Welcome to the Official Review Page for
Please leave your thoughts, ideas, questions, comments, critiques, and aha’s in the comment section.
And thank you for sharing this journey with me!
Alex.
I get a lot of comments from people who have read A Road To Joy, but who don’t for one reason or another, leave a written comment below. I’d like to share some of them, if you’re willing to trust that people have actually said these things to me and it’s not just my imagination or inflated ego making them up…
From Judge, 9th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards (=D)
The greatest strength of A Road to Joy lies in its narrative voice. The narrator has a sharp, unique voice that draws readers into her world. This voice is maintained even as she is transformed by the events of the story, and though readers can sense the shift in her tone from hopelessness to healing, it is believable and in line with her character. The other characters the narrator encounters, such as her family and those she meets while on her road trip, also feel fully formed, despite being filtered through her perspective. The narrator’s relationship with her late husband reads as real and raw, and though he is never actually present in the story outside of the narrator’s memories, he is a fully-fleshed character in his own right. A Road to Joy is humorous, heartbreaking, and delightfully entertaining story of grief and returning home to oneself.
From Lucie:
Hi Alex,
Just wanted to say a huge thank-you for my copy of A Road to Joy – & autographed is so cool!
Funny story though – Lisa sent the book home with Steve from preschool. The inscription was to Lisa and I thought she was being really nice + lending me her copy. Many weeks later, Lisa texted to say her book has an inscription to me – I was really excited!
Loved the book! It brought moments where I burst out laughing (+ people on the cruise ship thought I was crazy) + also tears. While I know it is fiction, I couldn’t help but picture Paul when you described being enveloped by a hug – that is still where my mind goes when I think of Paul – best. hugs. ever!
Hugs and big thanks to you.
Lucie
From Linda:
Hey Honey…wanted to let you know that you made me laugh..and cry…in the last few days…Finally got a chance to read your book from cover to cover….WELL DONE!
From Maryann:
Loved it! I lent it to Shelly – she loved it so much she bought a copy for herself. And I loved the swearing. It turned out to be one of my favourite parts!
From Fran:
This was a great story. I’ve read it a couple of times.
From my Therapist:
I loved your book. Are you okay? Do we need to talk?
From my Sister:
Should I be worried about you?
From Lisa:
Love your book! Is it okay if I lend it?
From Allison:
Great book! Love it! ❤
From Bon Zi:
Wow … It was a real eye opener about about losing someone close. Thank you for opening up to everyone.
From Dianne:
I absolutely love your book. [My husband] was thrilled to see himself mentioned in it! I read it too fast, though. So I’m reading it again!
(NOTE from Alex, her husband was NOT the cranky guy in Walmart…)
From my Daughter #1:
I’m sorry it’s taking me so long to read it. It’s really hard. But I’m almost done. And I think I understand you so much better now.
From my Daughter #3:
Great book Mom. No surprise.
(NOTE: high praise from this one!!)
From my Son #2:
I can’t. It’s too much.
A Road To Joy 
Omg… I have read this book 3x and every single time I start to write a review, I start reading it again! I have a good friend who loaned me her copy of this book over a year ago. I wasn’t what I was expecting. Let’s face it, stories of grief aren’t easy to read and I’m sure much harder to write. I picked this book up one sunny afternoon and read it in one sitting. My heart was filled with sadness for sure but what caught me off guard were many, many times I laughed out loud. Although I knew the ending of the story, the road she takes to get there will keep you entertained. I think it’s time I returned the book and bought my own copy 😀
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Wow! Where do I begin?
Probably with giving thanks and gratitude to Alexandra Stacey for writing her story.
It is incredible, and I haven’t been able to stop telling people about it.
I could not wait to finish it, and then when I did; I was kinda sad it was over and I wanted more! And actually I did have more, in the way the story resonated with me, helped and healed me, how it’s made such a positive impact, and how sharing this story I can spread all of that good stuff to more people.
When the book came in the mail, it was impossible to hold back the tears as I read the author’s note, and the inscription. I was overwhelmed with the love and gratitude and eager to begin reading A Road To Joy.
Since the moment it came, I haven’t been able to put this book down!
I could not believe the similarities between her story and my life, totally relatable! So compelling.
This book came at the perfect time, I’d go so far as to say Divine timing. This in itself overwhelms me with gratitude and I can’t wait to share it with everyone!
There were moments when I felt bad that I hadn’t contacted the author (Alexandra Stacey) to personally and properly say thank you, but I couldn’t find the words.
I could only lose myself in the pages and literally put what ever could wait on hold just to get lost in her compelling story. Besides, I knew it was enough to send love, gratitude and thanks through intentions and she would get the message. (Read the book and you’ll totally get that)
I am so impressed and overwhelmed with her story that it’s taken me a few days to even write this review.
Be ready to laugh and cry through this adventure she takes us on telling her story, but mostly, relate to it and benefit from it, this story is a generous gift to the reader.
This book has helped and healed me in so many ways that it’s very hard to explain. Sometimes I found myself saying out loud ‘are you sh*tting me?’ Or ‘holy crap, it’s like she’s in my head’!
It is an incredible story and I am privileged to have been able to read it, so thankful that she sent it to me, hopeful that I can get more copies so more people can read it.
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A Road to Joy is an easy read, but an intense read. You immediately want to know what’s up with this “she”, who swears like nobody’s business, and who appears to have lost control – of something.
She sweeps you along on a journey of emotions, reflection, memories, humour, and awe. It is impossible not to get caught up in her story, to cry with her, to cheer her, and to wonder with her. I felt as though I was in the passenger’s seat, with a bird’s eye view. I sat at the campfires with her. I snuggled in the van at night and waited for whatever the next day would bring. I was exhausted when she was exhausted, and I was filled with joy and gratitude that she was brave enough to lay it all out, and ultimately find her way back to her family. and to a greater self.
Bravo – beautiful reading!
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My morning ritual this summer has been to wake up with coffee and read a chapter of A Road to Joy! Suddenly my need to keep reading has taken over and I find myself wanting more. The love between “her” and Nathan is so powerful it leaps off the pages and into my heart tugging as I continue to read each sentence. Powerful, Emotional, Funny, and Witty! A Road to Joy is a must read!
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I am a book snob. I read a lot of books and I have recently felt like books were losing the power to move me. Then came A Road To Joy. This book is so real and powerful that it had me laughing and crying, sometimes at the same time. Alexandra has put her heart and soul into this novel and it shows on every page. This one is a definite must read. Well done Alexandra!
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“A Road to Joy” was definitely the most impactful, emotional, and inspirational read of my life. I was right there with “her”, experiencing her gut wrenching lows and highs. I quite frankly could not put this book down, and it took me several days once done to even share how it impacted me. You must read it! I have to share this book with everyone I know. Thank you Alex!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ First, I have to say finding a book that captures and holds my attention is not easy. I have picked up many books that sounded interesting but couldn’t keep me reading after the first couple chapters. This book was able to keep me reading and wanting to learn about ‘her’. I wanted to know what she’d been through, how it happened and how she dealt with it all. I have not been through a loss like ‘she’ has but I feel like I learned how important it is to appreciate every day and everything we have at this moment, even if it’s not how or what we envisioned for ourselves. I really loved the raw emotion and feels that came with this read. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. Thank you Alexandra! ❤
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Alex,
I finished your book on the weekend and have spent the last five days trying to think of a suitable response. Powerful, inspiring, unflinchingly honest. These are just clichés that don’t have enough weight to express how your book affected me. The lessons you teach through this story need to be heard by many. The chapter on Nathan’s death stirred up a lot of ghosts for me, but thank you for sharing it. “People say stupid shit like “live everyday like it’s your last”…When your people know you love, them no matter what, you don’t need goodbye.” These are powerful messages. I will be gifting copies of this book to a number of friends who will benefit from its messages. Thank you again for sharing it with the world.
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