This gentle story warmed my heart in so many ways: the sweet friendship at the story’s heart, the many tips of the hat to the classics, the characters' rediscovery of wonder, the author's pleasant sense of humor and comfortably eloquent prose, and the cozy sense of nostalgia for days gone by. I love that the story focuses on hope and healing, yet it isn’t afraid to engage with deep pain and doesn’t need to have a classic, fully-resolved happy ending to bring the characters to a better place. The ending is a brave and meaningful choice on the author's part. I can tell that the characters' journey means a lot to the author, and this book feels like a personal invitation to share in the things that have given her joy and comfort. Buxton's writing has beautiful spirit of expectancy and generosity that has left this reader feeling grateful, uplifted, and cared for.

The story isn't perfect—I would have liked to have gotten to know Mary as well as I got to know Timothy, and there are a few places where the characters' motivations weren't quite clear to me. But stories don't need to be perfect to be worthwhile, meaningful, and beautiful, and What Is and Could Be is all those things.