Book Review: The Book of Silver Linings by Nan Fischer

 Rating: 4.5⭐️


“In the end we must all choose what we are unwilling to lose— be it a dream, a passion, a person, or ourselves. And what informs that choice most of all is discovering a raison d’être.”

After almost giving up on hopes of finding that special someone thirty-two-year-old paralegal Constance Sparks finds a wonderful partner in high school teacher Hayden and is happy to be planning her upcoming nuptials. Constance had a difficult childhood and her father is serving his sentence for murder – facts that she does not disclose to Hayden, whose behavior often strikes as inconsistent with the image he projects. Constance spends her free time volunteering at the local animal shelter and her love for animals is a driving force in her life. Constance wants more from life but she is too busy keeping everyone around her happy, suppressing her own ambitions and desires. She has a lot on her plate – she feels her career has stagnated, she fears how the truth about her family history would impact her relationship with Hayden, her father is up for his next parole hearing and is pressurizing Constance to put in a god word and the shelter might be facing closure.

“The thing about putting off your dreams is that they recede each year until the distance to reach them becomes too far.”


Her antique engagement ring is a stunning piece that Constance was surprised that Hayden could afford. She is intrigued by an inscription on the ring that inspires her to research the history of the ring – a quest that leads her to an old book documenting the relationship between a young couple in love during WWI through a series of letters. Reading these letters and the correspondence she exchanges with a mystery person through letters left in the pages of said book motivate Constance to take stock of her own life, relationships and priorities.

Revolving around themes of self-acceptance, friendship and found family, growth and self-discovery, The Book of Silver Linings by Nan Fischer is a beautiful story that will strike a chord in your heart. The characters are well drawn out, even the unlikable ones. I absolutely adored Constance and was completely invested in her journey. The author’s strength lies in portraying the complexities and the simplicities of human emotions and I enjoyed the real and relatable take on the different relationships depicted throughout this novel – the friendship between Mars and Constance and the deeply empathetic relationship between Trudy and Constance, the strained relationship between Constance and her father and Constance’s slowly developing relationship with Ellis and of course her love for animals. The letters were exquisitely penned and I went back and reread them multiple times. It was sad to read about the abandoned and abused animals who found refuge in Trudy’s shelter. I found the tender moments between Constance and her furry friends incredibly moving. This is my first Nan Fischer novel and I'm eager to explore more of her work.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy of The Book of Silver Linings.

“You must not give up the things that are important to you in order to be loved. Life is a long road best traveled with someone who shares your passions or at the very least makes room for them, sees your light, and helps it shine even brighter.”

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