her life experiences to craft her talent of writing from the heart. Searching For a Stranger and Finding Myself – A Memoir is her first novel.
Thank you to Wendy L. Scott-Hawkins for reaching out and sending me a review copy of this book. I was left inspired by this book and suggest you add this one to your TBR if you are looking for some inspiration. This book is guaranteed to give you the strength to keep going, no matter what you might be facing.
Thank you for visiting the blog, your continued support is always appreciated. Until next time…Happy Reading!
Interesting review!
Thank you