Review: Need You Now by Bethwiseman

About Book

When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas. Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way. Married life hasn’t always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried Brad and Darlene through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, the domestic tension rises. While working with special needs children at her new job, the widowed father of one of the students starts paying more attention to Darlene than is appropriate. Problem is, she feels like someone is listening to her for the first time in a long time. If Darlene ever needed God . . . it’s now. Experience a family’s triumph over lies, betrayal, and loss while still clinging to the One who matters most.
Published by Thomas Nelson
Buy at Amazon

About Beth

When a personal crisis tested and strengthened her faith, award-winning journalist Beth Wiseman was advised by her agent to consider writing a Christian novel, particularly an Amish one. Encouraged by her agent’s urging, she began exploring the Amish lifestyle and soon developed a great appreciation for the more peaceful way of life. In 2008 Wiseman wrote her debut novel, Plain Perfect, featuring the Amish lifestyle within the context of a fictional love story. It was a bestseller, as have been all of the full-length novels and novellas she has written since.

While Need You Now is Wiseman’s first non-Amish novel, she is confident it will not be the last. She is already making plans to write a second contemporary novel in the near future. Like Need You Now, it will also be set in small-town Texas, a familiar background she thoroughly loves exploring and writing about.

Wiseman’s previous releases have held spots on the CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) and the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) bestseller lists. In 2010, she received the INSPY Award for Amish Fiction (chosen by blog reviewers). In 2011, she received the Carol Award and was the Inspirational Readers Choice winner for her book Plain Paradise. Her novel Seek Me with All Your Heart was the 2011 Women of Faith Book of the Year. In addition, Wiseman has been a Retailers Choice Finalist, a Booksellers Best Finalist and a National Readers Choice Finalist. Prior to becoming a novelist she received many honors for her work as a journalist, including a prestigious First Place News Writing Award from the Texas Press Association.

Today, she and her husband are empty nest parents of two grown sons, enjoying the country lifestyle and living happily with two dogs, two cats, two pot-bellied pigs, two chickens and a single pygmy goat in a small community in South Central Texas. When Beth isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and watching good movies. Her favorite pastimes, however, are painting (her paintings can be veiwed on her Fans of Beth Wiseman Facebook page) and spending time with friends and family.

Where to find Beth
Beth's website
Twitter@bethwiseman (contest on 4/23)
Facebook

My Thoughts 

Guess what?  This is not an Amish Fiction it is Beth's first Contemporary Fiction and it is outstanding! 


The story is about a average family which seems to be running so smoothly that stay at on mom,Darlene thinks it is time for her to step out of that role and take a job as teacher's aide for special needs students. Her husband, Brad wants her to be happy and doesn't seem to have a problem with her working, until the kids start rocking the boat. They have three children and the middle daughter, Grace throws a kink into things and they are not quite so normal anymore. Darlene can not understand how God can allow this to happen. Brad can't help but blame her since she was not at home to supervise the kids. Darlene begins to believe it must be her fault. All of this happening just when she was making so much progress with Cara the special needs student she was assigned to help.


 This book kept my attention from the very start. The characters were so realistic in how they functioned in their daily lives and when family crisis hit the turmoil each character experienced was very believable. Many of us think "Oh my child wouldn't do that." Think again, God gave us that child to protect and watch over. But God gave us free will and we can't always be there with them. We can be there for them when they fall.


 Then there is the feisty, beautiful next door neighbor, Layla. It was beautiful how the author wrote of the relationship between Darlene and her neighbor. They were such opposites but God put them in each other's path and He wanted them to lead each other on the path to righteousness.


 Lies, betrayal and loss! There is so much more I could say about this book but I don't want to spoil it for you.


 I highly recommend this book.


 I rated this book a 5 out of 5.


Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson/Booksneeze for review. I was in no way compensated for this review it is my own opinion.