by Lynn Austin
Carver County Library hardcover 273 pages
Published: 2021
Genre: Christian fiction
We're discussing this in book club tonight. It was pleasant, but not very impactful (to me). I was on page 29 before I remembered that it's a kind of sequel to Austin's book If I Were You, which we read last year. Oh yes! Eve was the servant girl who impersonated Audrey, the rich girl, when WWII ended.
Page 45 - "I'm afraid my words are coming out all wrong, and I'm giving the impression that I'm judging the Barretts and condemning the way they live. If so, please forgive me. That's not at all what I intended. It's just that I want to make my own choices, and this is what I've chosen to do."
Audrey shouldn't have to justify why she wants a loan to go back to school. And sometimes wealth can just make people live so differently than regular people who don't have the proverbial silver spoon. The fact that she's experienced a change in circumstances and is trying to do what she believes is right - go Audrey!
Page 55 - "If only Eve could fully forgive herself and forget ohw she had hurt the people who meant the most to her."
Sometimes forgiving ourselves is the absolute hardest thing to do . . . that said, this theme got old fast. She was so busy punishing herself that she didn't seem to consider the collateral damage she was doing to Tom, Harry, etc.
Page 101 - (Audrey) "When I lost Robert, I wanted to die. I don't ever want to feel that much pain again." (Eve): "Then you'll have to stop living, because life is going to bring pain. It's a certainty."
Seriously, human relationships provide plenty of joy, but pain is part of life, too.
Page 151 - This whole conversation between Audrey and Tom. Duh. Eve loves him but refuses to accept his love . . . gag. (Yet she's trying to set up Audrey with the Harrison guy.)
Page 229 - Okay, I got a little teary by the end. When the two women went to the store and bought the airplanes and all the Scriptural lessons were learned, my hard heart softened.
"It would have brought him joy. Audreys' father had just shown his love for her by giving her an extravagant gift. And it reminded Audrey that her heavenly Father had shown His extravagant love by giving Jesus to the world at Christmas."
I liked the neighbor lady with the dog, the kids getting to practice being "smart kings," and the goodness of Tom and his parents.
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