Brad and Darlene Henderson are wanting a slower pace for their family, moving them from the big city of Houston to the small town of Round Top, Texas so they can restore the house that Darlene's grandparents owned. It doesn't hurt that they will be getting their oldest away from the negative influences at school.
The change of pace winds up being tough on their middle child, Grace, who puts up a front so the world will keep thinking she is the perfect daughter when she really has some horrible addictions. When she makes an unusual friend, her family realizes that they are just as guilty as anyone else at judging a book by its cover.
I couldn't put this book down! This novel is a bit unpredictable (which I consider to be a good thing!), since there is a lot going on with this family. I like that everything comes to a conclusion at the end, without making it feel trite. The story has several themes, one of the most prevalent being the need to have a person relationship with God so you have someone to lean on when the hard times come, because come they will.
Nice review. I really enjoyed this book as well. Beth Wiseman writes fearlessly with the stresses and struggles that are an inevitable part of a marriage and raising children--yet offers hope in the face of those challenges. She doesn't shy away from letting the characters in this book face some problems and difficult questions. I think many readers will be able to relate to this book, and be comforted by the fact that they are not the only ones who struggle.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! I hadn't read anything else by Beth Wiseman, so I wsn't prepared to be blown away by this book. Some Chriatian authors get to much into drama for the sake of drama, but this author isn't like that. She writes about real life in a way to help others.
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