Dianne GrecoCritiques

I enjoyed In the Hands of Grace, by Dianne Greco. It was a book that you felt uplifted after reading.
The story is about a middle aged woman named Susan Appleton. Her world is turned upside down after being fired from her job – her husband had passed away previously. You feel empathy for Susan as she tries to accept the changes that have come into the life of her and her teenage son. Her life slowly begins to change as she develops a relationship with her neighbor, Grace. Susan begins to realize what really matters in life, her family and their relationship, friends and how important it is to set priorities on things that really matter. I loved the wisdom from Grace and her comforting words of wisdom. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to all ages.

Good story- I'd like to read the first one in the series now.½

My first trip thru this book was not overwhelming - it didn't help that I received it as a e-book and sitting in front of a computer to read I've found out is not my favorite thing to do. So we learn as we go. This does not start out as a fast paced book - so I put it aside a few times - so I'm agreeing with echoesofstars, not enough bumps to keep me going. Now after going thru the reviews listed here, particularly Glenajo's - I'll be going back to this book, be more patient and read with a fresh eye. Thank you Glenajo :)

In the Heart of Grace is Dianne Greco’s sequel to In the Hands of Grace. Heart continues the story of Susan, who recently lost her high-powered editorial position and is settling into a new life and the changing relationships of her son, her neighbor Grace, and her new love interest, Tom. Susan’s philandering, but now deceased husband left her with feelings of inadequacy in relationships, opening the possibility of missteps on Susan’s part. Added to that her son is in the midst of teen angst, her very dear neighbor Grace is dealing with aftermath of a head injury, and her mother is coming for a visit, definitely the framework for disaster.

In the Heart of Grace, is a fun read, especially for those of us in the ‘sandwich’ generation, sandwiched between our children and our parents. Grace deals with the many facets of her life, only stumbling occasionally as her world takes on new dimensions, changing eventually for the better. I enjoyed watching Grace deal with so many of the situations that I see in my own life and the lives of those around me. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys a lightly romantic story, but especially those in the ‘sandwich’ generation.

This is a heartwarming read, but very predictable and too perfect. There was little depth to the characters and they overcame hardship much too easily. The ending was too perfect for reality. I wish there had been more bumps in the road for all the characters involved, so that the storyline would be more interesting.

I received an electronic copy of this book as part of the early reviewers giveaway. It was a nice story with likeable characters. Apparently it is second in a series but the author gives enough information so that you can easily understand the characters' history. I think the main character, Susan, tends to jump to conclusions based on little evidence. I guess we are all guilty of that at times. Overall it was a pleasant story. I probably will read the first one now.

I just finished the book and i have to tell you that i loved it! it was heartbreaking and heartwarming ,intense,poigant and tender. it was all of the things you want in a grade A contemporay/ romance novel and then some.
if you want to read a book that will make you laugh,cry,feel angry for the characters and all of the other emotions you can feel as a human being then this is the book for you!

I didn't realize that this was going to be a romance novel (my least-favorite genre), but I enjoyed it anyway. The "romance" was just one aspect of this short novel, actually a story of one woman's re-emergence from a life dominated by a hectic career, sudden widowhood after the death of an unfaithful husband, and no time to literally enjoy the roses. Losing her job gave her the opportunity to slow down, reexamine her life, reconnect with her teenage son, all with the help of her elderly neighbor, the Grace of the title. The dialog was witty and realistic. The plot, as it were, was a little too pat, with no real tension or climax for the reader. A quick, easy read.

From the Publisher
In the Hands of Grace tells the story of Susan Appleton, a woman who married well, lived the life of plenty, and lost most of it when her husband was killed in a car accident. She managed to walk away from the lap of luxury and her husband's greedy family with some insurance money, a summer house on eastern Long Island and her well paying, highly stressful job as an assistant gem broker in Manhattan's Diamond District. Then, she gets fired. Once again she is forced to cope with a sudden, unwelcome change.

During the weeks that follow, she constantly worries about her son, her finances and if she will ever find another job. She also faces the long unanswered questions she has avoided since her husband's death about whom he was with at the "business meeting" the night he was killed. She meets up with her neighbor, Grace Burton on the day she is fired and is amazed at how safe she feels around her. With Grace's friendship and clairvoyant gifts, Susan learns the value of simple pleasures.

My Take
Sometimes we think things can’t get any worse…….until they do. You feel like you’ve hit rock bottom and the “pity party” begins. But like any party, there comes a time when you have to move on. That’s what happened to Susan after her husband was killed, she lost her home and then her job. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself so she decided to start connecting with people again, including her son. Susan knew that events of the last several years had taken its toll on her son but because of her schedule, she didn’t know how he was coping. Now was the time to find out.

I’ve found in most Christian novels, there is a “grand-motherly” character---the kind that you want to just want crawl into her hug and have her say it will all get better. The kind who gives love and comfort along with words of wisdom. In Hands of Grace, that character is Grace, Susan’s next-door neighbor. Grace sees the good in everyone and even sees a little bit of the future. She is full of insight about her friends and doesn’t hesitate to speak her mind. We would all love to have a Grace in our life to help guide us to being the best we can be.

I really enjoyed Hands of Grace as a “good read”. Yes, the characters had some depth but the book itself was a light read, almost predictable. It seemed as soon as Susan began her journey to know herself and her son, good things happened. There really wasn’t a “bad guy” to stir up controversy or challenge the main characters, but that’s what made it such a light and easy read. I’d give Hands of Grace a 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a free copy of In the Hands of Grace from the publisher through Library Thing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author
Dianne Greco lives in beautiful Port Jefferson on Long Island, NY with her husband, son, dog and two cats. When she isn’t working in her gardens, she works at the lovely Emma S. Clark Memorial Library which gives her countless good reads and the inspiration to write.

In the Hands of Grace is a delightful tale of a middle-aged widow whose life takes a major turn when she loses her job due to her employer's down-sizing. This light, breezy, easy read is a lovely peek into the windows of her life with her son and a knowing neighbor, Grace. So little drama that the most traumatic moment in the story comes when Susan overhears her friend telling a hairdresser about all the affairs her (Susan's) deceased husband had. A cottage, a caring neighbor with a sixth sense, a widow, a widower, an easy to get along with teenage son, cooking lessons, gardening and a playful puppy - what more could a reader ask for when seeking a story with a happy ending?

I enjoyed this book very much. The main character finds her bliss as she is tossed about by life circumstances and realizes the important things in life. Those things are the very same things she set aside as she lived her hussle-bussle life in the corporate world. Sometimes it takes a forced change for us to realize the important things! Susan realized that love, family and friendship are what matters. The book evolved as Susan discovers over the span of time beyond being fired from her very stressful job. I will miss sitting down with these characters!

This is a "feel good" story about a middle aged woman and mother of a teenage son, starting over after her husband dies and she loses her job. It speaks directly to the importance of relationships, setting priorities, and helping one another. There is also a simple message of God's presence in our lives. The problem I had with this short story is that the plot moved too slowly and became boring. While I liked the character "Grace", I wanted her character to be more in depth. There just wasn't enough dynamics in the story line to hold my interest, so I found myself skimming though sections. The ending was predictable. A light, pleasant, "feel good" story.½

I loved In the Hands of Grace, by Dianne Greco! This novella begins on the day that Susan Appleton is fired from her job in the Diamond District of New York that she has held for 17+ years. Susan’s husband died 18 months ago. At that time, she and her son, Chris moved to their current home in Bridgehampton. The story moves through the days as Susan tries to come to grips with the changes in her life, but when she begins visiting with her neighbor Grace, her world opens up. Grace is an elderly woman whose favorite saying is “Hand to work, Heart to God,” a saying she learned while living with the Shakers, early in her life. Susan grows and learns about herself, her son, her town and others during the year after she lost her job. Watching her growth reminds us that we always need to stretch our selves, and reach out to others as we move through our lives.

I received this book from Library Thing’s Early Reviewers, in e-book/ pdf form. I would recommend this book for any one, but especially some one in middle- age, or someone enduring changes in her life. Susan grows, but Grace’s gentle hand on the people and circumstances around her make you long to grow along with Susan. This book encourages you to learn more about the people and your family that you see each day, and live your life to the fullest. Wonderful book.