I am a person that has to be very careful what I read. I have the ability to completely immerse myself in my book. If it’s a book with a lot of conflict, I tend to project that on my poor family. Luckily, I finished the half of the book with all the conflict and drama in one day!
Need You Now is Beth Wiseman’s first venture into contemporary fiction. She is well known for her Amish fiction (which I haven’t read yet), but she did a fabulous job capturing a modern lifestyle and giving it a redeeming end.
From the publisher:
When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas.
Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way.
Married life hasn’t always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried Brad and Darlene through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, the domestic tension rises.
While working with special needs children at her new job, the widowed father of one of the students starts paying more attention to Darlene than is appropriate. Problem is, she feels like someone is listening to her for the first time in a long time.
If Darlene ever needed God . . . it’s now.
Experience a family’s triumph over lies, betrayal, and loss while still clinging to the One who matters most.
I loved how Beth took the character’s from perceived perfection to the pit of turmoil and then back out by the grace of God. Unlike most Christian fiction that kind of follows a sort of plot pattern, this book had some great twists that I had not expected. Only one part was a little clumsy to me, but it wasn’t enough to detract from the story. If you read it, let me know if you noticed what I noticed :).
This would be a fantastic book for a book group and even has a discussion guide. I think that many modern women would be able to relate to the themes in this book. I would recommend it to any women, but maybe especially to those who are the on fence regarding God.
