What Light
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! From Jay Asher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why, comes a holiday romance that will break your heart, but soon have you believing in love again. . . .
"A beautiful story of love and forgiveness."
—Stephen Chbosky, New York Times bestselling author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other.
Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.
By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.
What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.
"A beautiful story of love and forgiveness."
—Stephen Chbosky, New York Times bestselling author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other.
Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.
By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.
What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.
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Community Reviews
🎄What Light Book Review🎄
Synopsis:
What Light follows Sierra, who spends each winter in California helping run her family’s Christmas tree farm while balancing a life she leaves behind the rest of the year. During one holiday season, she meets Caleb, a quiet and misunderstood boy carrying the weight of past mistakes. As their friendship slowly grows into something deeper, the story unfolds into a tender exploration of grace, second chances, and the hope that love can still shine after hard and broken seasons.
My Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
I really enjoyed this one! From the moment I read the description of What Light, I had a feeling it would resonate deeply with me—and it absolutely did. This story pierced my heart in the best way. I loved Sierra, her family, and the history of their Christmas tree farm. There’s something so nostalgic and romantic about that setting, and it made the perfect backdrop for this tender, heartfelt love story.
Watching Sierra and Caleb’s relationship grow from friendship into something more was truly special. My heart especially connected with Caleb. He is such a genuinely good person. Yes, he made mistakes in his past—but the story surrounding them has been exaggerated over time, leaving him misunderstood by nearly everyone around him. What I loved most is that he takes ownership of his mistakes, seeks forgiveness, and is actively trying to move forward with his own redemption story.
Sierra’s response to him was beautiful. Instead of instantly judging him like so many others have, she chooses to seek the truth for herself, offering grace and mercy where it’s rarely given. Their relationship mirrors my own in many ways, so I couldn’t help but fall in love with these two and cheer them on. While they are young—and I hesitated just slightly on their ages—I had to remind myself that love, grace, kindness, and redemption don’t have an age attached to them.
While this isn’t explicitly a Christian book, the theme that we are all imperfect, in need of grace and forgiveness, and worthy of brighter futures is one I will always root for. I would absolutely recommend What Light.
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