Sunday, November 16, 2008

The Only Best Place by Carolyne Aarsen

I forget how I heard about this book, but I am thankful to whomever it was that lead me to it. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Neta Jackson (author of the Yada Yada Prayer Group series) is quoted on the back covering as follows: “… Carolyne Aarsen writes for every woman who has said yes with her mouth but not her heard, who has left he comfort and safety of the known and stepped (mentally kicking and screaming) into the unknown.” That quote really does sum up Leslie VandeKeere (the heroine).

Leslie is living the good urban life with all the energy and rush she loves. She has a happy family and a great career… both pull her in a zillion directions, but she thrives in the tension of the moment. So she is far from thrilled when she finds herself uprooted and replanted on her husband’s family farm in Montana. Leslie has never pictured herself as a farmer’s wife and she is determined this is a temporary time of duty as her husband helps his mom with the struggling farm.

When other family members indicate the move is permanent and Leslie’s husband doesn’t correct them, Leslie knows a battle is on and she knows in her heart there can be no winners. She is surrounded b people… family… and yet she feels totally alone. No one seems to care about her… her wants, her needs, her plans.

As Leslie struggles to find a way, she finds that she is not alone… God has not forsaken her… and she learns the only best place is in her heart.

Excellent book! The characters are rich and real… the situations are not sugar coated or exaggerated… they are very real… and the solutions are not easy and cost in a number of ways.

1 comment:

Cecelia Dowdy said...

Sounds like a good read! The husband seems to have communication problems with his wife, though!