Little Bee by Chris Cleave

They met on what was the worst days for each of them.  Their first meeting was on a beach in Nigeria and ended with Little Bee's sister being killed by mercenaries.  Their second meeting was two years later when Little Bee was released from a British Immigration Detention center and arrived at Sarah's house on the day her husband, Andrew, was to be buried. 

Both women are reeling from the fates life has handed them.  Little Bee just wants a place where she can feel safe and her dream had been to find Sarah and Andrew.  Sarah is trying to understand the loss of her husband and find a way to move forward raising her young son, Charlie.  She finds it difficult to grieve as her marriage had been falling apart since that day in Nigeria and she is involved with another man, Lawrence. 

Both women are looking for a way to move forward.  Will that way be together or will each of them move on separately?

Chris Cleve has written a novel with characters that won't be easily forgotten.  He explores the themes of what we might owe to strangers in difficult situations and that of family, either blood related or chosen.  The two women must make choices that are not readily apparent in order to have lives that work for them as they move on from the horrors of their pasts.  While there are horrors to be escaped, there is also hope for what a future might be if they can figure out their next steps.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction.