Digging In by Loretta Nyhan

Paige and her teenage son Trey have had two years to deal with the unexpected loss of their husband/father, Jesse. Yet, understandably, they are stuck in a rut. Paige is trying to keep her act together, but after some stressful events at work she starts digging in her back yard, and doesn’t stop until she’s torn her entire lawn up. This one act opens her up to a variety of new experiences and people, including a young farmer named Mykia, her ornery neighbor, and a friendly police officer who makes her realizes that there are some parts of life that she’s missing out on.  There are some truly touching discussions about loss, change, and grief between Paige and Trey which felt completely authentic – it was not surprising to find out in the author’s notes at the end that she has gone through something similar herself. It is a surprisingly dry-eyed book though, given then subject matter, as it takes place long enough after the initial loss that the emotions are not so raw. There’s also the hilarious side-plot of her boss obsessing over a corporate self-help book and subjecting her and her co-workers to endless shenanigans. Overall it’s a funny and heartwarming read.