Thursday 27 February 2014

Empty Shelf/Mad Reviewer Challenge #10 - The Chance, Karen Kingsbury

"...a fervent message about love and reconciliation." writes Publishers Weekly. This book certainly is that.

Ellie Tucker is an ordinary teenager from Savannah, Georgia, when her life is turned upside down. Her father discovers her mother's affair and resulting pregancy, and kicks Caroline (the mother) out. He then decides to move himself and Ellie to California, accepting a job on a military base. The news wrecks Ellie and her best friend, Nolan Cook. The night before Ellie leaves, she and Nolan write each other letters, lock them in a box, and bury the box in their favourite spot of the local park. They promise to meet each other on June 1st, 2013.

Fast forward to eleven years later. Ellie has a daughter of her own and hasn't spoken to her father in years. Nolan Cook is a star NBA player and, apparently, has never forgotten about Ellie. Various characters and threads come together in a heartfelt and moving conclusion. Ellie and Nolan are engaged, Caroline and Alan (Ellie's father) begin to reconcile, and the hurts of long past begin to heal.

This was a really enjoyable read. Kingsbury writes easily and from the heart, and the pieces of the puzzle come together really well. As Christian fiction, there's a lot of well-known Bible verses and Christian jargon, but Kingsbury manages to keep it from being cheesy, particularly as each of the main characters has a period of questioning God and their faith, for obvious reasons. It's a story in which Kingsbury really wants to show the heart of God, and how she believes that He wants to heal hurts and hearts and bring love and reconciliation.

I would recommend it as it's a lovely story, well-written and absorbing, and gives you a lift after turning the last page.

Until next time!

No comments:

Post a Comment