56743

56743

Brad Cutler has it all, bright future, girl of his dreams, but not until he returns to the shores of Holden Beach to see his first love. Both remembering decisions they made long ago. Paperback and CD

I really did used to like reading Karen Kingsbury's fiction, and I can't really put my finger on why I don't seem to like it as much now.

I put this book on a "to read" list a while ago (possibly around the time it first came out, but I can't be sure) and at that time, I am fairly sure I liked reading Karen Kingsbury.

This appears to be a non-Baxter family book--a true rarity in the Kingsbury world--but I still struggled to read it, often preferring to pick up something else to read rather than this book.

Does Brad Cutler really think he can "get right" without at least trying to find Emma and talk to her? Does he really think confessing to his dad is going to make all his misgivings go away? Though I do appreciate that the situation makes him turn to God for forgiveness and redemption. ( )

This was a tear-jerker read for me. It really tugged at my heart strings. The tears were flowing when Emma was telling her story. It was a quick read, I did not want to put it down.
Karen has a way of presenting the characters so I feel I know them personally. That is with every book I have read from her.
Emma and Brad had an unplanned pregnancy 10 years prior, and choose to have an abortion. Emma describes her thoughts and feelings before, during, and after her abortion. A very traumatic experience, but in the end, they ask for forgiveness, get right with God, and are able to go on with their lives.
The book is filled with scripture, which I absolutely loved.
I am the librarian at my church, and I am featuring this as our Book Of The Month for the month of August.
***Note***
This book deals with the effects of Post Abortion Syndrome. It might be a trigger for anyone who has gone through an abortion and is suffering the life long effects. ( )