Linda Nichols

The beginning is a very engrossing story told from several points of view:a woman whose daughter has died and her consequent estrangement from her husband; the husband, a cardiac surgeon, who has blocked off all feeling because of this death & his concurrent botching of a surgery; an elderly woman who has watched the husband lose hope over the years; an elderly missionary who feels he has missed something important in his life by following God's leading instead of marrying and staying in the show more states. Nichols skillfully ties their lives together.
Maybe I should have rated this lower. I liked the writing in the first half of the book, but got frustrated with the way the characters became flat at the end where every problem is solved by turning it all over to God.
2012 review show less

When I first began reading this book, I was a bit hesitant about reading it because it does not fall into the categories of books that I prefer to read. What propelled me to keep reading was my curiousity about the grandmother of the main character, as well as how the plot seemed to sort of verge to the right of what I tried to predict would happen next as I read. I enjoy reading books that are not completely predictable, but not so unpredictable that the events are absurd. This would show more definitely fall under that heading.
With this book, I got a peak into a lifestyle (of drugs) that I have blessedly never experienced first hand, and it opened my eyes to the desperation and hopelessness that accompanies it. I also got a look into the polar opposite of that lifestyle - that of a pastor and the politics within a specific denomination. Along with these two heavy topics, Nichols also seamlessly weaves the equally heavy topics of depression and suicide beautifully, albeit bittersweetly. I found myself shedding tears over the book, not once, but twice. The wisdom addressing these topics was right on target and fit very naturally into the plot without the book coming across as "preachy." Each of the characters, no matter how small his or her part in the plot, was well-defined and unique, and I appreciated each one. All of the "loose ends" were accounted for and tied up, and every character seemed to reach a place of redemption in their own way.
This book was very satisfying and I am glad I decided to read it. show less

As the back cover states, this is a "story of law and grace, of forgiveness and redemption, of finding joy and rest in a broken world". I really appreciated how this author followed the heartbreak that never ends when a child is born and then taken away and given to another family without having a choice in the matter. That is what happened to Miranda DeSpain when she was 15 years old. Now she is grown and wants to find the baby that was taken from her by her mother. But all she has to go on show more is an envelope with Abingdon, VA stamped on it, along with a baby picture of her child. The story deals with so many great characters, so many secrets, but also so much love. There will be heartache for many, but also great joy as secrets come to life and people learn to forgive. I was very impressed with this story and loved 11 year old Eden! Well told story that was hard to put down once I got into the story. show less

I definitely found this a mesmerizing page turner and may indeed on the top ten list of books that changed and defined my life. I am looking forward to reading more of her works.. This author has a way with descriptive narrative that really endears me to her writing. Very very glad I found her!!