The Sweet By and By by Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck

About The Sweet By and By:

Jade Fitzgerald left the pain of her past in the dust when she headed out for college a decade ago. Now she's thriving in her career and glowing in the light of Max Benson's love.

But then Jade's hippie mother, Beryl Hill, arrives in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, for Jade's wedding along with Willow, her wild younger sister. Their arrival forces Jade to throw open the dark closets of her past--the insecurity of living with a restless, wandering mother, the silence of her absent father, and the heart-ripping pain of first-love's rejection.

Turns out Beryl has a secret of her own. She needs reconciliation with her oldest daughter before illness takes her life. In the final days leading to the wedding, Jade meets the One who shows her that the past has no hold on her future. With a little grace, they'll meet in the middle, maybe even before that sweet by and by.

My thoughts:

I first blogged about this book in September of 2008 when Rachel Hauck announced her collaboration with Sara Evans in her newsletter. It's been a bit of a wait, but definitely worth it.

Jade Fitzgerald and Beryl Hill are real characters with real hurts and real secrets - and it's the keeping of those secrets that only widens the chasm in their relationship. They've kept their secrets at bay for years, but with Jade's upcoming nuptials they are on a collision course to have their hidden knowledge revealed for all to see. While each is seemingly selfish in her own way, you can't help but open your heart to both Jade and Beryl, and to root for them let bygones be bygones and reach a point of healing in their relationship. Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck certainly don't hold back as they take us through this journey of hurt to healing with unexpected plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. They make a great team and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the continuation of the series.

Two characters I'd love to hear more about...Willow and Lillabeth. They each seemed to have struggles of their own that weren't totally revealed, so I'm hoping their stories can be told in a later book.

Review copy generously provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Find out more on the web:
Sara Evans
Rachel Hauck
Thomas Nelson Publishers