55965

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 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. ( )

I really liked this book. The ending was a little bit too pat, but definitely satisfying. I had heard that "Christian fiction" can be not-so-well written, but this author did a good job, and mostly the storyline seemed real enough. Often, as reader, I suspected what was going to happen before the characters did. Well, most of them. Eden was very perceptive.
Of course, part of the foreknowledge also came from the prologue. If it had been the epilogue, I would have been more in the dark about some of the connections.
This will be a good book club discussion, I think. ( )

I absolutely loved this book when I listened to the Recorded Books version. Eden Williams is a really bright eleven-year-old girl whose life falls apart when her father is seriously injured when his car is hit by a drunk driver. Eden is sent to Abingdon, VA to spend a year with her grandmother and her uncle Joseph. About the same time, a young woman named Miranda arrives in town on a hidden mission: to find the child she gave up for adoption eleven years ago. You might guess the rest, and it's no secret throughout the book except to the persons directly involved. Nonetheless, there's a stunning revelation at the end of the book. It was a very entertaining listen while I was trying to navigate through Chicago. I kept my good humor in spite of two hours of traffic delays! ( )

The lives of several people become intertwined, the main connection being a little girl named Eden. Eden is the adopted daughter of David and Sarah. But when David is seriously injured in a car accident, her uncle Joseph agrees to take her in, even though he hasn't spoken to his brother in years. Joseph adores Eden, as does half the town, including a mysterious newcomer named Miranda. Miranda has moved to town to find out what happened to the daughter she gave up fo adoption years ago. Eventually truths are revealed, and the people involved have to decide whether to reconcile with each toher or live in bitterness.
Nichols creates a cast of compelling characters, especially Eden. I loved her rambles around town, carrying her police radio, and using the information she gleaned to help people. You could see where parts of the story were heading from a long way off, and sometimes the preaching of some of the characters went on for a bit too long. I loved the way that these religious figure were protrayed, as real, with failings and questions. This was a good solid read with some good messages. ( )