TO BEAR FRUIT
R A C H A E L W O O D R U F F
What People Are Saying
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It's riveting—what an opening. She is a very talented storyteller and writer. It brought back so many memories of our conversations and what it was like for her to navigate through that truly, indescribably awful part of life. Just wanted to say how impressed I am with her writing, the pictures she created with her words, the honesty with which she shared. Also love the title of the book and the artwork!
— Tami Hoogestraat, Psy. D., M.B.A.
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It feels so personal. I feel connected to her reading it, and it makes me feel less alone. She really did something special here.
— Meghann Risvold
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I just want to reach through the pages and hug her! The way she describes things, I can picture perfectly what she means. I can almost feel it. It's incredible, just incredible! I say that not only as a friend, but as someone who has a HARD time reading something that doesn't grab my attention and I've had the opposite problem of not wanting to put it down (which isn't even a problem in my opinion).
— Laura Hilderbrand
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Above all, thank you Rachael, for writing this. I know this will be such an important story for many people, as it was for me, and a reminder that you truly never know what anyone else is going through. Thank you for the reminder that we are never alone in our suffering and that fighting for the future is always worth it. We can grow, bloom, and bear fruit.
— Shannon Valor
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I like a good redemption story. A lot of the things she struggled with as a result of her challenges were things that I related to. A lot of her concerns and anxieties in relationships and friendships resonated with me too. Very enjoyable and a worthwhile read.
— Cheyne Jones
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It's so amazing. I'm slowly making my way through it and have only cried twice. Her words are so beautiful and powerful and this book is going to make a huge impact on so many people!
— Cara Davidson
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I love it. I'm so proud of her for writing it and also am so impressed by her style—the alternating narrative and impressionist sections work really well together and remind me a little of Steinbeck's alternating structure in East of Eden, though obviously the content and syntax are super different.
— John Stewart
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I'm really grateful she's decided to share her story; grief is not talked about nearly enough and I am so appreciative of her sharing her perspective and struggle. He was so special and it means so much to see the impact he had on paper. Thank you [Rachael] for loving him.
— Kaeleigh Strong
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3 hours later. I read it all. I laughed. I sobbed. SHE IS A WRITER. This is one of the most brilliant pieces of work I have ever encountered. 6th grade us would have no concept of this. But this is what dreams are made of. Light is only light because of the dark. There's been so much dark in her life, but the light that cracked through, DAMN. Daybreak for sure babygirl!!!
— Erica Jones
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I finished her book after devouring it in two sittings—it was hard to put down! I'm a big fan of memoirs and found hers to be especially touching in its emotional honesty and vivid descriptions of her grief process. Journaling her way through those rough early months made those sections feel so raw and real—the kind of content that is rare to find because it can't be fully felt and accessed after years have passed. She's a talented writer and has written something truly beautiful to read.
— KL, LPC
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As I am reading this masterpiece of what I would consider a piece of my own past, I can feel ALL the the things like it was yesterday. Also, I just want to say that I'm extremely proud of you [Rachael] and you'll always be my sister! Just know that this took a lot of work, guts and I know it was hard but YOU DID IT! Beautifully I might add.
— Tasha Metzler
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To Bear Fruit is raw and honest. Rachael's journey is an inspiration and delivers hope for life after loss. I felt connected to her in many ways despite the different roads we traveled.
— Sara Nagel