Instant Family

GARTSHORE, DONNA
INSTANT FAMILY

The single mom next door

Summer at a picturesque Silver Lake resort marks a new beginning for Frankie Munro and her daughter. After a painful marriage, the single mom shies away from any personal connection -- thous she admires the tender care handsome neighbor Ben Cedar shows his dad. Ben wasn't there for his mother when it counted, so he's determined to help his father cope with Alzheimer's. Yet it's Frankie's shy ten-year-old daughter, Rae, who really gets through to his dad. As their relatives bond and flourish, so do Ben and Frankie's feeling for each other. Before the season ends, can they let go of their pasts and fight for a second chance...together?

My Review:

Another debut novel -- that's 3 this week! Exciting to discover new talent in the Christian publishing industry.

A touching, sweet and hopeful story that celebrates God meeting us in all the hard places in this life. It's much more than a love story -- in fact, I'd say the romance isn't as pronounced as you usually find in a Love Inspired novel. This is more about the hesitant journey towards an unexpected friendship that has the power to develop into something much deeper.

But the timing -- even if it's God's timing -- seems completely off to Frankie and Ben. She's wary because she's newly divorced and trying to bring some stability back into her daughter's life while figuring out what their future is going to look like. And Ben is overwhelmed with the 24/7 care of a father stricken by Alzheimer's. His hopes of recreating some happy summer memories with his dad take on many unexpected twists and turns as he grapples with the increasing severity of the disease.

Gartshore draws on her own experience coping with her father's struggle with Alzheimer's and she really conveys the frustration, heartache and even humour that comes from dealing with this condition. It was an eyeopening and emotional read for that reason. Definitely a difficult backdrop for a romance but then, love doesn't always come calling at the most convenient times, does it? Which is maybe the point -- that we need to grab hold of the good things in life while we can and trust in God with the rest.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Instant Family, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 17 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck.