THE SWEET BY AND BY – Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck
Funny back story on this review. I usually don’t review fiction through the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program, but, just before my semester break, I got an email about THE SWEET BY AND BY. You see, for the BRB program Thomas Nelson will continue to send you free books as long as you review them on one consumer site as well as your own blog. But I got stuck. I’m still stuck. I’m stuck on a non-fiction called BETWEEN WYOMINGS, and for some reason I can’t finish that book! But once in awhile Thomas Nelson offers bloggers a shot at reviewing a special title even if said blogger hasn’t finished their current review. Actually, these emails kind of make me wonder if everyone is stuck in Wyoming! : )
So, this novel was offered to me and I could smell an upcoming Christmas break with no reading homework and thought a sweet novel would be good medicine. Also – and this is the most embarrassing part – when I saw the author was Sara Evans (the country music star) my brain saw Sarah Groves (the contemporary Christian artist). Yeah, there is a pretty big difference. And, by the way, Sara Groves, if you are reading this, I would totally read a novel if you wrote one!
Needless to say, once I figured out my mistake, I went into this one with slightly low expectations. Here is a video interview with Sara Evans, the country music star turned novelist (with co-writer Rachel Hauck – not pictured):
And the truth is, despite my low expectations (or because of them?), I actually really enjoyed reading this novel. Apparently its the first in a series and I can’t be sure that I’ll read the next installments – despite Evans’ claims that the next one is even better. Still, I stayed up too late reading more than one night and even sacrificed blessed vacation nap times to see where the story was going next.
I liked the way the authors allowed God to be a character in the book and not just an invisible idea. The main character, Jade, has a real experience with Jesus that changes her. Also, sensitive material was handled well; there is not explicit content, even though sex is obviously implied. The abortion scene is heartbreaking but tastefully done.
On the other hand, I occasionally felt like the authors didn’t give me enough credit as a reader, too often telling me what I had already discerned from the provided context. I’m also hesitant to see Sara Evans as a true novelist (this is definitely the writer snob in me) and for some reason this damped my enthusiasm for the novel itself. I think Rachel Hauck does a great job bringing Evans’ story to life. Parts of THE SWEET BY AND BY were quite well done, believable and descriptive, but other sections verged on stiff.
In general, if you enjoy fiction, especially in the chick lit or woman’s interest vein, you are going to enjoy this book. I enjoyed living in Tennesee for a few days – owning a vintage shop and wrestling with a troubled past. And that’s when fiction is doing its job, when it takes you somewhere new and makes you at least think about staying for awhile.
(Seren – this one is coming your way!)
4 Responses to “THE SWEET BY AND BY – Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck”
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- Can't get enough of @gungormusic's "Beautiful Things". Ruined for other music now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSQUFc7r6Dg
Woo hoo! I love that last line! Novel by a country music star who was ALSO on Dancing with the Stars? I’m IN. But, ug, I feel quite sure my own fiction won’t live up to our very high expectations about God being a real live character who affects actual change. But we’re going to grade me on a curve, right? Give me time to grow? That’s what I’m counting on these days. That I’ll get much, much better with practice. Also, I definitely love the title of this book. I’m a sucker for a good title.
and then it’s coming to me, right?
Yeah, I loved the title, too, but it wasn’t actually as much a part of the book as I had hoped. I believe all the titles in the series are hymn references, which is a cool connection for Evans, of course. I figured you’d be totally into the Dancing with the Stars connection!
I think you’ll do great with the God stuff in your writing. I don’t mean God has to be an actual character Shack-style or anything. I just like it when faith makes a change in a character; I like to see some kind of transformation, especially if it is realistic. I was glad this one didn’t have a now-everything-will-be-fine feeling but did capture the change of attitude in the main character. I think the depiction could be even more subtle than it was in this novel – obviously it is going to be different for all your characters just like it is different for all of us.
Absolutely – just keep passing it around, you fiction writers!