Reviewed by Carmen Tenorio for Readers' Favorite

Yellow Door: The Journal of a Wish by C Faherty Brown tells us about a woman named Bronagh who decided to abandon the forced routine of her job and the overwhelming modern environment that felt like a hamster cage. She decided to have a simple and detached lifestyle on a secluded island off the coast of Ireland, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. She was inspired by the stories she’d read and moved by the lives of those who had lived there. She sold her house and gradually shipped only necessary possessions to the place. She also brought gadgets that enabled her to communicate, write a blog, and do research while relying on solar energy for electricity. She settled in a small cottage with a yellow door. She familiarized herself with the terrain, its residents, and visitors as she faced the challenges and pleasures of island life. Will living on the island with a scaled-down existence be a lifetime adventure of fulfillment or disappointment for Bronagh? Was this shocking move a vain whim and a waste of time or was it the best decision she had ever made?

In C Faherty Brown’s Yellow Door, one is easily captivated by the author’s descriptive narrative style that uses uncomplicated language and an appealing plotline. What stands out are the vivid imagery, cultural elements, events, and a little history that makes the reader feel transported to the location or part of a scene. The author creates a feeling of belonging or familiarity through relatable reactions, emotions, and behavior, enhanced by the first-person point of view. One can easily empathize with Bronagh’s renewed and inspired perspective as one tunes in to her insights and introspections during this major shift in her life. Themes of determination, perseverance, patience, self-realization, introspection, discovery, and community are incorporated throughout the story as the main character explores the island’s landscape, its fascinating flora and fauna, along with her downsized lifestyle, experiences, and interactions with its people. Recommended for those who appreciate stories about soul-searching, personal development, and enlightenment and for armchair travelers who enjoy being virtually immersed in a stunning destination through a good book.