This book grabbed my attention from the first pages. Tragedy hits through an earthquake. You can't find your family and you witness something horrific before you. Sally John is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This is the third book I have read from her and I LOVED it! The first book I read by Sally John was entitled, Ransomed Dreams, and the second, Desert Gift. I quickly knew this was an author I was going to love. This is the third installment in this series. You do not have to read this series in order. What I love is the powerful impact all three books make. In each she touches on a different subject. One that has reached us all in some form.
We have a family that is going through some difficult times. Teal, River and Maiya make up this family. I love how Sally John uses an earthquake and after shocks to perfectly capture the shaking foundation of this family. On the surface all seems fine, but all it takes is one moment to change everything. One earthquake can cause major damage, but the aftershocks are just as frightening. What happens after an earthquake? You rebuild and that is what Sally John has captured here in this beautifully written novel.
The characters were so real and I could relate to each of them on some level. John shows us that after the earthquake we can always find grace in God's comfort. Even during the earthquake He is still here unmoving and present in all around us. Even on shaky ground, He is in control. He's in control even when you have a teenager who is rebelling. This is a book about marriage, raising children, facing your past and letting go so you can move forward. Some how we all rebel against something. It's in facing those fears that we find the strength we need to move forward. Sally poignantly pens a story that is rich in truth of today's world. Touching on issues that we all face.
Sally John takes us on a journey of faith, hope and love through a family we can all relate to. This is surely one you will enjoy too. I love walking away from reading a book that not only took me to a new place, but one that I enjoyed and learned from as well.
This book was a gift from Tyndale for it's review.
Sally John:
When the going gets tough—or weird or wonderful—the daydreamer gets going on a new story. Sally John has been tweaking life's moments into fiction since she read her first Trixie Belden mystery as a child. Now an author of more than fifteen novels, Sally writes stories that reflect contemporary life. Her passion is to create a family, turn their world inside out, and then portray how their relationships change with each other and with God. Her goal is to offer hope to readers in their own relational and faith journeys. Sally grew up in Moline, Illinois, graduated from Illinois State University, married Tim in 1973, and taught in middle schools. She is a mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. A three-time finalist for the Christy Award, she also teaches writing workshops. Her books include the Side Roads series, the Safe Harbor series (coauthored with Gary Smalley), The Other Way Home series, The Beach House series, and In a Heartbeat series. Many of her stories are set in her favorite places of San Diego, Chicago, and small-town Illinois. She and her husband currently live in southern California. Visit her Web site at www.sally-john.com.
