Sawyer and Anastasia are amazing characters living life in a real way. This is not only a 5-star book, but also a book that I will re-read, no question.
When it first started the book there was a difficult situation with the two main characters- a misunderstanding, a failure to communicate, hurt feelings. So many books drag out this kind of thing for chapters and chapters so I was dreading that. BUT imagine my surprise and my sheer delight when these two people handled their problem in a timely manner with maturity and actually talked to each other in a real, honest way. Just like I would have done. No unnecessary angst or continuing hurt, but rather humble honesty and real resolution so they could move forward into their story in a believable way. Because they did this, the focus of the story was not on an unnecessary drama, but rather how they moved forward and faced the challenges ahead. This was so completely refreshing, and I have to say I loved that because it set me up for really engaging with the story.
Jessica wrote both main characters in such a way we get a real picture of how they think, how they feel, and why. Each have difficult things to deal with, but they deal with them by relying on faith, relationships, and realistic expectations. All of these things combined make Sawyer and Anastasia a joy to read about and my favorite characters in this series. (If you can’t tell, I love character driven stories.)
The characters were engaging but so was the story. No spoilers here, but I honestly did not know “who did it” until very close to the end. I didn’t see it coming and I was shocked! Jessica wrote a great mystery/ suspense!
A favorite thing about this story- and so many others in the Jessica Ashley universe- is Sawyer and Anastasia are not perfect, nor are they unrealistic in any way. I can relate to many of their feelings and actions. I can relate to wrestling with the Lord and struggling with faith.
Other things about the book: The “Note from the Author” section is always something I look forward to, and it did not disappoint. So much good stuff there. And lastly, the dedication brings tears to my eyes: “To those who have fought their way back to God. And to those who wage war on their knees. WE WILL NOT FEAR.” Amen!
