June 19th 2001 by WaterBrook Press

Paperback, 320 pages
Review Copy

Book Synopsis

After two years of serving as a missionary in a remote area of South America, Daria Camfield has returned to the States to mourn her husband, reportedly killed while providing medical aid to a neighboring Colombian village. One family discovers how God can redeem any tragedy. At first, Daria finds comfort only in the daughter born to her after Nate's tragic death. As she begins to heal, she also finds a listening ear and a tender heart in her new boss, veterinarian Colson Hunter. Determined to move forward with life, Daria ignores the still small voice calling her to wait and accepts Cole's marriage proposal. But after the wedding, Daria's new dream life turns into a nightmare with the arrival of an unbelievable telegram:"Nathan Camfield found alive. Flying into K.C. Int'l. via Bogota..." Now two men have the right to her daughter, her life, and her love. Will Daria return to her beloved first husband, abandoning Cole? Or will she reject Nate and choose the only man her daughter has ever called "Daddy"--a man she has come to cherish with all her heart?.............(Sent from Publisher) 

Dear Beneath a Southern Sky,

I want to thank you for waking up with swollen eyes due to the sobbing you caused me. Also I want to thank you for the hours of emotional turmoil I spent with you, the romantic chills that you gave me and above all I thank you for touching my heart with your profound story........................................

Love,
Tinasbookreviews

Needless to say........I loved this book. Deborah Raney is a gifted writer and brings such raw emotion to her characters they almost feel real. The book offers rich detail but does a good job keeping the mundane details at bay so the reader doesn’t get bored. I was so emotionally connected to Daria, Cole and Nate that I couldn’t decide a proper outcome for them. Most of the story is told through Daria’s perspective but elegantly flows to Nate and Cole when needed. The shifting perspectives brought necessary depth to connect to the men involved in this dilemma. Because of the synopsis of the book we the reader know what Daria is going to face, but yet she doesn’t know until mid-way through the book. While the relationship with Cole is progressing, your thinking NO DARIA- Nate is ALIVE, but we travel down this new marriage with her just waiting for Nate to show back up. Not to mention Natalie, the baby Daria had from Nate is now connecting with Cole and calling him daddy. So we see not only Cole and Daria falling in love, but Natalie falling in love with Cole as well, adding to the heartbreak we know that’s coming. Daria is so focused on moving on and falling in love she misses and ignores all the little things going on around her. Vivid dreams of Nate start to trouble her sleep, letters from the missionary field begging her back make their way into her mailbox. The deep gut feeling that she should wait and take things slow with Cole –ignored- As God tries to drop hints all around her she’s put her foot down and will not listen to her heart's warning.

Daria marries Cole and settles into a new married life happy and distant to her faith. When Nate finally does reenter the book- the reunion is agonizing and knowing the heartbreak Cole is going through, makes the reader suffer right along with them. One thing that struck me about this book was the core strength being love and not so much the circumstances. I loved the honesty of the characters especially in Daria. She truly loves Cole and has moved on from her grief over Nate. The marriage is happy but not perfect and when the two fight- it’s real and they express real inner feelings. I found that refreshing for a romance novel that her characters are not these flawless people who gaze in each other’s eyes every second- they are normal people facing big problems and make huge mistakes!

When Daria see’s Nate all her love from that marriage comes rushing back and she is overwhelmed by the possibility of living life with him, big problems and huge heartbreak is on the horizon for our characters. The ending was shocking, and only because I had no idea how Daria was going to choose, the outcome was -for me- so heartbreaking but yet so brave, the decision finally made will drew beautiful parallels between the love story told and the love story of Christianity.

Rating

I would recommend this to anyone who loves romance, no language or graphic sex scenes, there are plenty of references to sex and adult situations in the book but stays wholesome throughout.

4/5 Christian Romance

Thank you to Waterbrook Press for review copy- also can be purchased on WB site.