Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

Christian fiction

Shed a few tears: A review of Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren

What a difference a decade makes.

In Mercy Come Morning, 37-year-old Krista Mueller is forced to face the relationship she’s been avoiding with her mother, who is physically dying of congestive heart failure but who has been mentally dying of Alzheimer’s for more than 10 years. Her imminent death brings Krista back to her hometown and to a past she’s been trying to forget.

Interestingly, Lisa Tawn Bergren first released this book in 2002 with a different title. Had I read this book 10 years ago, I’m not sure I would have liked it. But as a 30-something woman now, end-of-life issues for loved ones are closer than I’m ready for them to be. I kind of freak out when I see people in their 50s (my parents’ ages) in the obituaries, and health — mine and other family members’ — has become an ordinary topic of conversation.

That said, I truly enjoyed the book and would list it as a recommended read. Grab a couple of tissues, though. It’s a potential tear-jerker.

FAVORITES: I most enjoyed Bergren’s descriptions of New Mexico scenery. Her words sent me on a cross-country trip in my mind, and I wanted to make the trip a reality. I even Googled a picture of a church she described. I love reading about places I’ve never visited, and Bergren certainly made Taos, New Mexico come to life.

FAULTS: Predictible at times, but if you read enough of certain genres of fiction, you tend to know how things are going to end. It’s the getting there that’s the most fun.

IN A WORD: Enlightening. I learned a few things about Alzheimer’s from this book. Bergren, in her reader’s notes, reveals that she had family members who were afflicted with the disease, so that gives her credibility in my eyes.

Click here for a sneek peak at the first chapter.

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In exchange for this review, I received a free digital copy of Mercy Come Morning from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group through the Blogging for Books program.

Click the link below to rate this review — 1 to 5 stars — and become eligible to win a copy of the book.

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/ranking/15270

A day at the beach: A review of Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper

If Seaside, New Jersey was a real place, I’d book my next vacation there. Murder and intrigue notwithstanding.

Shadows on the Sand was my first Gayle Roper novel, and I’m not sorry I took the plunge. It was an enjoyable blend of romance and mystery. Thrilling in all kinds of ways.

In it, Carrie Carter runs a cafe and when her dishwasher turns up missing, and then dead, she finds herself looking for answers. Greg, a former police officer, a widower and a regular at the cafe, is drawn into the search. While the storyline has its predictable moments, the journey is fun and exciting, with enough twists and turns to keep you in it till the end.

Click here for a sneak peek at the first chapter.

I especially loved the characters. Carrie and Greg and the supporting “cast” became real to me. I believed their emotions, their struggles, their reactions. My only criticism of Carrie is that I kept imagining her older than the 33 years the author created her to be. She had a rough past, so maybe that’s why she seemed older in thought and deed.

I’m not sure what impacted me more, though: the story or the author’s note at the end. Roper reveals that she was recently widowed, a characteristic she shares with Greg in the book. His struggles became more meaningful as I realized she was writing, in part, from what she knew and experienced.

That, my friends, is the key to good writing. I appreciated Roper’s openness in sharing that particular struggle and transforming it into a creative work for the blessing of others.

Shadows on the Sand is Roper’s fifth book in the Seaside Seasons series. I’m looking forward to reading what I’ve missed in the other books.

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As part of the Blogging for Books program, I received a free digital copy of Shadows on the Sand from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

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So, if you made it this far, you might be willing to go a step further, right? Click on the link below to rate my review on the Blogging For Books Web site and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a FREE book from Waterbrook Multnomah. That’s worth a few extra seconds, right?

http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/ranking/14639