A Journey of Love That Continues Beyond Loss
Made for Me by Careshmeh French Dean invites readers into a tender story shaped by devotion, faith, and the kind of love that lingers long after goodbye. From the beginning, Careshmeh shares how meeting Joshua Michael French changed her life in ways she never expected. Their connection grew naturally. They enjoyed lighthearted moments, long talks, and the joys of building a home filled with warmth. Careshmeh describes these memories with affection, showing how beautiful their everyday life became as they blended their hopes and dreams.
Their love story feels vibrant because it came after earlier heartbreak. Careshmeh had already walked through loss in her life, so discovering a second chance felt like a blessing she held close. She writes about Joshua with admiration, highlighting the small details that made their relationship feel steady and full of joy. These early chapters bring readers into a world where love feels safe and refreshing.
But life shifted unexpectedly. Loss arrived when it was least expected, and Careshmeh suddenly found herself facing a reality that no spouse ever wants to imagine. What follows is a deeply emotional journey through grief, the search for strength, and the quiet ways faith shows up when everything feels uncertain.
Understanding Grief Through a Heartfelt Story
Many people struggle to understand grief until it touches their lives. This memoir offers honest insight into what it feels like to lose someone central to your world. Careshmeh writes with courage, allowing readers to sit with her during moments of exhaustion, fear, and heartbreaking silence. She speaks about hospital rooms, the weight of waiting, and the fragile hope that love brings even when circumstances feel unpredictable.
Readers see how the absence of someone you love can shake every part of life. At the same time, Careshmeh’s story shows how important it is to let love guide the healing process. Her reflections help readers understand grief with compassion. They also help people who want to support someone in mourning feel more confident in how they show care.
This book becomes a companion for anyone navigating loss. It reminds readers that grief moves slowly, shifts without warning, and requires patience. Careshmeh’s honesty brings comfort. She shows how small moments of peace can appear even in painful seasons.
A Testament to Faith, Courage, and Renewal
Throughout the memoir, faith plays a central role. Careshmeh shares how her belief in God became her anchor when emotions felt overwhelming. Her prayers, reflections, and moments of spiritual clarity reveal how powerful grace can be during heartbreak. Readers who connect with Christian inspiration will find reassurance in her story. They’ll see how faith can guide someone through the darkest valley and lead them toward renewed strength.
She also explores the idea of second chances. Her journey highlights how love can reappear in unexpected ways and how joy can return even after profound loss. This message resonates with anyone searching for meaning after tragedy. It encourages readers to trust that healing is possible and that life can offer surprising blessings, even when the past holds painful memories.
Careshmeh’s blend of vulnerability and hope gives the memoir its emotional depth. The book becomes more than a story about sorrow. It becomes a reminder that love remains present in memory, in faith, and in the resilience we find inside ourselves.
The Heart Behind the Words
Careshmeh brings a rich background to her writing. Her life experience helps her connect with readers on a deeply personal level. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. For the past four years, she has been an elementary teacher who encourages her students with patience and enthusiasm. Her natural ability to connect with childhood emotions translates into an intuitive understanding of adults navigating difficult feelings.
Before entering education and writing, Careshmeh spent over 15 years in real estate. That career strengthened her communication and leadership skills. It also helped her understand people’s stories, motivations, and challenges. Her time in real estate shaped her ability to listen with empathy, a quality that carries into her memoir.
As a gifted public speaker and storyteller, Careshmeh writes with warmth. She knows how to bring emotion to the page in a way that feels genuine. Her book uplifts readers, offering encouragement at times when life feels uncertain or heavy. She invites everyone to reflect on love, faith, and the quiet strength that emerges in moments of heartbreak.
Made for Me is a compassionate guide for anyone who has ever loved deeply or lost someone meaningful. It speaks to people of all ages and backgrounds. Its message is simple and heartfelt. Love shapes us. Love stays with us. Love helps us rise again.
We had the privilege of interviewing the author. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Thank you so much for joining us today! Why did you decide to write such an intimate story, and did you ever hesitate to “let people in” to all the emotions in Made For Me?
I didn’t really decide to write, it was more of a need. I mourned and chronicled my grief on FB so I wouldn’t forget. I was holding on to every shred of my experience to keep my sanity. We think we can recall memories at will, and some may work that way, but when you’re facing down the actual loss, it’s not that easy. Writing is necessary for preservation. I was preserving my experiences but also my reality. Putting it in book format was only natural. I am very transparent by nature, and expressing my reality can’t happen without showing all my emotions. I truly believe my story will resonate with everyone on a level that will inform, comfort and align. It’s a human story, and one that everyone will experience in one form or another.
What would you say made your grief “complicated”, as in complicated grief, referred to in your previous interviews?
Looking back at the level of grief, which for me was complicated, I see now that had I had the support of my in-laws, the grief would have been less severe. I had wonderful people helping me, but they were trying to put out the fires my in-laws were continually starting and fanning, which prevented me from mourning the loss of my Bear. I couldn’t fully focus on the actual events, as every time I began a step forward, these people would send a horrific letter, or exclude me from family events, or make claims that I was responsible for my husband’s suffering. It was mind-boggling how viciously they operated in a situation where tenderness and solidarity were required.
Parts of your book are very raw. What do you credit most that helped you during your darkest times, and what would you share with others who have faced their own loss of a loved one (spouse or child)?
I have an incredibly strong relationship with my maker, and my continued faith and prayers were pivotal in pushing me forward on my path. That faith and those prayers brought people into my life, each time someone left or created destruction. Each of these people was angelic in their love and aid. I would suggest that anyone experiencing loss keep firmly anchored to their faith or convictions. If you aren’t spiritual, I would find a conviction that speaks to you. Allow the people who cross your path to buoy you up. Take the love they give and keep the door open for the light to come in. Light drives out the dark every time.
Who is the target audience for your book?
My target audience is everyone. Everyone will experience loss. It is inevitable. Reading this book will give insight into the best way to handle those around you in grief, give hope to those grieving and restore the ever-present hope in love.
You referred to being quarantined (due to an over-hyped covid protocol) in a hospital room for over a month during Joshua’s chemo. What did you do to stay mentally fit and/or to occupy your time?
Being quarantined for an entire month in four walls should have been maddening, but this is where I realized that Josh and I were each other’s home. It wouldn’t have mattered where we were; we were together, and that made everything doable. We loved talking, playing games, watching movies and planning for our future. There was never a doubt that we wouldn’t make it.
Thank you so much, Careshmeh, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!