MY REVIEW:
“Heart of the Country” is the companion book to the feature movie by the same name. Although Faith and Luke Carraday are the primary characters, the story is told from several perspectives which also include Faith’s deceased mother, sister, and father which really gives the reader greater insight into the lives of the characters.
A unique modern retelling of the story of the prodigal son, both Faith and Luke could be considered prodigals. Devastated by the death of her mother, Faith fled to New York City to pursue her dream at Julliard as she avoided the pain of her loss. Luke felt stifled by the expectations of his father and older brother and rebelled by marrying Faith despite their disapproval then by leaving the family business to prove he could succeed on his own. For awhile Luke and Faith’s life together seemed to be idyllic but when Luke was arrested Faith did what she always did – she ran to the only other place she knew – back home.
In this highly emotional story, both Faith and Luke learn the importance of their faith and families as they are forced to face their past, their pain, and ultimately the results of the choices they have made.
This book was provided for review by The Tyndale Blog Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Faith and Luke Carraday have it all. Faith is a beautiful singer turned socialite while Luke is an up-and-coming businessman. After taking his inheritance from his father’s stable, lucrative business to invest in a successful hedge fund with the Michov Brothers, he’s on the fast track as a rising young executive, and Faith is settling comfortably into her role as his wife.
When rumors of the Michovs’ involvement in a Ponzi scheme reach Faith, she turns to Luke for confirmation, and he assures her that all is well. But when Luke is arrested, Faith can’t understand why he would lie to her, and she runs home to the farm and the family she turned her back on years ago. Meanwhile, Luke is forced to turn to his own family for help as he desperately tries to untangle himself from his mistakes. Can two prodigals return to families they abandoned, and will those families find the grace to forgive and forget? Will a marriage survive betrayal when there is nowhere to run but home?
Read an excerpt from Heart of the Country HERE.
Purchase a copy of Heart of the Country HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Rene Gutteridge is the author of seventeen novels. She also has extensive experience writing comedy sketches, and worked for five years as the director of drama for a church. She has a degree specializing in Screenwriting, for which she earned the Excellence in Mass Communication Award, and graduated magna cum laude.
She is married to Sean, a musician and worship leader, and has two children. They reside in Oklahoma, where Rene writes full time and enjoys instructing in college classrooms and writers conferences.
Learn more about Rene on her Website.
John Ward has spent twenty-five years in the film industry as a screenwriter, director, and actor. He recently wrote, directed, and starred in the feature film I AM. He also wrote, produced, and directed the Liquid DVD series for Thomas Nelson. He currently serves as president of Bayridge Films.
