Wounded Angels
Chuck Miceli, in his latest novel Wounded Angels (Elm Hill), takes us on a riveting journey about finding faith and new beginnings through a life that explores the wonder of youth, the joys of love, the effects of war, the grief of loss and the emotional discovery of life’s blessings.
The story begins in 1930s Brooklyn with an idealistic introduction into Maureen Bower’s childhood, which is described as a fairytale. That fairytale life quickly disappears with the Great Depression, which shakes up her family’s life and spirals them into a tragedy. Her father loses his job and sinks into depression and drinking with his suicide rocking her whole world.
Then handsome Frank Russo enters her life, and she’s immediately swept off her feet by his charm. Before she knows it, she’s completely in love. Her mother takes an immediate dislike to him for his Italian heritage, but one board game later and Frank has her completely won over. All should be happy in Maureen’s life, but as the war escalates, Frank decides to enlist.
Their life is everything she could want until Frank is called to action. Maureen spends the next few years waiting for the day he may not come home. When Frank returns, their happy life is haunted by the scars of war even years after the war ends.
They go on to raise two daughters. Maureen watches as life comes full circle when one of her daughters meets a boy that Frank doesn’t approve of. She remembers that fond day when her own mother felt the same about him and watches as their daughters grow.
Their relationship may not be perfect, filled with ups and downs. It’s a life full of challenges and changes, with Miceli using this story to uncover faith and blessings throughout. When the unthinkable happens many years later, Maureen goes on a journey of faith and struggles through the process of grief to achieve closure and to find it within her to open her heart to another.
Miceli delivers a poignant and emotional story about a woman’s life that weaves through the decades from the Great Depression to the Vietnam War. Maureen’s journey is heartwarming, funny, romantic and heartbreaking as she grows from a young girl, who loses her father, to a young woman fearing for her husband at war, to the next stages.
Key to Maureen’s recovery is Doris Cantrell, a lively and brazen personality who adds brightness to Maureen’s life when she needs it most. But Doris also adds heart and poignancy to the story, which helps Maureen reach the closure she needs to keep going forward. Maureen overcomes every hurdle with grace, which acts as a lesson in faith, healing and strength.
Different periods of Maureen’s life are told with genuine heart and realistic emotions that you’ll be able to relate to. Through Maureen’s experiences, Miceli chronicles every challenge, loss, hardship, and most of all, every joy and blessing. By the time you’ve reached the end, Maureen has become a close friend and confidant. Her story prompts readers to reflect on their own journeys.
This is a story that you can take to heart, and journey with Maureen as she discovers the truth of faith and love. Wounded Angels is a breathtaking story of overcoming life’s toughest obstacles, and a tale of grieving and struggling with the profound message that sometimes life’s greatest places are found in the most unexpected places.
Wounded Angels is now available for purchase. For more on Chuck, please visit his author profile.
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Thank you, Elizabeth, for your very detailed review and warm praise. You’ve captured well the essence of the story, and in many ways, my reason for telling it. Much appreciated.