Title: When Dawn Breaks
Author: Jennifer Slattery
Pages: 320
Year: 12/2014
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
Jennifer Slattery is a budding new author whose contemporary Christian romance novel characters are of the middle aged bracket unlike other romance writings which are aimed at a young crowd. The main male character Jonathan is a widower working for a railroad company along with helping prepare for his daughters upcoming wedding. Jonathan isn’t looking for to enter the dating scene but a relationship which is based on friendship along with hanging out doing a variety of fun activities. After his wife’s death he planned on remaining single and working along with church activities, and being with his younger sister and her husband for family time.
When a devastating hurricane hit the east coast Jacqueline also known as Jackie spends time in her only child’s condo without having any firm future plans. Jacqueline is a relatively new Christian whose friend Elaine also went to live with her family before the hurricane came on land. The two women shared a strong friendship and it was Elaine that introduced Jackie to the Lord. Now being so far apart finding fellowship with other believers becomes paramount to Jackie especially when her rocky relationship with her daughter becomes more stressful. What Jacqueline never thought she would encounter is a major change in employment, location, and falling in love with three kids who had been abandoned by their birth mother at the temporary shelter in the basement of a church.
At first the story starts slow as if laying a foundation with very little action but I pressed through till the end and glad I did. The story brings in other characters which capture the heart of readers along with occasionally causing moments of levity. The themes of redemption, hope, faith, enduring, and obedience are but a few of the themes that are prevalent in the book. There is also the challenge of being open to God’s plans for our lives compared to what to we may have envisioned them to be especially when one’s life is heading for retirement but surprises come and change the future. I don’t know what I would think if the Lord asks me to be a foster parent when just entering my 50’s besides chock for sure! Yet I hope I would respond as Jacqueline did and discovered the greatest of joys that come from a willing heart. Don’t miss reading the novel, you will have passed up a great writing with a new author!
My rating is 5 stars.
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