The Unexpected Path
The Unexpected Path
Follow along as Garth and Emily step out, together, to meet every challenge.
(4.6 / 5)
After Emily Main loses her sight, she and Garth work to forge their future in Emily’s new normal. Convincing her well-intentioned but misinformed coworkers that she’s as capable as ever is her biggest challenge…until Connor shows up on her door. Can they heal old wounds and give their fledgling marriage a fresh start?
Meanwhile, tragedy strikes young Zoe, and Emily has a life-changing choice to make.
Read a sample of The Unexpected Path here.
Find the other books in the Guiding Emily series here.
Listen to a sample of the audio version of The Unexpected Path below
From Kirkus Reviews:
A vintage Hollywood-style plot line meets the technology of the 21st century in this novel about an intrepid woman and her delightful guide dog.
In this sequel, Emily Main, who suffered the loss of her eyesight on her honeymoon in Fiji, is back at work and living with her canine, Garth, in her own studio apartment in San Francisco. But she has not yet tackled the job of unpacking the many cartons of new supplies that will enable her to function more independently.
Unbeknown to Emily, halfway around the world, her estranged husband, Connor Harrington, who has been living in Tokyo, is returning to California, hoping for a reconciliation. As the story begins, Emily learns that her mother’s next-door neighbor Irene has broken her hip and needs surgery. Irene is the grandmother and guardian of 9-year-old Zoe, whom Emily befriended in the series opener. It is decided that Emily’s mother will bring Zoe to San Francisco for the weekend to keep her distracted. While there, mom will help Emily label and organize all of her new purchases.
Add to the mix Dhruv, the socially awkward but sweet and generous programming whiz who works with Emily and lives in her building. The stage is now set for a drama that revolves around rekindled friendships, loss, new beginnings—and a wonderful canine.
As in the first novel, Emily’s devoted, highly trained black Lab frequently adds his tender and amusing first-person commentary to the third-person narrative. The chapters devoted to Garth’s observations and musings are the most enjoyable in the book.
Although the story follows a predictable trajectory, the narrative contains valuable and intriguing information about the technical innovations advancing accessibility for the visually impaired. These include computer and smartphone apps that convert written text into audible sentences and the versatile PENfriend, a unique audio labeling system that codes special stickers that trigger the pen’s auditory readouts, facilitating identification of all sorts of items.
Hinske also inserts a useful reminder about the proper protocol for greeting service dogs: Don’t do it. If they are wearing guide harnesses, they are working and should not be distracted. A loving shoutout to service canines wrapped in an engaging beach read.
Reviews
When you read a book that is so well written, you become one with the characters and what they’re experiencing. This is that book! This is that author, Barbara Hinske, who set herself apart and immersed herself in the blind community and wrote this remarkable story taking us further into Emily Main’s life. Find out how Emily, visually impaired, with her guide dog, Garth, begins anew yet faces her biggest fears, and finds strength to share her greatest gifts of peace and joy in sadness, encouragement and faith in doubt, and love where it matters most. Once I started reading The Unexpected Path, I couldn’t put it down!
I learned a lot about special ways that blind people can adjust to a seeing world. Furthermore, I loved how the point of view shifts from time to time to Garth, the guide dog, and gives us his perspective on Emily’s world. This is a fascinating as well as heartwarming story!
I admit I am binge reading this series. Emily and Garth are a match made in heaven. The characters in this series are so realistic that you want to be friends with them. You want to protect Dhruv’s kind sweet heart. Emily’s struggles are real and well written. Barbara Hinske has done so much research on adaptions available for those with visual challenges. Garth does an excellent job presenting the life of a service animal. I laughed, loved and cried with the characters.
Ms. Hinske also continues to educate the reader by allowing us a view into the world of the blind – to the problems, challenges, and capabilities of the blind individual. So many that one would not otherwise be aware of. It is wonderful to further learn what a normal and fulfilling life they can live. We see much of Emily’s world through the eyes of Garth, her guide dog, This perspective allows one to see how well-trained these dogs are and how much effort is involved.