“The Sweet By-and-By”
By Sara Evans, Rachel Hauck
Genre: Fantasy Romance, Christian
Fiction, Religious Fiction
Available in Kindle store, Audible, Audiobooks, Google Play Books, Hardcover and Paperback
First Published: Jan. 5, 2010
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Cozy up by the warm autumn fire with an eloquent novel that flawlessly fits the fall mood, complete with plenty of pumpkins and shadowed small-town drama.
“The Sweet By-and-By” charmingly follows a young woman named Jade Fitzgerald, an antique dealer preparing for her wedding to wealthy lawyer Max Benson. Fitzgerald is pressured to invite her mother Beryl Hill to her wedding, compelling her to slowly reveal the elements of her past she hoped to keep secret. Her revelations include a strained relationship
with her malcontented mother, a labyrinthine relationship with her vacated father, emotionally paralyzing trauma of her first heartbreak and a trembling commitment to her faith. Among Fitzgerald’s secrets, several other characters reveal their own secrets, including Hill and Benson. While Fitzgerald has trouble processing Hill’s secret privately, she experiences a powerful interaction in her spirituality that restores her faith and allows her to evoke positive changes for a unique fairytale ending.
“The Sweet By-and-By” was charmingly composed by authors Rachel Hauck and country music artist Sara Evans, published by Thomas Nelson and released on January 5, 2010. It was compassionately crafted into the genres of fantasy romance, Christian fiction and religious fiction. This insightful novel presents a powerful story about the inability to run from the past, the importance of repairing broken close relationships and the vitality of love. It briefly presents various perspectives on some of the struggles followers of Christianity may face, as well as how they may be perceived because of them. Readers should note that this meaningful novel tackles several tough topics including violence, substance abuse and abortions.
Evans and Hauck do an exemplary job at crafting easily visual scenes, namely the entire opening chapter. The pair expertly takes readers directly into the audience of a 1977 Fleetwood Mac concert, making them truly feel like they are right there living it. This inclusive element is repeated throughout the story as readers are frequently delighted with beautifully detailed scenes of nostalgic fall decor like pumpkins, gourds, leaf wreaths, garlands and more.
“The Sweet By-and-By” provides the richness of southern charm, as readers will enjoy the bouts of southern slang and business names like Aretha Frankenstein’s and Sugar Plums. The characters are cleverly created, highly relatable and feature many moments of comedic banter. The story was polished and flowed gracefully, allowing readers to easily keep up with the changing times and connect the various aspects of the plot.
“The Sweet By-and-By” is a heartwarming, funny and inspiring read that earns a solid four out of five stars. From relatable moments to beautifully decorated scenes, this novel is sure to keep readers hooked since page one. Keep this book in mind, as you celebrate the fall season!
