My Hope Next Door

My Hope Next Door

by Tammy L. Gray

This romance sucked me in right away. The proverbial preacher’s kid gets mixed up with the bad girl in town. But this almost-cliché is not what it might seem. I love how the author shows the depth of struggle in both characters. The bad-girl who wants to be good, and the good-guy who lost his reputation help each other discover more about the God who created them both, and who continues to draw them each near to Himself.

It’s a beautiful story about second chances and becoming the person God wants us to be. It addresses the difference between caring what others think, and caring for others. It’s about miscommunication, lack of communication, and communicating truth to the ones we care most about.

I love the ins and outs of this budding relationship, the uncovering of secrets from the past, and the handling of guilt. I think everyone can relate to this story on some level – because we’ve all been the bad girl and we’ve all been the goody-two-shoes for at least a moment, if not years at a time. It’s about the wrongs others dish out to us, and forgiveness, whether they are sorry or not. More than anything, it’s about how we love.

Highly recommend! No wonder this title won the Rita award! The author’s style is so pleasing - the story is easy to read, and the characters still linger in my mind. What’s great about that? Well, she wrote another book with some of the same characters! Yay! My Unexpected Hope is the next one.

Do you have a favorite bad-girl character? How about a preacher's kid character? Leave us a comment to be entered to win A Flute in the Willows by Stitches author, Carole Brown.

Jennifer Fromke writes from NC, where she pines for colder temperatures all year long. Northerners by upbringing, she and her husband of 26 years have raised three Southern-ish children. Jennifer reviews books at Shetalksbooks.com and you can download a free short story from her website when you sign up for her newsletter at jenniferfromke.com

Long Way Gone

Long Way Gone

by Charles Martin

I’ve heard the Prodigal Son story a zillion times. But. And this is a huge BUT. Next to Jesus’ original version, Charles Martin’s version is the best I’ve read.

I’m not a cry-er. I can remember only two books that made me shed actual tears. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah and Long Way Gone.

This is a very modern story about a boy and his dad. And they both play guitars. And it’s about worship and using your gifts and the Nashville music scene and going home even though it’s too late. And it’s about music and how it’s a language all unto itself. And there’s the whole, “finding yourself” and knowing yourself and trusting your dad – or not trusting him. And then learning - the hard way - that he’s a very trustworthy guy. It’s about your metaphorical/physical father and your heavenly father and finding your way back home.

This story includes all the ingredients required for a good story. A flawed hero. A lady in distress. Difficult decisions, bad and good. Redemption. Forgiveness. And an overflow of emotion. I mean . . . I cried actual tears I had to wipe off my face.

This is an excellent story. It’s the same as one of my favorite Bible stories, but it’s also told with fresh words in a modern setting in ways that actually help me see that I am that prodigal son. We all are. For realz. And it carries the best possible message: “You can always go home.” And we can, even though the lies that sway us speak elsewise.

And maybe home is not a physical place. It might be a person. It might be a prayer. But wherever and whomever and whenever home is for us, there is always our Father waiting, looking down the road, watching for us so he can run to us, arms wide open.

Read this book. When you get to the end, it feels like falling into those waiting arms. Though the road may be rough, the landing will be sure. Can you tell I liked this one? You will too. 

What do you relate to in the Prodigal Son Story?

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