Frankie and Tanner have been married for eight years, and courted for two years before that. Their love for one another has always been strong and pure...until now. Three months ago, they were in a car accident. One moment of inattention, a minor argument, a patch of ice...Tanner escaped with nothing but bruises. Frankie wasn’t so lucky. Her injuries were much more serious, with the worst physical injury being her loss of hearing. In that one moment, the second love of her life was ripped from her: her music. Even before the accident, she didn’t have the words to express to anyone just how dear her music was to her. Now she has lost it. Even more devastating than this is that she is losing her relationship with Tanner. She has distanced herself from him, and though he tries to close the gap between them, it continues to grow. Tanner was driving that night. They each blame him for what happened. But on Valentine’s Day, Frankie is beginning to come to terms with what happened, and along with this comes the realization that she could have been as much to blame as he. Can she close the emotional distance that has sprung up between them?

Valentine’s Victory is a touching novella that, whilst taking hardly any time to read, will leave a lasting impression on you. The story is told entirely from Frankie’s point of view and spans a single day three months after a devastating accident. During this day, Frankie begins to heal emotionally and come to recognize that no one was to blame for the accident. It would have been as easy to blame her for what happened as to blame him. Her initial resentment is a tangible thing, yet so is her and Tanner’s love for each other. Frankie’s emotions shine though in this tale, enabling the reader a glimpse into her shattered soul. This is a fabulous novella that is the best of any novella I have read thus far. Ms. Surbeck is an excellent author with a superb ability with words. Valentine’s Victory is a touching, truly enjoyable tale that you will be glad you picked up.



Reviewed by: Elizabeth