Release Review: The Empty Jar: M. Leighton

by - Sunday, May 08, 2016

The Empty JarM. Leighton
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Expected May 8, 2016

Three months touring Europe. 
Romantic. Dazzling. Unforgettable. 
The trip of a lifetime.

But some lifetimes are shorter...

We couldn’t have known it would work out this way.
No one could. No one could’ve guessed that something so beautiful could be so tragic.

But it is tragic.

Yet so, so beautiful.

That’s what sacrifice is—beauty and tragedy.
It’s pain and suffering for something or someone you love.

And this is the ultimate sacrifice. 
One stunning act of true love.

This is our story.
Our true love story.


Read M. Leighton's blog post about the story here

The Empty Jar is a love story, but not typical. It has M. Leighton's style, but is completely unique. I don't want to say much to avoid spoiling the experience, so this will be short. 

This is about the life and love of Nate and Lena. They are a beautiful, mature couple. Nate is the most amazing swoon-worthy hero. He is totally devoted, loving, kind, patient, and strong. He is a protector and trying to focus on living life to the fullest with Lena. But in private he struggles with denial, fear, and anxiety.

Lena is a brave heroine facing hard truths and painful decisions. She is smart, sassy, sweet, and loving. She has sadness in her past and in her present. But she is tenacious when she needs to be and protective in her own right.

This is a poignant, emotional journey. It's about filling up with the good things such as blessings, family, traditions and love in order to deal with the hard stuff. It has themes of fate, faith, sacrifice, forgiveness, and acceptance. It encourages living life to the fullest, treasuring each moment, and making memories. Lena and Nate have a soul deep love that began when they first met and only got stronger....that long lasting, forever kind of love.

This is not an easy book to read due to the subject matter, but it is beautifully written. I understand how personal this book is to M. Leighton due to her own experiences. She did a good job making the issues understandable and relevant. It is obvious she bled onto these pages and brought out all of the emotional aspects. I adored these characters and felt everything along with them along the way. But despite the heavy topics, there are also times of joy, laughter, passion, friendship, and hope. I truly feel like I experienced a lifetime of love and devotion with Lena and Nate and their story was touching, heartfelt, and unforgettable. 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.



New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding wild horses, skiing the slopes of Aspen or scuba diving with a hot rock star, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

About Michelle: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I'm convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.

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