Excellently written - great handling of a difficult subject.

This novel has a surprising subject and plot. While I found it to be a great read, it was somewhat predictable. But in a good way. The author takes you on an interesting ride through a mind field of emotions and handles everything very sensitively. The subject of abortion is treated quite fairly and is not done in a preachy manner. I enjoyed having African American characters in a "traditional" Christian Fiction work. Deborah Raney never disappoints and I feel this is one of her best.

A skillfully written book on the aftermath of a trauma for an older couple, with older children.
I found that this book really addressed the different struggles you would go through in the aftermath, and while you lived through it with her, it was not overly graphic. Ms Raney does an excellent job!

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Read: March 2024
Format: Kibdle eBook
Challenge Prompt: CNL’s #24 of 50 - “that is considered Women’s Fiction”

Book #30 of 2024: This is my fourth book by this author. It’s a difficult subject matter with a 45 year-old woman being raped while on a trip. The author does not go into detail which I appreciated. If that wasn’t enough, she subsequently learns that she is pregnant with the rapist’s baby because her husband had a vasectomy many years before.

The novel follows them through the aftermath of the trauma (physical and mental), learning of the pregnancy and what to do, dealing with their decision against abortion, whether to let the child be adopted, etc. Everyone is affected in one way or another and I felt the author handled it realistically. The story showed how God can bring good out of every situation. We just give it to him and trust even when it’s hard.

The beautiful ending had me tearing up. This book was about so much more than an assault. It’s about the human experience, the struggles, the questions and doubts, and God’s redemptive plan. I recommend this book.

I normally never read the sappy Hallmark genre, but I picked this up to see how it handled the abortion scenario. It was heartwarming but a tad confusing. Some spoilers follow for discussion's sake.

Anna has 2 grown daughters and is back on her career track, which is interrupted by her rape (which is tastefully handled without any graphic description but still conveys the fright of the moment) and resulting pregnancy. She and her husband Paul must decide how to handle this, as it's known among their friends Paul can't have any more kids.The suspense builds and twists keep coming throughout the book, complications that force them to solidify what they believe, and rely fully on their Heavenly Father. It's one thing to advise against abortion but another to live it out when it completely changes your life as you know it and all the plans you may have had. But that's just the thing. Though they sacrifice a lot and God works out something amazing,

Spoiler

Anna and Paul DON'T go all the way, they don't do the truly inconvenient thing.

Certainly not aborting a baby conceived in rape is the tremendous first step, and the most commendable. This is a hard enough decision for the couple to make, but they do, much to the disapproval of their oldest daughter who feels that if there was any justification for abortion, it would be in her mother's case. Anna's stated reason is that she doesn't feel right about that; of course the irrefutable reason is that a baby is a human being from the moment of conception and to end that life in abortion is murder, pure and simple. The confirmation of the conscience is God's way of imparting this gravity.

Once they decide to birth the baby,

Spoiler

Anna goes into hiding with a friend of a friend in another town. Their initial plan for the baby's future is to give her up for adoption. And when, after more bumps along the road, they finally decide to keep the baby themselves, there's a way out of that too. Don't get me wrong, God's hand is seen in the strength He gave both Anna and Paul to see this ordeal through, and the way He brought certain people together to provide this baby a family. The love Anna has for the baby, the love Paul has to learn and choose due to the unfortunate circumstances of the baby's conception, blooms in God's leading and they really could've welcomed this baby into their home.

But what ends up happening is that Anna hides out while the baby grows, they give the child to a loving family who wants her, and she and Paul return to their home. No baby. Visibly none the worse for wear except for the trauma they've been through and sleepless nights they've endured. But life returns to normal and they're able to keep the careers, schedules, lives they've had and planned. And all this, 100% for the benefit of their friends, acquaintances, and co-workers. They'd keep the baby if it was up to them, but people will talk so they won't. And their potentially shining witness lies extinguished. I understand the need for privacy, the reluctance to relive memories related to the baby whenever they see her, the shame that would accompany every reception of a charity visit. But if you trust the Creator of yourselves and this baby, if you feel His presence with you in this dark valley you've walked through, and if you love your baby WHY would you let what others think about the whole thing prevent you from being a family???

They took a convenient way out that belied the tremendously meaningful walk God accompanied them on. The outs written into the book defeated its purpose.