As much as I enjoyed Jericho, I enjoyed Aftermath even more. With all the buildup to the impending romance taken care of in the first novel, this sequel focuses more on the small town and community as they navigate life after a tornado runs through Main Street damaging many buildings and causing numerous injuries (though I don’t think anyone died).
The drama of the storm pulls you right in from the beginning. I love a bit of chaos and was hooked from the start. The book opens pretty quickly to the storm and recounts the fast havoc it causes through the perspective of multiple characters. What ensues is a steady stream of exciting drama. Maddie needs to find Syd, Michael can’t get a hold of David, and the school’s auditorium has collapsed- it’s a ride. The rest of the story captures the effect of the storm on the town. Maddie and Syd house David and Michael after the Inn sustained damages which allots for some extra comical relief and a closer look into their characters. Henry is still living with Maddie and Syd as his father fights in Afghanistan and we watch him enjoy his life on the farm. We definitely get a closer look into the lives of the townspeople. We see them interact outside of Maddie and Syd which added to the well delivered community feel.
There’s still some romantic elements in this book- we see how Maddie and Syd make out in the next chapter of their lives and how they deal with difficulties together, always with love and patience, but I enjoyed how much focus was given to the community in this novel. The story lines were balanced nicely- we got to see Maddie and Syd enjoy a night out together on an out-of-town date as well as the internalized monologue of the mail woman as she reflected on how the storm affected her side business, and Henry’s thoughts as he fed his favorite cow.
I loved seeing Maddie break down in this book. I felt like her character really came alive. Maddie is so stoic and reserved with her emotions, I think the outburst really humanized her. I really felt for her in this book and I enjoyed the difference that was illustrated in how Syd and Maddie handled their emotions.
Drama aside, I thought Aftermath was even funnier than Jericho, if that’s possible. Some of the scenes in this novel are outrageous and I loved how they were narrated with an It’s-just-another-day-in-Jericho attitude. If you like your books with small town atmosphere, unique and humorous subplot, and the McMan signature witty dialogue then you will enjoy Aftermath. https://www.amazon.com/Aftermath
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