Aftermath by Ann McMan is the second novel in the “Jericho” series, and occurs about a year and a half after the first book ends. Syd and Maddie are living on the farm with Henry, the young boy they are fostering while his father is serving in Afghanistan. Things have been pretty good for them, but life never stands still, and it sometimes decides to throw obstacles in the way. When a tornado roars through the small town of Jericho, things quickly change for many people. This book shares the ups and downs that Syd, Maddie, Henry, and the rest of the folks we’ve come to know and love must go through as they recover.
This is a perfect second novel for this series. Ms. McMan has taken the characters we met in the first book, and created a whole new story that will suck you into their lives once again. It’s a sweet story with lots of laughs, a few tears, love, and some bittersweet moments. The strength of this novel is in the characters themselves, their stories, and the humor that runs rampant through the tale. The characters, both main and secondary, become real and very important to you as you read about them.
Ms. McMan has a wicked sense of humor, and boy, does she know her Southernisms and how to use them in the story. Trust me. I grew up in the Deep South, so I’m kind of an expert on this. She had me laughing out loud so often, my family was beginning to be concerned about me. And now I’m craving Southern food.
I do want to mention that this is probably not a really good stand alone novel. You could read this one first since David, one of the book’s characters gives you a short and humorous review of Jericho at the very beginning, but I truly think you should read these books in order. They are both great books and have my highest recommendation. Just one word of warning, don’t read this book in bed at night with your partner sleeping beside you. They will not appreciate it when you wake them up with your giggles and laughter. Trust me. I’m an expert on this as well.
Thanks to Bywater Books for a copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
Rainbow Reflections 