Windfall by Barbara Avon – Book Review

Windfall is a five-star haunting story about love, loss, and despair. Thrown back in time, John thinks he gets a do-over, but life isn’t that simple.

Title: Windfall

Author: Barbara Avon

Genre: Dark fantasy horror

Publication date: April 16, 2020

Rating: 5

From the back cover

His shadow crossed her frail body like some menacing presence as he stood. He leaned over to brush her thinning hair from her face, and kissed her forehead, trying to reach her beautiful mind. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m going to the store, but it will only take me a minute, okay?”

In 1982, John Armstrong walks into a convenience store. He emerges with a second chance at life. He believes he’s been given a gift – but at what cost? Windfall is a dark-themed fantasy/time travel story about a man who thinks he’s won it all.

My thoughts on Windfall

This is the third book I read by this author and I was hooked from the beginning. The writing is tight, fast-paced, and pulls at your heartstrings long after closing the book. You can also read my thoughts on Q.W.E.R.T.Y. and Postscript, two wonderful books by the same author. Similar themes, like time travel, loss, and grief are found in both.

Windfall begins with a beautiful poem:

They gave us one extra day,

One last chance, to frolic, and play.

We can climb a mountain,

Or swim in a lake.

Tell me, love, which route to take?

There’s not much time,

The hours are few,

Love me today,

Before I say, “adieu”.

The story explores a wide range of emotions through John’s eyes. It goes from the utter despair he feels watching his sick wife fade away a little more each day, to murder.

Thrown back in time Jonh gets to seduce his wife all over again. Their love knows no bounds and he’s bent on doing everything right this time. He thinks he’s won the lottery when he takes his wife to the doctor early, on a hunch, thus saving her life.

He rebuilds his life and everything seems to go well. It’s the second chance we all dream about.  John even wins the lottery and now that they’re rich, he gets to offer his wife the best of everything.

But fate’s a cruel mistress and cheating death is not without consequences. The second time around the loss is even greater. 

The end is bitter-sweet, reminding the reader to appreciate what they have and take nothing for granted.

I recommend Windfall by Barabara Avon to lovers of paranormal, angst, time travel, bitter-sweet romance.

About the author

Barbara Avon is a multi-genre author. She has written since she was young, pursuing her dreams and vowing to write for as long as she can. She has worked at several different media publications and will continue to publish novels until “her pen runs dry”. In 2018 she won FACES Magazine’s “Best of Ottawa” award for female Author and Spillwords “Author of the Month”. She believes in paying it forward and you can read about this belief as the theme is given voice in most of her books. Avon lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband, Danny, their tarantula, Betsy, and their houseplant, Romeo.

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