MY REVIEW:
When Jade describes her life as feeling like she stepped into a soap opera, she is not far off the track. Finding herself bombarded with crises at every juncture, all she wants to do is run away. At times she even does so mentally. Already dealing with a dying mother, her own infertility, a husband addicted to pain killers, plus a load of guilt from her past, Jade learns firsthand about her father-in-law’s unfaithfulness and is blindsided by the fact that her own husband has hidden an illegitimate son from her for nineteen months.
In Softly and Tenderly Jade, Max, June, Rebel, and Beryl each are forced to come to grips with their own problems and to find a way to correct them. As they turn to God and admit the truth about themselves, restoration begins. Characters are realistically portrayed and deal with true life situations. A spiritual theme is woven naturally through the story without becoming preachy. Softly and Tenderly kept me engaged throughout the book. Be advised that one scene near the end requires a box of tissues. I did feel that the book ended rather abruptly but anticipate that it will be concluded in the upcoming sequel.
This book was provided for review by the Amazon Vine™ Program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Maybe in the wide-open country she can learn to breathe again.
Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son – who he wants her to help raise – Jade’s life is turned upside down.
She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There – while her mother’s health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger – Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn’t rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God’s tender mercies.
“Exquisitely written, an achingly beautiful story about lost and found relationships that made me ponder my own. This story is not to be missed.”–Susan May Warren, RITA award-winning, best-selling author of Nightingale
“Hang on for an emotional ride as a woman who ‘married into a Southern soap opera’ learns to forgive and trust again.”–Booklist
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Sara Evans
Multi-platinum recording artist Sara Evans has been honored with numerous accolades, among them the 2006 Academy of Country Music’s Female Vocalist of the Year and the Country Music Association’s Video of the Year for “Born to Fly.” Evans has been named one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” and won the hearts of television viewer’s as the first-ever country star to compete in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Sara is a Cabinet Member of The American Red Cross.
Twitter @saraevans music, facebook.com/home.php#!/saraevans
Rachel Hauck
RITA-finalist Rachel Hauck lives in Florida with her husband, Tony. She is the author of Dining with Joy; Sweet Caroline; Love Starts with Elle; and The Sweet By and By, co-authored with Sara Evans. Visit RachelHauck.com and SouthernBelleView.com.
Twitter @RachelHauck, facebook.com/RachelHauckAuthor?ref=ts
