Love. Loss. Hope. Heroism. Is there safe passage through the torrents and storms of life?

Wonders In the Deep is a dramatic illustration, an emotionally charged depiction of the elements that keep us human, fuel our spirit, and give us the courage to continue.

The life of eighteen-year-old Brandon Lawrence is one riddled with questions. Pained sore inside, he seeks answers that have been swallowed deeply by his own grandfather, whom he lovingly calls Pap. How did his parents and grandmother die? Why does his grandfather resent Natalie, Brandon’s best friend since childhood? Why is he forbidden to step foot on a boat, to ride the waves of the sea? Will he ever find answers?

Pap’s journals. Could they hold the secrets?

Set in the rocky and rugged coastline of Maine, the story uncovers Brandon’s world in the summer of 1998. The 1930s and 40s of his grandfather’s world are now over, along with the flat plains of a corn-belted Illinois town he had decided to leave as a young man. What had happened to cause a man to run from a life he couldn’t handle? What had turned Pap into a man withdrawn from life? A man holding tight to the secrets of his life.

Sitting alone on the same weathered dock Brandon had come to with Pap every Thursday growing up, he tries to piece together the puzzle of an unspoken life. Face to face with the only solution he knows, he must choose between honor and answers; an act of thievery plagues him hard, haunting and jolting his conscience. If his grandfather is too brokenhearted to speak of such things, could Brandon steal the answers he needs from the journals?

Wonders In the Deep is a soothing balm, medicine to a hurting and wounded soul. Faced with the harsh realities of grief and loss, two men embark on a great journey to find healing in the deep and uncertain oceans of life. As you journey with Brandon and Pap, you may identify with their struggles.

Is there true triumph over adversity? How far will one go for answers? How far will you go?

My thoughts: This is a well written story of a grandfather and his grandson as they take apart their relationship and work through emotions and how it has affected their relationship. I thought it was interesting that this book unpacks a bit of what it is like to pass some of your insecurities down to those you are close to, something I have thought about. I love how this story came together and what the characters work through that makes their relationship stronger in the end.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Chuck Carr Photo Inspired by life events, Chuck Carr takes lessons learned over his years and forms them into words and phrases meant to lift others from the same hardships he has faced himself. He wraps and weaves the essence of what life is all about into this, his fourth book, a novel. Filled with his own energy, blood, and tears, Chuck combines this powerfully lifting message with one of his greatest passions in life¾his passion for the sea. As a former youth pastor, Chuck Carr has influenced hundreds of people throughout his life. He desires to help others live effectively despite hardships, as his testimony proves that sufferings can be changed into blessings. Losing a spouse in 2008, he strives to help those hurting from the same pain. A life altering accident in 2018 left him with a traumatic brain injury, and his vision and life goals have been refocused to help others heal from devastating traumas. He is a writer of both fiction and nonfiction, publishing The Convergence, Navigating Grief, and All That the Locusts Have Eaten, which carry the message that one can live the abundant life God desires for us regardless of hardships and shortcomings we face. His audience at www.Chuck-Carr.com has been blessed by inspirations about topics such as Christian faith, overcoming loss and grief, and achieving purpose in life. Now remarried to a woman of shared life goals, Faerie, he has chosen to live with purpose despite his injuries, being an inspiration to others, residing in New Alexandria, Pennsylvania.

More from Chuck

There was never a time in my life so confusing, so emotionally raw and puzzling as when my first spouse passed away in her twenties in 2008. She had to say goodbye to our two boys ages 5 and 3. The event changed everything about me in one way or another. The things I was forced to face since that day are things that unfortunately so many other people are also forced to face as well. It isn’t fun. Thus, the birth of my desire to help those who know what I’m talking about.

Initially, I was attacked with the obvious¾the daunting question of “why.” It never fails. We all ask it. Sooner or later, that single question begs our attention, and how we answer it will determine our outlook on everything else in life. It is an unavoidable roadblock that cannot be dodged or taken lightly. If not properly handled, that monster will bite you from behind and consume you¾it is a foe one cannot play around with. But not all things are black and white. Another thing I learned out real fast, was that some things don’t have a right or wrong answer in life. Yes, I avoided it like the plague. Almost a certainty, those who meant no harm would bring it up and shove it in my face unknowingly. It came with incredible pressure, the prod or question no survivor ever wants to look at. “You’ll find love again.” Maybe. But should I love again? The prompt comes in various forms, yet none look pleasant to the one who has tasted loss.

These two insurmountable difficulties are what prompted me to write the novel Wonders In The Deep: A Tale of Healing. I wanted others to learn that the “why” is a tremendous opportunity for us if we allow ourselves to go on the journey God promises to walk beside with us. Only there¾in this incredibly intimate and personal space¾can we understand the richness of a God whose heart is broken right along with ours. I also wanted to show readers that some may choose to honor those they have survived¾and that is ok. Some, choose to love again. It is a deeply personal choice that is extremely hard to navigate. This book illustrates it well, a way to sort out feelings one might not be able to do alone.

Wonders In The Deep. A place where one can cross the great divide of heartache to healing. A journey of a lifetime. One I hope you will cross with me.