My review of Through Every Storm by Sharlene MacLaren

From the Publisher:

Jeff and Maddie are struggling through the tragic loss of a child. Their immense pain and unresolved grief severely strains their marriage and they are heading toward divorce. Both question whether their lives will ever be normal again. Then, when faced with having to care for a precocious little boy, Maddie slowly realizes how to let God be in control even when life is crashing down around her.

My review:

Through Every Storm blew me away. First of all, the author's ability to pull you into the emotional struggles of the characters was amazing. Often I find that emotion in novels feels more contrived than real. Not so with this story. The actions and reactions of the couple were frighteningly real. The withdrawal, the inability to communicate, the misinterpretation of things said. All are classics signs of marital trouble. When Maddie and Jeff each individually re-experienced their memories, I was there with them. I identified with how they were feeling. The attraction between them was almost as strong as the hurt, but they had forgotten what they had originally loved about each other. That's so true with grief. The need to blame someone else as well as ourselves. If only he had this...if only I had that...

Jeff was a true man in every situation and I felt like I understood where he was coming from. He just wanted his wife to respond to him, not push him away. The author did a bang-up job representing the male point of view. Then there is little Timmy. I fell in love with this boy genius who Jeff teasingly nicknamed "Einstein" because he was too smart for his own good. He reminded me so much of my own kids, especially my eldest son. I loved how Timmy was perceptive enough to see the couple's pain and how he tried to bring them together. He was so innocent and endearing.

Through Every Storm is a well-written, well-paced novel that is loaded with tension. The conflict felt real to me, and the spiritual progression of the characters was highly believable. In fact, this story was so well written I couldn't find a thing that pulled me from the story. I especially loved the bikini top joke. What a hoot. There were so many tender moments that touched my heart--especially toward the end--that I literally felt my heart warming as I read the touching, healing words. This story is a real winner and is as beautiful as the cover, if not more so. Highly recommended!

Through Every Storm is published by Whitaker House and will be released for sale in January 2007.