Book Review: Miracle in a Dry Season

From the Back:

In a Drought, It's the Darkest Cloud
That Brings Hope

It's 1954 and Perla Long's arrival in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle.

Casewell Phillips has resigned himself to life as a bachelor...until he meets Perla. She's everything he's sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. As the drought worsens, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith.

My Reflections:

Miracle in a Dry Season is Sarah Loudin Thomas`s debut novel, I can tell you she is off to a fabulous writing career! A charming story that tugs at your heart and fills you with the desire to ignore the world around you.

Perla escaping to Wise, West Virginia to her aunt and Uncles home is hiding in the shadows trying to shroud her daughter from the gossip, and mean spirited behaviour surrounding her status as a unwed mother to beautiful Sadie. Perla hopes her transgressions can stay hidden in this little town, but it looks as though things will not change much..

Caswell Phillips a bachelor content to play his music and create beauty from wood, is quite resigned to bachelorhood, until he meets Perla. Things quickly spiral out of control when his father becomes ill, and the drought changes his community for the worst. Caswell is quick to judge Perla, but soon feels remorse. Can he forgive himself for his lack of empathy and nearsightedness? What about his growing attraction to this woman, and her sweet child?

As the community endures a severe drought Perla does what she does best she cooks. Town-folk flock to eat from Perla's pot, but soon become suspicious over her "Knack" for making food stretch far past norm. The God given gift Perla is blessed with is misconstrued by the bigoted, intolerable people of Wise. Caswell must decide where his loyalties rest, and how he is going to handle the pain and confusion in his life.

This book is beautifully written, and I quite enjoyed the though provoking and inspirational plot. It was interesting to see how the author displayed the way the world can take a spiritual blessing, given by God to do his will and turn it around and try to make it something dirty and looked upon as evil.

This is the first book in the Appalachian Blessings series, watch for the next book to be released soon!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group"

About the author: 

 Sarah Loudin Thomas

Sarah Loudin Thomas is a fund-raiser for a children's ministry who has also published freelance writing for Mountain Homes Southern Style and Now & Then magazines, as well as The Asheville Citizen-Times and The Journey Christian...

Continue reading about Sarah Loudin Thomas