{"id":5557,"date":"2010-09-06T23:55:07","date_gmt":"2010-09-07T04:55:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=5557"},"modified":"2010-09-06T23:55:07","modified_gmt":"2010-09-07T04:55:07","slug":"tender-vow-by-sharlene-maclaren","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=5557","title":{"rendered":"Tender Vow by Sharlene MacLaren"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> <\/strong> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

Sharlene MacLaren <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

Tender Vow<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Whitaker House (September 1, 2010)<\/p>\n

***Special thanks to Cathy Hickling of Whitaker House for sending me a review copy.***<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\n After over thirty years of teaching, with her children grown, \u201cShar\u201d prayed for direction, asking God for a new mission that would fill her heart with the same kind of passion she\u2019d felt teaching and raising children. She began to write fiction \u2013 stories filled with fallen heroes and redeemed villains, daring women and starry-eyed children \u2013 plotlines that ultimately brought her characters face to face with God\u2019s grace and restorative power. That choice has proven to be an excellent career move as the prolific author is releasing her 9th novel in September 2010. Sharlene grew up in western Michigan and graduated from Spring Arbor University with a degree in education. She traveled the world with a musical group before returning home to marry Cecil MacLaren, whom she\u2019d known since boyhood. The couple lives in western Michigan.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $9.99
\n Paperback: 432 pages
\n Publisher: Whitaker House (September 1, 2010)
\n Language: English
\n ISBN-10: 1603740988
\n ISBN-13: 978-1603740982<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

PROLOGUE<\/p>\n

Icy breezes whistled through the trees in Fairmount Cemetery, prompting the faithfuls gathered there to pull their collars tighter and button their coat fronts higher, as the tent that had been set up for the occasion did little to protect them from the elements. Just two days ago, northern Michigan had experienced a warm front, unusual for late November, but today\u2019s temperatures made a mockery of it. Twenty-nine-year-old Jason Evans shivered, no longer feeling his fingers or toes, and wondered if the numbness came from the dreadful cold or from his deliberate displacement of emotion. He still couldn\u2019t believe it\u2014it was just two days after Thanksgiving, and his brother, John, two years older than he, was gone. Gone.<\/p>\n

As Pastor Eddie Turnwall from Harvest Community Church pronounced the final words of interment, sobs and whimpers welled up from the mourners. His mom\u2019s guttural cry among them gouged him straight to the core. Jason\u2019s dad pulled his wife closer while Jason placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. His girlfriend, Candace Peterson, stuck close by, her hand looped through his other arm. His sister-in-law\u2014John\u2019s widow, Rachel\u2014stood about six feet away, clinging tightly to her father and borrowing his strength as tears froze on her cheeks. Her coat bulged because of her pregnancy of eight months, and Jason worried that the added stress of her grief might send her into early labor. Meagan, John and Rachel\u2019s three-year-old daughter, was the only one oblivious to the goings-on; she twirled like a ballerina until Rachel\u2019s fifteen-year-old sister, Tanna, bent down to pick her up. If she knew the significance of this day, Jason thought, she\u2019d be standing as still as a statue. What a blessing God kept her shielded\u2014at least, for the time being.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now, dear Father, we commit John Thomas Evans into your hands,\u201d Pastor Turnwall declared. \u201cWe know\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Rachel\u2019s pitiful wail brought the reverend to a temporary halt. In the worst way, Jason wanted to go to her, but he had his mom to think about. Mitch Roberts supported his daughter, whispered something in her ear, and nodded for the reverend to continue. Pastor Turnwall hastened to a finish, but the last of his words faded in the howling winds.<\/p>\n

At the close of the brief ceremony, many of the mourners stepped forward to give the family some final encouragement. Jason went through the motions, nodding and uttering words of thanks. While he longed to linger at the bronze casket, the weather made it impossible, so, as the last of the small crowd left the tent, he followed, Candace\u2019s quiet sniveling somehow disarming him. He didn\u2019t have the strength to comfort her, especially since she\u2019d barely known his brother; she barely knew his family, for that matter.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you all right?\u201d Candace asked in a quavery voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing okay,\u201d he muttered, his gaze pointed downward as they walked along the frozen path. How did one explain how he really felt on a day like this?<\/p>\n

In front of them, mourners scattered in various directions, heading for cars covered in a thin layer of freshly fallen snow. Despite the cold, Rachel walked with slow, faltering steps, sagging against her father. Even from ten or so feet back, Jason could hear her sobbing moans. The sound made his chest contract.<\/p>\n

Without forethought, he left Candace to her own defenses and raced ahead to catch up with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cRachel.\u201d Breathless, he reached her side. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJay.\u201d She turned from her father\u2019s supportive grip and fell into Jason\u2019s arms, her sobs competing with the sighing winds.<\/p>\n

They stopped in the path, and he held her sob-racked body, feeling his eyes well up with tears. Through his blurred vision, he noted both families halting their steps to look on. One of Rachel\u2019s girlfriends took Meagan from Tanna and headed toward one of the cars. \u201cShh. You can do this, Rachel,\u201d he whispered. \u201cThink of Meagan\u2014and your baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I c-can\u2019t,\u201d she stammered, her voice barely resembling that of the Rachel he\u2019d known since high school, when he and John would argue over who was going to win her in the end. Of course, it\u2019d been John, and rightfully so. And not for a second had Jason ever begrudged him. They fit like a glove, Rachel and John.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, you can,\u201d he murmured in her ear. \u201cYou are Rachel Evans, strong, courageous, capable\u2014and carrying my brother\u2019s son, don\u2019t forget.\u201d He set her back from him and studied her perfect, oval face, framed by wisps of blond hair falling out from beneath her brown, velvet, Chicago cuff hat. Her blue eyes, red around the edges, peered up at him from puffy eyelids without really seeing. Chills skipped up his spine, and he didn\u2019t think they came from the air\u2019s cold bite. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s get you to the car,\u201d he urged her, thankful when Candace stepped forward to take Rachel\u2019s other arm, and they set off together. Rachel barely acknowledged Candace, and he wondered if she even remembered her, so few were the times he had brought her home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe it, Jason, I just\u2014I can\u2019t believe it,\u201d Rachel kept murmuring. \u201cJust last week, we were making plans for our future, talking about John Jr. coming into the world, wondering how Meagan would feel about having a baby brother\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe just finished painting the nursery, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad.\u201d<\/p>\n

She frowned. \u201cTell me again what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

His throat knotted. \u201cWhat? No, Rach, not here.\u201d<\/p>\n

She slowed her steps to snag him by the coat sleeve. \u201cI need to hear it again,\u201d she said, punctuating each word with determination.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll talk later, but first, we need to get you out of the cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJason\u2019s right, honey,\u201d Mitch said, coming up behind them. \u201cLet\u2019s go back to the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I don\u2019t understand how it happened. I need to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been over it,\u201d Donna Roberts said as she joined them. Tanna came up beside her mother and held her hand as they walked. Like everyone else\u2019s, Arlene Roberts\u2019s face bore evidence of having shed a river of tears.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care!\u201d Rachel\u2019s voice conveyed traces of hysteria. She stopped in her tracks, forcing everyone else to do the same. \u201cJohn was a good skier,\u201d she said. \u201cHe knew the slopes on Sanders Peak like the back of his hand. You said yourself you guys used to ski out there every spring.\u201d Her seascape-colored eyes shot holes of anguish straight through Jason\u2014critical, faultfinding eyes.<\/p>\n

A rancid taste collected at the back of his throat. \u201cWe did, Rach, and he was the best of the best, but it takes a champion skier to navigate Devil\u2019s Run. Come on, your car\u2019s just ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her feet remained anchored to the frozen ground. \u201cDid you force him, Jason?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d The single word hissed through his teeth. \u201cHow could you even suggest such a thing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRachel, now is not the time for such\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Rachel covered her dad\u2019s words with her own. \u201cDid you provoke him into taking Devil\u2019s Run? Witnesses heard you two arguing, Jay. Why would you be fighting on top of a mountain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t fight\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve always been the risk taker, the gutsy, smug one, ever looking for a challenge. You pushed him to do it, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? No! What are you saying, Rachel? It was a stupid accident, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stood her ground, her eyes wild now. \u201cJohn isn\u2019t like you, Jay, never was. Why drag him to the top of Devil\u2019s Run if only a \u2018champion skier\u2019 can handle it? You of all people knew his capabilities\u2014and his limitations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason wanted to shake her but refrained, merely giving her a pointed stare instead. \u201cI did not drag him anywhere, Rachel, and we\u2019ve both navigated Devil\u2019s Run before. It\u2019s just\u2026the conditions were extra bad that day. I told him not to try it. You have to believe me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why, Jason? Just tell me why he\u2019d take the chance! Why?\u201d she wailed, thumping him hard in the chest. Shock pulsed through his veins as he grabbed her fist in midair to prevent another assault. Everyone gasped, and Candace took a full step back, looking bewildered. Blast if he wasn\u2019t dumbfounded himself. Where did she get off blaming him for the accident? Didn\u2019t she realize his heart ached as much as hers over John\u2019s death?<\/p>\n

Mitch stepped forward and put his arm around his daughter. \u201cWitnesses say John went down of his own accord, honey, and the police ruled his death accidental. No one forced him down that slope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now she threw her father an accusatory glare. \u201cHow do you know that, Dad? Were you there?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitch frowned. \u201cWell\u2014of course not.\u201d<\/p>\n

As if that should have settled it, Rachel pulled away and marched up the snowy walkway, albeit with stumbling steps. In robotic fashion, everyone else followed, shaking their heads in dismay. Taken aback by her insinuations, Jason fell in at the tail of the procession. \u201cShe blames me,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s completely rude,\u201d Candace said, taking his gloved hand in hers with a gentle squeeze.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, she\u2019s just not thinking straight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see how you can defend her. She just hauled off and hit you square in the chest.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cared very much for Candace, but she sometimes annoyed him with her snap assessments. \u201cShe just lost her husband, Candace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitch reached the car ahead of Rachel and opened the front door for her. \u201cWhere\u2019s Meaggie?\u201d she suddenly asked, almost as an afterthought, turning full around to scan the cemetery.<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Emily took her back to the house,\u201d her mother said, climbing into the back with Tanna.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before climbing into the car, she glanced about, focusing on Jason. \u201cHe was a good skier, Jason.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason nodded his head in agreement. \u201cYes, he was, Rachel. No question about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs good as you?\u201d she questioned with a cynical hint.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. As good as me,\u201d he lied.<\/p>\n

Seeming pacified, she bent her awkward, pregnant body and eased into the seat. Mitch closed the door behind her and went around to his own side, nodding at Jason\u2019s parents, Tom and Donna Evans, and the rest of his family before climbing into the driver\u2019s side and starting the engine.<\/p>\n

When the car disappeared from view, Jason murmured again, \u201cShe blames me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will pass,\u201d said Tom, removing his keys from his coat pocket. \u201cGive her time.\u201d<\/p>\n

As they approached his dad\u2019s late-model Chevrolet, Jason asked, \u201cWhat about you, Dad? Do you think I\u2019m to blame?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSon, please, let\u2019s not talk about this anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet in the car,\u201d his dad ordered in a tone Jason hadn\u2019t heard since his youth. Even though he was a grown man, he felt compelled to obey. Candace climbed in ahead of him, and they all rode back to the house in icy silence.<\/p>\n

CHAPTER ONE<\/p>\n

Ten months later<\/p>\n

\u201cMommy, will you play with me?\u201d Meagan asked for at least the dozenth time.<\/p>\n

Rachel scanned the kitchen, overwhelmed by the sight of empty juice bottles, a spilled box of baby cereal, a pan of lukewarm potato soup, and a pile of several weeks\u2019 worth of mail. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told her it was already 8:05 p.m. Her pounding head and jangling nerves were additional reminders of her upside-down life, and Rachel shot Meagan a weary look. \u201cMommy can\u2019t play just now, honey. It\u2019s already past your bedtime, and I still have to get you and your brother in the bathtub.\u201d She wiped her damp brow with the back of her hand. It had been an unusually warm day for September, and the heat and humidity still lingered in the house, despite the open windows. In fact, the entire summer had been the hottest and driest Rachel could remember.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want a bath.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but you played hard today. A bath will feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-uh. Baths stink,\u201d Meagan whined.<\/p>\n

Rachel had a good comeback on the tip of her tongue, but she kept it to herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you read me a book?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot this minute, no.\u201d Suddenly, it occurred to her that things were too quiet in the living room, where she\u2019d left John Jr. Setting down her dishcloth, she headed toward the other room and found an assortment of magazines scattered about, their pages ripped out and thrown helter-skelter. Johnny looked up and grinned, his mouth jammed full with something. She ran across the room, knelt down beside him, and pried open his jaws, using her index finger to fish out a glob of wet paper. \u201cOh, Johnny-Boy, you little stinker, you\u2019d better not have swallowed any of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he did, it\u2019ll come out in his diaper,\u201d Meagan stated.<\/p>\n

In spite of herself, Rachel laughed, something she\u2019d rarely done since becoming a single parent. In fact, more often than not, she laid her exhausted self in bed each night and cried into her pillow, counting all the ways she\u2019d failed at her mothering job that day, wishing John were there to ease the load.<\/p>\n

She whisked Johnny up and headed for the stairs, deciding to leave the kitchen mess alone for now. \u201cCome on, Meaggie. It\u2019s bath time.\u201d She lifted the latch on the gate and allowed Meagan to pass ahead of her, patting her on the back to urge her up the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cNoooooo,\u201d came another expected whine.<\/p>\n

Mustering up a bright voice, she said, \u201cRemember, Grandma and Grandpa Evans are picking you up in the morning to take you to the circus! You\u2019ll see elephants, tigers, horses\u2026and I bet you\u2019ll even see some clowns. Won\u2019t that be fun?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs Johnny goin\u2019, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. Tomorrow is strictly a Meagan day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYay!\u201d she squealed, her mood instantly improved.<\/p>\n

Later, with the children tucked in bed, the kitchen cleaned, and the house put back into a semi-ordered fashion, Rachel collapsed into her overstuffed sofa and heaved a mountainous sigh. Her chest felt heavy, a sensation she\u2019d come to expect these days.<\/p>\n

Be still, and know that I am God.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Lord,\u201d she whispered, breathing deeply. \u201cBut it\u2019s hard. Sometimes, I don\u2019t feel Your presence. I will never understand why You took John.\u201d<\/p>\n

Be still\u2026.<\/p>\n

She leaned down and pulled John\u2019s Bible from a stack of books beneath the coffee table, guiltily wiping off a fine layer of dust. \u201cLord, I\u2019ve been so busy, I haven\u2019t even opened Your Word for weeks. What kind of a Christian am I, anyway? Shoot, what kind of a parent am I? I can\u2019t even find time in a day to read Meagan a book.\u201d<\/p>\n

Be still\u2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying.\u201d<\/p>\n

She opened the leather book, noting many highlighted verses interspersed throughout the slightly worn pages. John had been an avid reader, putting her to shame. She knew God more with her head than her heart, but John had known Him with both. She missed his wisdom, his courage, and his strength. Most days, it felt like she was floundering without her other half. If only she\u2019d had the chance to say good-bye\u2014then, maybe, she\u2019d have fewer gnawing regrets. She gave her head a couple of fast shakes to blot out the memory.<\/p>\n

I will never leave you nor forsake you, came the inner voice. It sounded good, but could she truly believe it?<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Saturday morning dawned bright and full on the horizon, the skies a brilliant blue. The heady scent of roses wafted through her bedroom window. If John were still alive, he\u2019d have headed out at daybreak and picked her a bouquet for the breakfast table. She smiled at the thought. Gentle, cool breezes played with the cotton curtains, causing shadows to dance jubilantly across the ceiling. She hauled her downy comforter up to her chin and turned her head to glance at the vacant pillow on the other side of the king-sized bed. His side always remained unruffled, no matter how much she tossed and turned in the night.<\/p>\n

Two doors down, Johnny stirred, his yelps for attention growing by decibels. On cue, her breasts sent out an urgent message that it was feeding time. \u201cI\u2019m coming, Johnny Cakes,\u201d she called out, then sighed as she tossed back the blankets, donned her robe, and stepped into her slippers. She padded across the room, stopping briefly to touch the framed photo of her and John on their wedding day before continuing to the nursery, where her towheaded, nine-month-old baby was waiting in his Winnie-the-Pooh pajamas. Oh, how she thanked the Lord she still had her beloved children. Yes, they wore her to a frazzle, but they also kept her grounded.<\/p>\n

When the doorbell rang at nine o\u2019clock on the dot, Meagan sailed through the house in her pink, polka-dotted shorts and matching shirt, her blond hair flying, and made a running leap into her grandpa\u2019s waiting arms, wrapping her legs around his middle. Tom Evans laughed heartily and planted a kiss on her cheek, and Donna smiled, tousling the child\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrandpa Evans!\u201d Meagan squealed, reaching up to cup his cheeks with her hands. \u201cYou and Grandma are taking me to the circus!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo! Are you sure?\u201d He feigned surprise. \u201cI thought we were just going for a walk in the park.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-uh. Mommy says we\u2019re goin\u2019 to the circus. What\u2019s a circus, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tom laughed and began explaining what she should expect at the circus, while Donna took Johnny from Rachel\u2019s arms and moved to the bay window for a look at the gleaming sunshine.<\/p>\n

While her father-in-law talked to Meagan, Rachel looked on, getting glimpses of John in his every gesture. Tom Evans\u2019 manner of speech, his pleasant face, his lean, medium build, the way he angled his head as he spoke, and even his rather bookish, industrious nature put her in mind of John.<\/p>\n

She then thought of Jason, sort of the black sheep of the family, only in the sense that he was just the opposite with his tall, strongly built frame, cocoa-brown hair and eyes, and reckless, devil-may-care personality. And he was terribly likable to everyone\u2014except Rachel, even though she, John, and Jason had been almost inseparable during their high school and college years. They had stuck together despite Jason\u2019s penchant for weekend parties and John\u2019s utter dislike of them; Jason had spent so much time socializing, it was a wonder he\u2019d even graduated. But she and Jason had grown apart, especially after the accident, and she hadn\u2019t seen him since last Christmas\u2014her own choice, of course.<\/p>\n

Tom stepped forward to plant a light kiss on Rachel\u2019s cheek. \u201cHow are you doing these days, Rachel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m all right,\u201d she said with a mechanical shrug and a wistful smile. She never felt like discussing her innermost feelings.<\/p>\n

Tom narrowed his gaze as he set Meagan down. The child scooted over to her grandma, who smiled down at her, then looked up at Rachel and said, \u201cSay, why don\u2019t you stop by the house tomorrow afternoon? You haven\u2019t been over for such a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Visiting her in-laws\u2019 home was like walking into yesterday, and Rachel didn\u2019t know if she was ready to pass over the threshold again. The last few times had been too painful; she\u2019d found herself glancing around the house and expecting John to come barreling out of one of the rooms. Silence followed as she bit down hard on her lip.<\/p>\n

\u201cJason is coming home,\u201d Donna went on, bouncing Johnny as she moved away from the window. \u201cHe called yesterday, and I convinced him to come for dinner. He hasn\u2019t been home for a couple of months. I know he\u2019d love to meet little Johnny. He asks about him every time he calls, and you know how much he loves and misses Meagan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just hearing Jason\u2019s name incited painful memories packed with guilt. For a time, Rachel had hated Jason, even blamed him for John\u2019s death. Now, she just resented him for reasons she couldn\u2019t define. In high school, the phrase \u201cThree\u2019s a crowd\u201d had never applied to them. Instead, \u201cAll for one, and one for all\u201d had been their motto\u2014until she and John had become a couple, that is. After that, the chemistry among the three of them had changed. Oh, she\u2019d had warm feelings for both brothers, and she\u2019d even dated Jason off and on, but John ultimately had won her heart in his final two years of college with his utter devotedness to her, his promise of a bright future, and his maturity and passionate faith.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you say, Rachel?\u201d Donna asked, turning her head to keep Johnny from pulling on one of her dangling, gold earrings.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you should come,\u201d echoed Tom.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2014I\u2019m not sure. I think my parents are stopping over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no; they\u2019re coming straight from church to our place for lunch. They didn\u2019t mention that?\u201d Donna asked, bobbing Johnny in her arms. The two families had always been close, having lived in neighboring towns and attended the same church for years. Then, when Rachel and John had gotten married, the bond had grown tighter still.<\/p>\n

\u201cUm, I guess they did, but I\u2026I forgot.\u201d Panic raced through Rachel from head to toe. She didn\u2019t want to see Jason, couldn\u2019t picture him in a room without John there, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cRachel.\u201d Donna touched Rachel\u2019s arm, her eyes moist. \u201cWe miss John more than you can imagine, but\u2014we still have Jay. His birthday is Tuesday, remember? Won\u2019t you come and help us celebrate it like old times?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason\u2019s birthday. She\u2019d forgotten all about it. Yes, she did recall celebrating it as a family, just as they\u2019d celebrated hers, John\u2019s, and every other family member\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry; I just don\u2019t feel like celebrating anything or anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s your brother-in-law, sweetheart. Don\u2019t you want to see him? Remember how the three of you used to be so inseparable?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMom, please,\u201d Rachel warned her. \u201cIt\u2019s all different now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I know that. But\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave it be, Donna,\u201d Tom said sternly. Meagan, growing as restless as a filly, tugged at her grandfather\u2019s pant leg. \u201cI can understand why Rachel wouldn\u2019t want to see Jason. Too many memories, right, Rachel?\u201d He reached up and touched her shoulder. \u201cIt\u2019s probably for the best\u2014you two keeping your distance, at least for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

She swallowed a tight knot and released a heavy breath. \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donna blinked. \u201cWell, if that\u2019s how you feel\u2026. But, at some point, I hope you\u2019ll reconsider.\u201d She shifted her fidgety body and frowned at her husband, then smiled down at Meagan and tweaked her nose. \u201cWell, we should be getting to that circus, don\u2019t you think, pumpkin?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes!\u201d Meagan jumped with unadulterated glee. Oh, to be that innocent, Rachel thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll try not to be too late getting her home. How \u2019bout trying to get some rest when you put Johnny down?\u201d Tom asked as Donna handed Johnny off to Rachel. \u201cYou look plain tuckered out.\u201d<\/p>\n

It sounded wonderful, but also completely unrealistic, considering the overflowing baskets of dirty clothes in the laundry room, the teetering pile of dishes in the kitchen sink, and the brimming wastebasket in every bathroom. Whoever said \u201cA woman\u2019s work is never done\u201d must have been a single mom, Rachel thought. Then, nodding with a forced smile, she saw the circus-goers to the door.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tender Vow<\/a> is the highly emotional story of recently widowed Rachel Peterson and her brother-in-law Jason. Although both brothers and Rachel had been close friends throughout school, John’s death created a tension filled distance between the two survivors. Jason’s early attempts to help Rachel and her children were rebuffed, primarily because of guilt and doubt. As the book progresses, it illustrates the ups and downs of their relationship as well as their faith in God.<\/p>\n

Tender Vow<\/a> was well written with fully developed and realistic characters.\u00a0 I did find the pace a bit tedious at times, but then I can be pretty impatient. I tend to want the characters to just get on with life so I am probably not the best judge of a book that deals with psychological issues like grief recovery. Hopefully I have more patience with the people around me. If you enjoy books of that type, Tender Vow<\/a> would probably be a good choice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,60,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-contemporary-fiction","category-romance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5557"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5562,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5557\/revisions\/5562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}