The Salt and Light Express (Paperback)

Lee Ann Walling

ISBN 13: 9798992812206

Published by Shifting Sands Media, 2025

About this Item

Paperback. It takes a journey to finally come home.When Chris Lawler is left adrift by the sudden loss of her partner, she heads west on a cross-country road trip-but no GPS can navigate her loneliness or the guilt over her part in Sally's accident.Struggling to find belonging among Utah's red rocks and in the Texas Hill Country, she meets two remarkably different people who begin to kindle her healing. She is smitten by one of them, but past rejection renders her insecure and awkward. Adding to her isolation, her judgmental kin in Texas thwart her attempts to reconcile.A violent reckoning at the small town library where her family lives finally forces Chris to confront the roadblocks that prevent her from loving and being loved. At its heart, The Salt and Light Express explores and celebrates the depths of friendship between two older women, both rebounding from personal tragedies and wondering if their joy is in the rearview mirror. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9798992812206

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Salt and Light Express (Paperback)
• Publisher: Shifting Sands Media
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798992812206
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Sometimes the toughest road is the one that leads back to yourself.

After the sudden loss of her partner, Chris sets out on a cross-country road trip, carrying grief, guilt, and more questions than answers. With no real plan—and no GPS to guide her through heartbreak—she heads west, hoping distance will bring clarity.

Along the way, Chris crosses paths with people who gently disrupt her isolation. Their kindness, shared vulnerability, and unexpected humor begin to soften the guarded parts of her heart. When she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to one of them, old wounds resurface, leaving her uncertain, awkward, and afraid to risk love again.

As Chris attempts to reconnect with family she hasn’t seen in years, unspoken differences complicate her search for belonging. Pulled between the past and the possibility of something new, she must confront the ways grief—and fear—have shaped her choices.


When a shocking incident at a small-town library brings everything to a head, Chris faces a moment of reckoning that will determine whether she remains closed off or opens herself to connection, forgiveness, and joy.

At its heart, The Salt and Light Express is a warm, hopeful novel about grief, resilience, and the transformative power of friendship—especially between two older women navigating loss, renewal, and the question of whether it’s ever too late to begin again.

Perfect for readers who love character-driven stories about healing, connection, and second chances.