No matter what your family gatherings are like, take a break from all the upcoming holiday planning and preparations with the third book in Deborah Raney’s Chicory Inn series, Another Way Home. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book through Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my review.)
The Chicory Inn series centers on the Whitman family, parents Grant and Audrey who have turned their empty nest into a bed-and-breakfast, and the ongoing trials and triumphs of their children. Each book focuses on one of their grown children’s family and how as a family they rely on each other and their faith to endure the struggles of life. (Read more about the first two books here and here.)
Another Way Home highlights Danae and Dallas, who have been trying for years to get pregnant and are at the point of considering other options. It is straining their marriage, so Danae begins volunteering at a women’s shelter, infusing new passion into her life. Then Thanksgiving weekend brings Danae and Dallas an opportunity that brings them great joy and also potential heartache. As the family rallies around them, will they find God’s ways to be better than they expected?
Even though I have a family that is nothing like the Whitmans, I find the situations Raney writes about to be realistic and moving. If you’re concerned that a series featuring a family will be “too perfect” then think again. The Whitman family has issues, and they care about each other. I love the interactions between siblings and couples and the descriptions of the chaotic family gatherings when grandchildren are running around and playing.
It takes me home to my own family’s gatherings.
And each book’s end makes me look forward to the next in the series.
Each book is capable of being read on its own, but to get the complete family story, start at the beginning.
Learn more about Raney and her books here.