But in her sixteenth summer, all that changes without warning. There begins Lily's struggle to find herself and the life she's lost. . . . Marriage promises fulfillment, but her happily-ever-after barely survives the honeymoon. Her husband's sophisticated façade hides a brooding man with even darker secrets.
When all illusions shatter, Lily must make hard choices --- abandon her husband or risk losing much more than her marriage. She flees their home in Detroit and sets out on a fearful journey to a house in Georgia that her husband knows nothing about. This is one woman's compelling tale of love and survival as she finds her way back home to who she's meant to be . . . in her father's house.
Rose Chandler Johnson is the author of the award winning devotional God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea: Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments. My Father's House is her first novel. She happily makes her home near Augusta, Georgia.
MY REVIEW:
Okay, I'm going to start off with a warning about this book. DO NOT start reading it before going to bed because you will not be sleeping. Seriously! I started reading this book at 11:00 pm one night and literally stayed up until I finished it, which was 6:30 AM! I just could not put this book down!!!
Lily Rose has grown up with a daddy who loves her and makes her feel cherished. When he dies suddenly, her world is turned upside down. Her mother, who hasn't been the same since her older brother moved away, is in her own world, but Lily is fortunate. She has a wonderful caregiver in Annie Ruth - a wise, loving woman who instills wisdom in Lily Rose's life to later be recalled.
On a trip to New York to meet up with her best friend, Julie, Lily Rose meets a waiter who turns her world upside down! She ends up in a whirl-wind relationship and makes hasty decisions that she later learns to regret. She doesn't listen to the only woman who gives her wisdom, Annie Ruth, and goes against her gut feeling (never a good thing!).
She goes to an elaborate plan to start her life over and go back to her father's house. She meets her people again, makes a new life, and meets a kind, gentle man. There are some scary times she has to deal with and she is always looking over her shoulder. However, I love her growth during this time and her realization that she needs God in her life and to listen to Him. I really loved her little dog that she adopts and he becomes a very special and important part of her life, too.
The author is a detailed writer and at first this was hard for me to get used to, but after the first couple of chapters, I grew to really enjoy all the little details that she included. We live Lily Rose's life with her and it made me feel as though I was right there with her. It always endeared the characters to my heart and I won't soon be forgetting any of them.
This was such a good book and definitely worth the lack of sleep! I highly recommend it not only for the excellent story but for the fact that it's different from anything I've ever read before. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
*This book was provided to me for my honest review by LitFuse Publicity Group
Blessings - Julie
Thank you for your awesome review, Julie. I'm so glad you loved the story. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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