CFBA Book Review: A Sweethaven Homecoming

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Sweethaven Homecoming Guideposts (August 2012)
by Courtney Walsh

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Courtney Walsh is a published author, scrapbooking expert, theatre director and playwright. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, was released in February, 2012 by Guideposts Books, and will be followed by two additional novels in the series. She has also written two papercrafting books, Scrapbooking Your Faith and The Busy Scrapper and is currently working on her third, The Scrapcrafter’s Idea Book (F&W Publications, February, 2013.)

Courtney has been a contributing editor for Memory Makers Magazine and Children’s Ministry Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Group Publishing curriculum, newsletters and other publications. She has also written several full-length musicals, including her most recent, The Great American Tall Tales and Hercules for Christian Youth Theatre, Chicago. Courtney is a member of ACFW and is the current PR Manager for Webster’s Pages, a scrapbooking manufacturer. She lives in Colorado with her ultra creative husband and three children.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Suzanne's daughter, Campbell, journeys there in search of answers to her questions about her mother's history.

Suzanne's three friends-Lila, Jane, and Meghan-were torn apart by long-buried secrets and heartbreak. Though they haven't spoken in years, each has pieces of a scrapbook they made together in Sweethaven.Suzanne's letters have lured them all back to the idyllic lakeside town, where they meet Campbell and begin to remember what was so special about their long Sweethaven summers.

As the scrapbook reveals secrets one by one, old wounds are mended, lives are changed, and friendships are restored-just as Suzanne intended.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Sweethaven Homecoming, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS
It took me a while to get into the flow of the book, to figure out which character was connected with whom but once I did, I really enjoyed the book.  There is a lot of forgiveness to be had in this story, a lot of confusion and hurt to work out and in the process of doing so you can feel the characters strength coming out.  The stories behind some of the characters were quite sad, while others were your norm, but all together the characters created a web that was strong enough to hold them together.

I think this is a good summer read, or even better wait till fall settles in and cuddle up with a warm cup of tea and read away!