Organized to follow a woman-in-mourning's experiences over time. Journaling space with short prompt questions for each reflection. Easy healthy recipes for one person included for each of 50 topics. Written in the gentle and encouraging voice of one who has been there. Unique inclusion of fifty-two recipes of two servings each. The recipes include little or no processed foods and make abundant use of vegetables, fruits, fish, and lean meat. All recipes have been curated and tested by the author, Kathleen Paris. As she says, "For those of us accustomed to cooking for at least two people (or if our mate did most of the cooking), it is an adjustment to cook for oneself, but so worthwhile!" The recipes can be shared with a friend or the second serving can be a comforting leftover for the next day.

Sequential design. Most books on grieving do not follow the griever from the first weeks of loss through succeeding months. The author points out: "Because Gentle Comforts follows the griever's changing experiences, the topics are more tailored to what a woman might need at a given point in her grief journey. For example, nourishing food and hydration are so essential in those first weeks of grief, while clarifying one's bedrock values or reaching out to other grievers can come later." Journaling space with simple writing prompts. It is well-documented that writing can be therapeutic for healing from trauma. As the author notes, "It can be helpful for those of us who have lost our life companion to write down some things we want to remember. Writing about these things is for ourselves; downloading them onto paper captures moments that somehow touched our grieving heart.

Even capturing a short phrase or word may clear some space in our mind.".