Review of FACING THE DAWN by Cynthia Ruchti

*A completely clean Christian read, but it does deal with some difficult topics*, *so I would rate it PG.*

*I would definitely give it more stars if I could.*

Goodness! This is the first book ever that I had to put away for a few hours after certain chapters and just let it settle in my mind before I could continue reading. The depths of emotion in this novel were real, in the book and in my mind as I read. Mara is almost a single mother, in that her husband is in Uganda on an extended missions trip, providing water for the needy in Uganda. Mara has problems with two of their children: Dylan who is on probation, with Chelsea who isn’t trying very hard to graduate, but not with Jeremy, the pre-teen who just loves his mom and is empathetic to her loneliness and stress. When the unthinkable and unimaginable happens, Mara has to dig deep just to survive. The author writes so well that I put myself right into the middle of the story and was feeling what Mara felt. I was as thankful as Mara when her best friend Ashlee shows up, having moved to town recently and is there for just the right time. It is Ashlee, a widow who has been through grief, who understands Mara’s anger, resentment and feelings of unworthiness. Sol and Logan are neighbors who pitch in to help out and Mara is overwhelmed with the circumstances and the aid that she receives. The book was so realistic that I wanted to just reach into the pages and give Chelsea and Dylan a good shake and an “in your face” lecture. With well-written dialog between the various characters and an extremely well-developed plot, this book was the first book that I have read by this author, but it will definitely not be the last. I enjoyed every minute that I spent getting to know Mara, her family and her friends. By the end of the book, I even considered her my friend, too. With the themes of resilience, forgiveness, acceptance and love for others, this book was one of the best that I have read that included a difficult topic. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to feel hopeful and faithful when not much is going the way you expected.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”