Desert Gift by Sally John

This book is about Jillian Galloway, a successful marriage expert, writer, radio show host etc. and her podiatrist husband, Jack. Just as they are leaving on her book tour, Jack announces that he is not going and furthermore, he wants a divorce. This is how the story begins. By the end of the first chapter I was ready to run screaming hysterically in the other direction. I was convinced I would be bored to tears by this book and frankly, I didn’t understand their problem. But I persevered. The further into the book I got, the more intrigued I became. It eventually got to the point where I read most of the rest of the book in one sitting. This book is about relationships, not the least of which is our relationship with God.

Family relationships, three generations worth, were dealt with in this book and all in a very interesting and connected way. This isn’t one of those books where there are three or four very separate storylines going on. These all meshed together, part of the whole. The story has some twists and turns and some very interesting moments but I will leave those for other readers to discover for themselves. Tyndale gave me this book to review and I am glad they did because I would never have picked it up on my own and I am very happy to have discovered this story. I highly recommend it – I couldn’t put it down and other readers will, I am sure, be in the same boat. Thanks Tyndale for introducing me to an author I had not heard of before but hope to see more from in the future!

Abby Johnson's Unite for Life webcast!

Go to: http://uniteforlifewebcast.org Starting Friday, May 13, 2011 and continuing through Tuesday, May 17, 2011 (the day of the webcast).

Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate

Lisa Wingate is well on her way to being on my short list of favorite Christian fiction authors. Her latest book, Larkspur Cove, is her best book yet.

Two people whose fondest childhood memories were spent at Moses Lake, TX, return when circumstances in their adult lives require healing.

Mart McClendon is now a Game Warden at Moses Lake, fleeing the pain of loss of two brothers and a nephew to tragic circumstances.

Andrea Henderson has suffered a betrayal and a divorce and moves to her parents’ cabin at the lake to heal and to pursue her new career as a psychologist working with Social Services on difficult cases in the area.

As Matt and Andrea work together to help a little girl who has been dropped off with her grandfather, a man who has some mental deficiencies but a genuine love for his granddaughter, they find themselves spending more and more time together off the clock.

Andrea’s teen-aged son is also trying to adjust to his losses and his struggles are interwoven into the story. Add to this a bunch of folk who hang around the local bait shop / café and are part of the local flavor and a helpful reverend from the local church, as well as the people in Andrea’s office and you have a lot of interesting interaction. All the characters are very likable and very believable. The reader becomes drawn into the characters’ lives and genuinely concerned about their outcomes.

I received this book from Bethany House for review and enjoyed it immensely.