Self-Discovery on Mount Kilimanjaro

Devastated by her husband’s death from opioid abuse, small-town widow Marren Halleck travels to Tanzania to summit the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro. Along her trek through the ever-changing scenery of the mountain, Marren finds hope for a new beginning and forms a special connection with her climbing team, including a mysterious cowboy named Chris. Her promising path forward is derailed, however, when she discovers that Chris isn’t who she thinks he is, and she must search inside herself to learn how to truly stand on her own.

In her debut novel, Somewhere Above It All, author Holli Fawcett Clayton takes us on a breathless expedition through nature and brilliantly captures the restorative power of human connection in her poignant portrayal of Marren’s struggle with grief. You will be captivated by Marren’s riveting journey to overcome her painful past and find the happiness she longs for.

“The icy mountain wind is holding me back, anchoring my legs to the steep terrain with its relentless grip. Uhuru Peak is just ahead, and I am close enough to see the weathered signs at the summit, etched with words in a welcoming shade of yellow gold.

Keep going. You’re almost there.

My heart is telling me all the right things, but my logical mind disagrees. The two opposing sides are engaging in a heated argument.

Turn back, now. You can’t do this.

Yes, you can. You are Marren Halleck. You can do this.

I am layered in warm clothing, puffy like a marshmallow, my face safely shielded like my troubled past. And yet it feels like I am taking a cold shower. I want to turn it off, to jump out of the misery’s way. I cannot feel my face or my feet or my hands. The wind is picking up.

There is no way you can do this.

I turn back, but a giant gloved hand stops me.

And then I hear his voice, muffled through his balaclava.

“Please don’t give up on me now.”

I think of Brody. I didn’t give up then, and I can’t give up now. I must persevere.”

—from Somewhere Above It All