“At turns hopeful and heartbreaking, SHAKEN TO THE CORE asks the big questions about love, legacy, motherhood, and how we react when the life we’ve built comes tumbling down around us. Dara Levan’s poetic prose and deft storytelling bring her characters to life with tenderness and empathy, reminding readers that our time might not be infinite but perhaps that’s what fills our days with so much purpose. A true testament to the simple moments that sometimes save us, Levan’s latest is an absolute must read!”

– Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times Bestselling author of Beach House Rules

“An important, emotionally rich novel about  life’s most profound milestones. It’s a story of mothers and daughters, legacy, and a marriage tested. I loved it.”

– Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of The Weekend Crashers

“Shaken to the Core is a beautiful rendering of love and loss, capturing the quiet, devastating ways each reshapes who we are. With emotional precision and deep compassion, Dara Levan traces how grief can fracture a life—and how love, even in its absence, continues to transform us.”

– Jane L. Rosen, author of The Fire Island Trilogy

“In Shaken to the Core, Dara Levan crafts an emotionally astute portrait of a woman reshaped by sudden loss. After her mother’s unexpected death, Joy finds herself conflicted between devotion and doubt. As she uncovers her mom’s old journals and in them, her long-buried dreams, Joy begins to see that motherhood isn’t just about biology—it’s about memory, courage, and the fierce desire to nurture something that outlives us. With warmth, humor, and emotional honesty, this uplifting novel reminds us that when life breaks our hearts, it can rebuild them even stronger and better than they were before.”

– Gila Pfeffer, award-winning author of Nearly Departed