This dual time story was heartbreaking at times: “They had made the right choice. The mature choice. The loving choice. But that didn’t mean it wouldn’t shatter her heart.” But also uplifting and filled with hope: “God had a plan, even man’s stupidity could not thwart that plan... it is never too late for God. Nothing is too far gone for Him to redeem it.”
Ms. Wen handled the race conflict of the 50s in a sensitive way, showing the conflicting emotions of two teens, Rosie and Ephriam. I liked the way she voiced Rosie’s thoughts as she struggled with alzheimers in later life.
The book was not at all depressing. It was rounded out nicely throughout. Because Lauren is a food blogger, I liked that she named her cats Alton and Nigella! I also caught the weather related references since Carter was a weatherman.
This book was every bit as good as the first and gave me more of a glimpse into the lives of the characters I connected with in the first book.
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About the book:
Two couples in love. Two sets of impossible circumstances. One powerful God of grace.
After a devastating tailspin in her late teens, Lauren Anderson’s life is finally back on track. Then a chance meeting with Carter Douglas, her first love and the man who broke her heart, threatens to throw her well-balanced world out of control.
Now a TV meteorologist, Carter is determined to make amends with Lauren. After all, she still owns his heart. But his old demons are forcing him toward the same decision he faced in the past. Is he courageous enough to make a different choice this time around?
When Lauren’s elderly grandmother, Rosie, begins having nightmares about a man named Ephraim--a name her family has never heard before—a fascinating and forbidden past love comes to light. As Lauren and Carter work to uncover the untold stories of Rosie’s past in 1950s Wichita, they embark on a journey of forgiveness and second chances that will change their lives—and Rosie’s—forever. Along the way they’ll learn that God wastes nothing, his timing is perfect, and nothing is beyond his grace and redemption.
Click here to read an excerpt.
What Others Are Saying
“A reading experience both heartfelt and heart-tugging, a timeless exploration of young and enduring love and the grace found in second chances. Amanda Wen is a rare and remarkable storyteller, and this is a novel I will not soon forget.” –Amanda Barratt, Christy Award-winning author of The White Rose Resists
“A stunning journey of loss, love, and yearning. . . . Past and present are deftly woven together in this dual-timeline narrative that will leave readers flying through the pages.” – Amanda Cox, author of the 2021 Christy Award Book of the Year, The Edge of Belonging
About the author:
Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of
inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in
multiple writing contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity, the
2017 Phoenix Rattler, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions contests. She was
also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist. Her debut novel was a 2021 Christy
Award First Novel finalist.
Wen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and regularly
contributes author interviews for their Fiction Finder feature. She also
frequently interviews authors for her blog
and is a contributor to the God Is Love blog. She is the author of Roots of Wood
and Stone and The Songs That Could Have Been.
In addition to her writing, Wen is an accomplished professional cellist and
pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her
church’s worship team. She serves as a choral accompanist as well. A lifelong
denizen of the flatlands, Wen lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and
hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.
To
find Amanda Wen’s blog and short stories, visit www.amandawen.com.
Readers can also follower her on Facebook
(@AuthorAmandaWen), Twitter
(@AuthorAmandaWen), and Instagram (@authoramandawen).
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Thank you for sharing your review!
ReplyDeleteWould love to read. Thank you for sharing.
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