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Rediscovering Christmas–finding joy after tragedy
Rediscovering Christmas
by Mindy Obenhaus
What does it take to weaken a Christian’s faith in God? In the case of Tori Stallings it was the death of her husband and her mother and the complete destruction of her home by fire. These sequential catastrophes in just a few years time left Tori devastated despite the support she had from friends, family and co-workers.
Tori had learned to be independent over the years as her confident and dashing husband Joel devoted more time to his country than to his family. His quiet brother Micah quit the military when his brother died to try to pick up the pieces for Tori and her son Aiden. His secret is that his friendship with Tori was more than that when they hit their teenage years, but he kept his crush hidden when she was obviously attracted to Joel.
Tori and Micah are thrown together when she loses her home and she and Aiden move into the family home Micah shares with his mom. Aiden, an adorable six year old, never really knew much of his dad, and Uncle Micah became the father substitute in his life, a relationship Micah and Aiden both enjoyed.
Although there is a growing attraction, Tori and Micah need to get over the feeling they are doing something wrong since Tori is his brother’s widow. Also, Tori is angry with God, and Micah knows that he can’t pursue a relationship with her until she works through her anger and realizes she needs to put her trust for the future in God’s hands.
There are multiple obstacles to be overcome and lots of good people to help them as they face the issues that come when disasters strike and faith is tested.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: 1. It was only when I reached the notes at the end of the book that I realized that this book (#6) is the last of the Hope Crossing series, so it certainly could be read as a stand alone.
2. This was my last Christmasy book for 2024 and it made a fitting ending. Faith and having the heart of a servant were threads all through the book. In the process of righting her relationship with God, Tori also rediscovered the joy of the Christmas season with help from Micah. Christmas decorations and traditions reestablished for their first Christmas after the fire helped Tori rediscover Christmas as well.
Publication: November 26, 2024—Harlequin
Memorable Lines:
None of them spoke because there’d been nothing to say. There was no room for platitudes at a time like this. He was certain Tori would hear her fair share of those over the coming days, weeks and months. But he and his mom cared about her too much for that. Sometimes the best thing you could do was to let someone cry.
“…you’ve faced more than your fair share of loss in recent years. It stands to reason that you’d be hurting and angry. But be aware, my friend, while you might try to run from God, you can’t outrun Him. And I know this for a fact because He loved me enough to pursue me even when I chose not to trust Him.”
“We’re not called to understand everything that happens in our lives. We’re called to trust Him with our lives, come what may.”
Fractured Truth–it’s complicated
Fractured Truth
by Susan Furlong
Brynn Callahan suffers mental effects from being part of a Marine search team for the dead. She and her dog Wilco both received physical injuries from an encounter with an IED in Iraq. Retired from the military, they work as a team for the local sheriff.
In Fractured Truth, Brynn has been chosen for her job, despite a less than stellar work record due to PTS and associated addictions, to act as a liaison between law enforcement and the people group she was born into. She is half Traveller or Pavee, originally an Irish roaming group who settled in the Appalachian mountains in Tennessee. She is only partially successful in this role as the Pavees view her as an outsider and traitor for working with the police. She is helpful, however, in that she understands their customs and perspectives.
Brynn and Wilco are called upon to locate the body of a girl found by a cross-country skier. Wilco is successful and later, thanks to his sensitive nose, is able to locate another woman’s body who police suspect is in a river. The plot is very complex with many suspects. While investigating these crimes, Brynn is also dealing with PTS issues that she tries to overcome with alcohol and prescription drugs. In addition, she has past relationships that color her attempts to establish a new life in Bone Gap. She suffers discrimination from the Pavees and from some of her “settled” coworkers who look to blame the Pavees for problems. The Pavees, in turn, ostracize Brynn and her grandmother.
Fractured Truth has a good solid plot. It is a fascinating mystery, if somewhat gruesome at times. Author Susan Furlong, who has a talent with words, has created an interesting character in Brynn Callahan. I didn’t find her likeable or unlikeable, but I did find myself rooting for her in her struggle against her personal demons. Her battles are deep and painful, and unfortunately there are many returning soldiers who literally share the same torments. The book ends with the criminal cases solved but some loose ends that will carry the reader into the next book in the series.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #2 in the Bone Gap Travellers series, but works well as a standalone.
2. Since I review a lot of cozy mysteries, I want to point out that this book is not a cozy mystery. It falls in the traditional mystery series category. Some might classify it as a Police Procedural or a K-9 mystery. It is quite successfully all of these things!
Publication: December 18, 2018—Kensington Books
Memorable Lines:
A little smirk played along the corner of her lips. She enjoyed causing trouble. Gone was the withering flower, replaced by little Ms. Mean Girl. Who was the real Winnie? I had no idea. This interrogation was giving me mental whiplash.
“War is a series of relentless extremes. Boredom to certain death. No between. Anxiety becomes a part of who you are. You never turn it off. You do, and you’re not on your game, not able to save your own thankless hide, let alone your buddies.”
We kept our boundaries tight and adhered to a strict moral code, but somewhere along the line, we’d forgotten to allow for humanness. Rules and rigidness had replaced love and mercy.
education pathways 