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| GIVEAWAY RANDOM RETRO READ DAY! |
BEYOND THE STORM
After a tornado rips through her town, store owner Abigail comes across a piece of fabric from a wedding dress among the devastation. Abigail is moved to start collecting swatches of fabric she finds -- her neighbour's kitchen curtains, a man's necktie, a dog's bed -- which she stashes in shopping bags. As she pursues her seemingly absurd quest, horrible realities spark the question, What kind of God would allow such tragedy? As she struggles to reconcile her right to happiness admits the destruction, Abigail begins piecing together a patchwork quilt from the salvaged fabric in hopes it will bring some peace. But a new relationship with Justin, a contractor, may require too much of her fragile heart. Will her pain and questions of faith give way to the courage to love?
My Review:
published in 2012
I feel like this book slapped me upside the head and my ears are still ringing! LOL I was not prepared in any way, shape or form for what unfolded within these pages (er...in the recording...I listened to the audible edition.) How have I not heard more about Beyond the Storm?! It's been out for ten years! That's a decade of me not knowing about this book or this author!!! I'm gobsmacked.
So, basically this story is about storms. The kind Mother Nature can throw down on us as well as the kind we humans churn up all on our own. Zane creates beautiful, heart-rending imagery that still haunts me. It's brilliantly told in three parts -- before the storm, during the storm and after the storm. And the author gives us multiple points of view from a diverse group of small town residents.
I thought going into the read that it was going to be a sweet romance...and, while that is definitely part of the story, it's so much more than that. I was moved by so many nuances in plot and character but I'm stymied over how to express what I'm feeling without giving spoilers. Definitely a book I'd love to chat about in a book group forum. Because there is so much depth and emotion and stark truths. Things to lift you up and stretch your heart...and your faith.
Goal Update: #4 Read more new-to-me authors
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Beyond the Storm, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday April 9 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck
