The Space Between Words

GIVEAWAY

PHOENIX MICHELE
THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS

"There were seconds, when I woke, when the world felt unshrouded. Then memory returned."

When Jessica regains consciousness in a French hosptial on the day after the Paris attacks, all she can think of is a fleeing the site of the horror she survived. But Patrick, the steadfast friend who hasn't left her side, urges her to reconsider her decision. Worn down by his insistence, she reluctantly agrees to follow through with the trip they'd planned before the tragedy.

"The pages found you," Patrick whispered. "Now you need to figure out what they're trying to stay."

During a stop at a country flea market, Jessica finds a faded document concealed in an antique. As new friends help her to translate the archaic French, they uncover the story of Adeline Baillard, a young woman who lived centuries before -- her faith condemned, her life endangered, her community decimated by the Huguenot persecution.

"I write for our descendants, for those who will not understand the cost of our survival."

Determined to learn the Baillard family's fate, Jessica retraces their flight from France to England, spurred on by a need she doesn't understand.

Could this stranger who lived three hundred years before hold the key to Jessica's survival?

My Review:

I'm bordering on speechless as I grapple for words to explain the impact this book had on me. It's left me feeling raw and exposed, like my nerve endings are all on high alert and I can't quite settle the rapid beating of my heart. Because Jessica's journey is powerful and emotional and ultimately triumphant. It's full of unexpected twists. There was one startling moment when I gasped out loud and had to put the book down. What just happened? I read and reread until understanding seeped into my heart. And then I got goosebumps.

This is the kind of book that is impossible to describe. I can tell you it's about a 21st century woman who goes on a quest to discover what happened to a persecuted Huguenot family centuries ago. I can tell you that in the process Jessica finds the missing pieces of herself. What I can't tell you is how exceptionally moving that story is. Phoenix is such a gifted storyteller. Sometimes the beauty in her words is almost unbearable. And the takeaways are astounding.

 "God layers good over bad." (p 239)

"Though our lives have been dismantled by the cruelty of man, God in his faithfulness has scattered flecks of gold amid the debris of our loss." (p 123)

This is the kind of indefinable treasure meant to be savored not just during the read but for a long time afterwards.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would liek a chance to win a copy of The Space Between Words, 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 January 7 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!