Shades of Morning by Marlo Schalesky

June 2010 by Multnomah Books

Paperback, 352 pages

Review Copy

Book Synopsis

Marnie didn’t know much about miracles.Mistakes maybe. Accidents. And monstrous mess-ups. She knew a lot about those.But miracles? Those were for other people.Marnie Wittier has life just where she wants it. Quiet. Peaceful. No drama. A long way away from her past. In the privacy of her home, she fills a box with slips of paper, scribbled with her regrets, sins, and sorrows. But that’s nobody else’s business. Her bookstore/coffee shop patrons, her employees, her friends from church—they all think she’s the very model of compassion and kindness.Then Marnie’s past creeps into her present when her estranged sister dies and makes Marnie guardian of her fifteen-year-old son—a boy Marnie never knew existed. And when Emmit arrives, she discovers he has Down syndrome—and that she’s woefully unprepared to care for him. What’s worse, she has to deal with Taylor Cole, her sister’s attorney, a man Marnie once loved—and abandoned. As Emmit (and Taylor) work their way into her heart, Marnie begins to heal. But when pieces of her dismal past surface again, she must at last face the scripts of paper in her box, all the regrets and sorrows. Can she do it? Or will she run again?....................(Sent from Publisher)

Review

Marnie is tough, she wears a guard around her heart and holds tight to who she trusts. Growing up in foster care with her older sister has had its share of baggage. Rose wanting the more finer things in life embraces or trys to embrace the higher society. For Marnie she carries a rough edge about her right down to her rugged boots, Harley and purple hair. But underneath the roughness lives a girl who longs for security, love and intimacy, so when Taylor Cole wonders into her life its no suprise he is able to crack the tough exterior and promise her a life full of possibilities. So deep though are her insecurities and nature to run that in real life crisis that's what Marnie knows to do....run. And run she does away from her sister, away from Taylor and anything that had to do with her former life. Settled now in California she runs a little book and coffee shop, surrounded by the memories of her past Marnie makes it day by day with the support of her business and new found friends.Everything changes that somewhat found peace when Marnie's sister Rose dies and leaves her handicapped son to Marnie's care. When Emmit arrives like a whirlwind into her life, along with it he brings her past, memories, regrets and Taylor, the man she never stopped loving and quite possibly the greatest miracle of all.

This was my first Marlo Schalesky book and I can say the writing and dialog were well done, Marnie was a much developed character with real flaws and narrative dialog that was easy to relate to. Although I liked Marnie after getting to know her and the other characters as well, the aspect most hard for me to deal with was the main issue of the story and understanding how Taylor and Marnie actually lost touch. After getting all the details of their story, their last night together and then learning that Taylor just walked out the door shocked me. You would think at least a goodbye was in order or some type of closure to the mini-break that was planned. Why didn’t he call, email, write send a stinking telegram? I just didn’t understand that based upon a man who wanted to marry this woman how he could leave and disappear with no contact thinking when he came strutting in a year later she would be on the porch waiting for him. A lot can happen in a year….and it sure did for Marnie. On Marnie's part I completely understand why she ran....but she should have sent Taylor word or something, I guess that saying hindsight is 20/20 fits perfectly with these two but where the characters made major mistakes I thought it was more just a lack of common sense and not so much wrong choices.

Predictable in spots the ending for sure was a surprise for me, I figured out who Emmit actually was before it was revealed to Taylor and Marnie but the little twist I did not see coming. The last chapter left me a bit confused as well, but overall  while I didn't resonate with the story, I did enjoy the few hours visiting this tale of love, sorrow and healing.

Rating

Shades of Morning deals with adult content including: love, loss, drug addiction, betrayals, pregnancy and family drama. Suitable for most readers, I would recommend this book to older teens and adults who enjoy Christian fiction or wholesome romance stories.

3.5/5- Christian Fiction- Romance

Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for review copy

Giveaway

If you would like to enter to win a copy of Shades of Morning please just leave a comment, this one is open to US residents only. Winner will be announced August 1, 2010.