Book Review: The Sweet By and By ~ Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck

When I saw the opportunity to review this book through Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program, I had never heard of Sara Evans.  I'm not a country music fan, but I chose to review this book because it sounded like an interesting story.  The Sweet By and By is a redemptive story from multi-platinum recording artist Sara Evans.

Jade Fitzgerald left the pain of her past in the dust when she headed out for college a decade ago. Now she's thriving in her career and glowing in the light of Max Benson's love.

But then Jade's hippie mother, Beryl Hill, arrives in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, for Jade's wedding along with Willow, her wild younger sister. Their arrival forces Jade to throw open the dark closets of her past--the insecurity of living with a restless, wandering mother, the silence of her absent father, and the heart-ripping pain of first-love's rejection.

Turns out Beryl has a secret of her own. She needs reconciliation with her oldest daughter before illness takes her life. In the final days leading to the wedding, Jade meets the One who shows her that the past has no hold on her future. With a little grace, they'll meet in the middle, maybe even before that sweet by and by.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The characters and situations in this book are realistic, and I could identify with various events in the characters lives.  The storyline gets deeper and deeper as the book progresses, and I found myself not wanting to put it down.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fictional story full of inspiration.  As the author states, "It's about looking backward while moving forward."  That's something we should all do...embrace our past, learn from it, and keep moving ahead.

Disclosure:  I was provided with a free copy of this book in order to write a review.  No other compensation was offered or received.  The opinions are my own and were not influenced by receipt of a free product.