This
is the second novel in the Chicory Inn series. In the first novel,
we followed Audrey and Grant Whitman as they came to the place of
opening the inn. (You can read my review of that novel here.) This novel concentrates on their daughter Corinne
and her family.
It
must be every man's nightmare, being accused of sexual harassment at
work. And what if you are “innocent” in that whatever signals you
gave were out of ignorance, not intent? Would you be afraid to show
any affection to a female besides your wife, even to your own
sisters-in-law?
That's
what happened to Jesse, Corinne's husband. When Jesse spurns a female
co-worker's advances, she becomes bitter and threatens a lawsuit.
Jesse's friendly and outgoing manner may have sent the wrong
messages. Corinne and Jesse struggle to keep their family on an even
path during the ensuing turmoil. When the female co-worker pulls a
stunt that endangers their daughters, Jesse and Corinne know they
can't ignore the nightmare any longer. Will their marriage crumble or
can they trust God for a secure future?
While
this is a wonderfully written novel, it's subject matter is hard to
read about. A woman scorned can be bitter and vengeful. Jesse and
Corinne feel the full weight of the situation and it threatens the
stability of their marriage. It reminds me again how important
communication and trust are for a successful marriage. It also makes
me think about the sacrifices a wife is willing to make to see her
husband succeed. It also makes me think about the reality of how
important it is for husbands to flee from temptation.
I
found it interesting to read of Audrey's feelings about having the
inn. Running and inn and trying to be the quintessential grandma
wasn't quite what she had envisioned. Retired couples might think
running an inn, or having a bed and breakfast, sounds so romantic.
Then reality sets in.
The
characters in the book are wonderfully developed. We get a real
picture of a marriage under stress. Raney has done an excellent job
of bringing us into the Whitman family as changes are endured. And
there is that little bit of sibling rivalry, about whether a couple
has children or not and, in this case, the size of the house they
own. I love the way the daughters of Corinne and Jesse were crafted.
That little Sadie, what a talkative pistol she is.
Events
in this novel bring up an issue about God's leading. Sometimes He
might cause the situation we are in to become very uncomfortable so
we will move in another direction. It might even been a direction,
perhaps a career change, we've been thinking about for years but just
never had the nerve to do it. God provides the tipping point to get
us on the path He's planned for the best use of our talents.
Can
it really be true that a rough time for a marriage might just be one
of the best things that ever happened to the couple? That's exactly
what Corinne's sibling assures her and Jesse after one of their
Whitman family dinners. Reading this novel might convince you that it
is the hard times that do make you stronger – relying on the Lord
for strength is essential. It was an enjoyable read and I recommend
it.
I
am taking part in a blog tour of this book and you can read other reviews
here.
Deborah
Raney is an award-winning author. Her novels have won the RITA,
National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and the Carol Award.
She has also been a Christy finalist. She and her husband live in
Wichita. You can find our more at http://deborahraney.com/.
Abingdon
Press, 304 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book through Litfuse for the
purpose of an independent and honest review.
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