OldSoul-LadyG
In November of 1982, Karen Carpenter quietly signs herself out of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, determined to go home to Downey California, to recover, to reclaim the life she once knew. But beneath her soft smile and appearance lies a heart fighting harder than anyone realizes.
Hundreds of miles away in New Haven Connecticut, Gracie Anne Bennett - Karen's childhood best friend and the one person she never had to hide from - feels the weight of every unanswered letter, every trembling landline phone call, every silence between them. When she learns Karen is finally returning to Downey, Gracie makes a promise she intends to keep:
This Thanksgiving, she will be there.
For Karen. For the girl she grew up with.
For the friend she's terrified of losing forever.
As the holiday approaches, memories blend with music, and old wounds stir beneath the surface. Karen dreams of a fresh start. Gracie hopes to help her find it. But healing is never simple, and the truths they share - and the ones they don't - may change both of their lives forever.
A story about friendship, survival, and the quiet bond that not even time, fame, or fear could break.