Book Review: What Happens Next

 

From the back:

"An uplifting story of faith, hope, and healing."--Booklist

"Everyone has a story, and maybe everyone needs a little help toward healing."

Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy--but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. All of that changes when she's asked to spotlight her childhood best friend's missing person case on her podcast.

Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter's belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.

As the long-abandoned investigation moves forward, old wounds and long-buried secrets are exposed. Will these two women, whose lives have never been the same, finally get the answers they need to reconcile the past and the future?

My Reflections:

Christina Nelson pens another profoundly moving novel with her newest book titled "What Happens Next" This author never disappoints. She writes about issues that matter, digs deeper into the complexities of life, teasing out truth and the courage of the human heart.

Faith a former investigator turned podcaster is recently divorced and at odds with what to do with herself as her daughters spend the summer with their dad and his new wife. When she is asked out of the blue to shed light on the disappearance of her childhood friend she is shaken. Having been left in the dark about her friend Heather's disappearance gives Faith the determination to find out what truly happened that summer 36 years ago.

This novel also delves into the lives of Dora, Heather's mother. Dora has held onto the belief that Heather will return, so much so that it has ripped at the very fabric of her remaining family. 

Lastly, the book shares the life of young Heather at the age of 10, the summer before her disappearance. We get a glimpse into this sweet funny and outspoken girl full of life and promise. Faith and Heather become fast friends that summer and share many adventures and memories together. 

I enjoyed all aspects of this gripping story. It made me take a sobering look at those around me and the consequences of our actions. Healing is messy business, with many ups and downs, it is fraught with emotions and choices. I am slowly learning (I must be really slow because it's taken a while) that I need to stop, take a breath, step back, assess the mess then lean into it and trust in the journey God has set before me. 

Nelson is a master writer her ability to pen characters with depth and substance makes her novels stand out. I am always drawn into the lives of her characters and feel a special connection which leaves me wanting more when the last page has been turned. 

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Christina Suzann Nelson

Christina Suzann Nelson (www.christinasuzannnelson.com) is an inspirational speaker and Christy award-winning author. Her first novel, If We Make It Home, was honored as one of Library Journal's top five inspirational novels of 2017, and her 2021...

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Book Review Yesterday's Tides

 

From the Back:

In two world wars, intelligence and counterintelligence, prejudice, and self-sacrifice collide across two generations

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same--until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the SS officer he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, never expecting to fall in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper's daughter. But when war breaks out in Europe, their relationship is put in jeopardy and may not survive what lies ahead for them.

As the ripples from the Great War rock Evie and Sterling's lives in World War II, it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

My reflections:

"Yesterday's Tides" is a slow savoury read. White takes her readers on a journey along duel timelines one set in 1914 and the other in 1942. Both are on the same American island of Ocracoke. This idyllic small island is home to a small number of locals who are close-knit and deeply woven together. 

1914 we become acquainted with Louisa, a down-to-earth kinda soul. She was inventive and able to do the work suited for a man in that era. I was pretty impressed at her get-it-done attitude. Louisa being the innkeeper's daughter usually doesn't pay too much attention to the guests at the inn, that is until a very handsome well-to-do guest comes to stay on the island for the entirety of the summer. 

Remmington never expected to fall in love with a commoner, but that he did. Knowing that their relationship would not bode well in his world due to her ancestry and social standing, Remington tries to talk himself into keeping their relationship friendly, but his heart has other plans. 

1942, Evie is a wickedly smart woman with a grieving heart. She plods along each day with purpose and determination. She however leads a secret life helping the British crack enemy codes with the means of the telegraph as her way of communication. When Sterling, a British spy washes up on her shores, burnt and battered Evie finds herself strangely drawn to him as she nurses him back to health. Within his delirious mumbling, she learns tidbits of his true identity. 

Sterling has a mission and it doesn't include Evie. Still weak and unable to complete his assignment he must lean on Evie to regain his strength and track down a certain German spy. Can he trust Evie? Who is she really, and why does he find himself falling deeper and deeper for her?

I found myself thoroughly invested in both stories, I do however have to admit it got a little confusing at times, as there are so many characters to keep track of. 

Both stories offered well-paced plots with relatable characters. If you are looking for something with a little more substance this would be a good choice to sink your teeth into.

 This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. She pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When...

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