I’ve been a fan of Sara Evans for a long time. I love her music and I enjoyed watching her dance on the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” so I was looking forward to reading her debut novel. The Sweet By and By is a collaborative effort by Sara Evans and Christian romance writer Rachel Hauck, so I don’t know how much of the story was actually Sara’s, but I do know that I enjoyed reading it. I had no idea that the talented Evans could write, and write so well. It is a story about redemption, reconciliation, and relationships: a loving couple, a mother and a daughter, and their relationship with God. It is a bittersweet story that will touch the heartstrings. You may want to have a box of tissues on hand.
Jade Freedom Fitzgerald owns a thriving vintage antique store and is about to marry a man she loves, Maxwell Charles Benson, a lawyer from Whisper Hollow, Tennessee. But Jade is worried and lacks self-confidence. Max comes from a wealthy family and Jade feels insecure and unworthy of them. When he left home ten years ago to go to college, he buried a sordid past and has lied to Max about his past and about his parents. Jade’s future mother-in-law, a nosy woman named June, wants her to invite her mother to the wedding and she gives up. When Jade’s hippy mother Beryl and her wild younger sister Willow show up three weeks before their wedding, Jade is forced to deal with old hurts: an absent father, a wandering mother, and the rejection of her first love. Beryl has heartbreaking secrets and even Max has baggage to unload.
The plot may be predictable and a bit melodramatic, but it will absorb you, just like me. It’s a quick and fascinating read with a southern flavor that flows so smoothly, you won’t believe it was written by two people. The authors tackle themes of forgiveness and closure and admirably accomplish this in a credible way. Family dynamics are realistically portrayed and flawed characters are brought to life with very real emotions. I was able to connect with Jade and Beryl. Flashbacks from the past add depth to this emotional page turn and the ending will satisfy. A guide is provided for reading groups. It is a reading that invites reflection, I highly recommend it.
The book was provided, free of charge, for review purposes only, and the review is my own unbiased opinion.
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 5, 2010)
ISBN: 978-1595544896
Hardcover: 272 pages
Price: $ 19.99
