Courtney Walsh is a published author, scrapbooking expert, theatre director and playwright. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, was released in February, 2012 by Guideposts Books, and will be followed by two additional novels in the series. She has also written two papercrafting books, Scrapbooking Your Faith and The Busy Scrapper and is currently working on her third, The Scrapcrafter’s Idea Book (F&W Publications, February, 2013.)
Courtney has been a contributing editor for Memory Makers Magazine and Children’s Ministry Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Group Publishing curriculum, newsletters and other publications. She has also written several full-length musicals, including her most recent, The Great American Tall Tales and Hercules for Christian Youth Theatre, Chicago. Courtney is a member of ACFW and is the current PR Manager for Webster’s Pages, a scrapbooking manufacturer. She lives in Colorado with her ultra creative husband and three children.
Learn more about Courtney and her books on her Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A country music star has no reason to visit a sleepy town like Sweethaven, unless every relationship she treasures is in jeopardy.
When Meghan Rhodes is confronted by her dark past on national television, she knows she has one choice: to return home to Sweethaven and fight for the only thing that matters: her family. But even quaint cottage towns can house painful memories. Estranged from her mother, her children and the friends who once knew her better than anybody, Meghan is on a journey of redemption. As she searches for forgiveness as well as the ability to forgive, she begins to discover the healing power of the truth. Fighting unresolved feelings for her ex-husband, her desire to stay angry over her mother’s betrayal and her own regret, Meghan’s homecoming both challenges and terrifies her. As she embraces the scrapbook that tells the story of her triumphs and not her mistakes, Meghan dares to hope she can repair precious relationships and prove herself worthy of the love she’s never felt she deserved. Can this country music sensation repair precious relationships and prove herself worthy of the love she’s never felt she deserved?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Sweethaven Homecoming, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
A Sweethaven Homecoming takes the reader back to the quaint lakeside town of Sweethaven where families spend idyllic summers and long-term relationships are formed. But everything is not so sweet in Sweethaven. Campbell has returned for the summer with great expectations of spending lots of quality time with her new friends, newly discovered family members, and especially with Luke but no one seems to have much time for her. Meghan Rhodes, a famous country singer with Sweethaven roots has returned home to fight her ex over custody of their twins but her life is out of control as she continues to struggle with guilt over the accidental death of her best friend’s child. She cannot forgive herself for his death and understands why her friend Jane also cannot forgive her. Other family members and friends have their own issues with guilt and unforgiveness and things look pretty hopeless for each of them as the summer progresses.
I thoroughly enjoyed A Sweethaven Homecoming with its emphasis on the complexities of relationships. Each character was well portrayed with their unique personal issues and the ways they coped with them. It was encouraging to read about the power of faith, forgiveness and friendship to overcome the most hopeless situations and to bring restoration to relationships.
I highly recommend A Sweethaven Homecoming but also suggest reading A Sweethaven Summer first if you haven’t already read it.
