This Side of Heaven~Karen Kingsbury

This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury

No one believed he had a daughter he’d never met . . . No one listened when she cried for the daddy she didn’t know . . . Now, in the ashes of tragedy, lies a vindication neither could’ve imagined.

Annie Warren always wanted the best for her son, Josh. But years of failure and bad choices created a heartbreaking distance that has grown far worse since the day Josh was hit by a drunk driver.

Now on medical disability, Josh has put his life on hold for years, waiting for the insurance company to send a settlement that never seems to come. Worse, he believes the story of a scheming woman who claims they have a seven-year-old daughter named Savannah.

Despite the unlikelihood and complete lack of evidence, Josh dreams of being a father and is determined to one day claim the child. His family doesn't know the full story. They don't know what happened the night of the accident that was worth the chronic pain Josh suffers every waking minute, or that he is turning his life around. They haven't seen that Savannah's eyes are his, and they don't know how desperately the little girl needs her family.

When the settlement that rightly belongs to Josh is threatened, Annie sets out to defend her son. But she might find a treasure more valuable than money, one she never expected, one that is the greatest gift her son could ever give her--THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN.

A story of family secrets, broken relationships, and a love strong enough to span an ocean – this side of heaven.


My review:
This was the first Karen Kingsbury novel I have read, and it will most definitely not be the last. Right off the bat, she captured my attention and did not let it go until well after the book was over. (As a matter of fact, after I finished the book, I went to her website and read more about her and the inspiration for this book, her brother Dave.)

I can't get over the fact that I have not read anything by Karen Kingsbury before now! This book was fast paced, had mystery and intrigue, pain and suffering, family drama, a beautiful ending and showed how much God loves us! You can't get much better than that, folks.

I really enjoyed watching the mom, Annie Warren, grow as a person and learn to put her fears and worries over what other people thought aside as she learned about her son and grew in her relationship with the Lord.

The main character, Josh Warren, showed how you can touch someone's life in a huge way by doing the small things. I also loved how Christian music played such an important part in his life and in his testimony, because it has also done so in mine.

This book emphasised to me that while we're on this side of heaven life will not always be easy or free from pain; however, as long we keep our eyes on our heavenly Father, there is nothing we can't handle. One day, we'll be on the right side of heaven.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading a good book and feeling like you're part of the story. (I would also recommend visiting Karen Kingsbury's site and learning more about her and her life. What a treasure she is.)


___
(Second book review - whatcha think?)



“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17