Need You Now

Jun 11, 2012 Renn Shearin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas.

Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way.

Married life hasn’t always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried Brad and Darlene through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, th...more When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas.

Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way.

Married life hasn’t always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried Brad and Darlene through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, the domestic tension rises.

While working with special needs children at her new job, the widowed father of one of the students starts paying more attention to Darlene than is appropriate. Problem is, she feels like someone is listening to her for the first time in a long time.

If Darlene ever needed God . . . it’s now.

Need You Now was a heartwarming story which clearly portrayed the importance of relying on God, maintaining family relationships, and being careful with choosing friends. The plot line of the novel was interesting and flowed smoothly. The storyline involved some events that were not unexpected, and it was interesting and inspiring to see how the characters had to work through their troubles.

The characters were also well developed. Almost all of the characters were constantly growing and discovering more about themselves and about God as the story continued. I especially enjoyed seeing the growth in Darlene and her neighbor Layla and the irony of their flip-flopping roles in each other's lives.

The themes of Need You Now were clearly explored and left the reader with new understandings. One of the topics that was portrayed was the importance of honesty and making time in relationships in order to know what is going in the other's life and grow closer. A few others were forgiveness, being open about how you feel, and relying on God above all else.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and I hope that others who read it find it as inspirational and moving as I did.

I received this novel for free from Booksneeze.com and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review. (less)

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Jun 02, 2012 Ibjoy1953 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK!

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman

After reading Beth Wiseman’s Amish novels all I could say was Wow! After reading “Need You Now” all I can say is Wow. Beth Wiseman can write anything, and it will be an awesome read.

In this contemporary fiction, Beth Wiseman creates realistic and believable characters and brings them to life before our eyes throughout the pages of this book. At times I wanted to add prayer request to our pray group, or talk about something Darlene or Brad did...more

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May 21, 2012 Stephanie Wright rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sometimes our deepest hurts are masked so well that only God can see. God then places "angels" in our life to address those hurts and assisting you with learning to trust while He illuminates the pain as well as the path to freedom. In Beth Wiseman's newest book, Need You Now, the Henderson family must deal with danger in their hometown which leads them to the small town of Round Top, Texas. The three teenaged children deal with the move in different ways, but the youngest, Grace, is utilizing a...more

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May 14, 2012 Karen & Gerard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: death, relationships, teens

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman was written to help struggling families. Brad and Darlene moved to the country to get their teenage son, Chad, away from the bad influence of his city friends. When Darlene befriends her neighbor, Layla, a divorced woman who is bitter at God for letting her daughter die, through her friendship Layla returns to faith in God while Darlene’s falters. Brad’s and Darlene’s happy Christian family runs into a crisis when they discover their oldest daughter, Grace, cutting h...more

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May 02, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-christian-fiction

Best known for her Amish fiction, Beth Wiseman ventures into a relevant contemporary novel that will touch your heart.
Brad and Darlene, high school sweethearts have been married for over 15 years, and raising 3 kids. The big city Texas life is starting to interfere in the way they want to raise their children so they move to 1.5 hours away to Darlene’s Grandparents house in the country. It is need of much work, but the changes for the kids is necessary. Oldest son Chad was running with the wron...more

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May 02, 2012 Vernie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From City Life to Country Life---it is a big change for Darlene and Brad Henderson much more for their three teenage children.

It is not just adjusting to a new way of life that Darlene the central character of the story is going to face. A crisis will test her faith and married life is not such blissful as she hopes to be.

Beth Wiseman is a gifted storyteller.

Why?

I cannot put this book down after reading a few chapters. It is the kind of book good for a summer read over a cup of coffee in the mor...more

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May 01, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a reader of Beth Wiseman books I realized with this book that Beth has found her niche. You could feel the passion in her writing, I enjoyed this book much more than I have her other books. Contemporary fiction becomes Beth very well.

I enjoyed this book, and I know that for some that are ultra conservative (which I too am) that there were scenes in the book that won't sit well, the hint of infidelity, the lack of communication, etc. However I felt that Beth took what too often happens in rea...more

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May 01, 2012 Sid Frost rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the story of Brad and Darlene Henderson and their three teenaged children, Chad, Grace, and Ansley. After Chad, their oldest, experiences alcohol and possibly drug problems in high school, the family moves from Houston to the small rural town of Round Top, Texas. Brad, a CPA bucking for partner, continues his job in Houston and the long commute keeps him away from the family more than before. Brad and Darlene are both strong Christians and are raising their children to be also. Darlene m...more This is the story of Brad and Darlene Henderson and their three teenaged children, Chad, Grace, and Ansley. After Chad, their oldest, experiences alcohol and possibly drug problems in high school, the family moves from Houston to the small rural town of Round Top, Texas. Brad, a CPA bucking for partner, continues his job in Houston and the long commute keeps him away from the family more than before. Brad and Darlene are both strong Christians and are raising their children to be also. Darlene ministers to a neighbor who has been bitter with God for years because of the death of her child. The neighbor, Layla, turns out to be a former movie star. Darlene had not recognized her, but Brad did from watching old movies. As time goes on, Darlene and Layla become friends and, eventually, Darlene learns that she helped Layla restore her faith in God.

As I was reading the book I thought of the saying, "wherever you go, there you are", because moving to the small town didn't solve the problems. If anything, they were made worse. Brad is away more because of the long drive and having to work extra hours to become partner. Darlene takes a job partly because the children are more independent and they are in a safer environment.

The reader gets to hear the story from the viewpoints of Darlene, Brad, Chad, and Grace, as well as a few people outside the family. This gives the reader insights about the children sometimes before the parents. This increased the suspense and made me want to read on to find out what happens next.

As in real life, events in the story affected different people in different ways. Sometimes a problem causes one person to turn closer to God for love and support. The same problem might cause another person to reject and blame God. Our strong faithful Christians in this story didn't always react the way we expected. But that's the way it is in the real world. How strong is your faith?

I loved the book and the characters. I laughed with them and cried for them. I even wanted to fuss at them at times. This is the first book I've read by Beth Wiseman, but I'll be looking for more. She has a great talent for making the story interesting from the first page to the last. There's no filler. All meat.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an advance review copy of this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Apr 25, 2012 Lenore Webb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This morning I laid out a blanket under a big ol oak tree so I could read in the shade. Of course the dogs ran all around barking but they finally decided that I had the right idea and curled up under the tree too. And I escaped into my book.

Now this time I did not go far at all. You see Beth Wiseman wrote Need You Now and the setting is right here in my own backyard of Texas. I was able to really understand how it was in the story for it mirrored some of my own experiences. In the story they m...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summary: To the outside world, Darlene's life looks picturesque. Her husband should make partner at a law firm in Houston, the family just moved to a small town, her son is doing better now that they are away from the city, and Darlene has even started working with special needs kids. What lies behind the facade of perfectness may destroy Darlene's life.

My Thoughts: This is the first book I've read by Beth Wiseman. I found the beginning to be pretty slow and a little unfocused....too many story...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After Chad gets into the wrong crowd in high school in Houston, Brad and Darlene Henderson make the decision to move the family to Round Top, TX, to her grandparents’ old homestead. Life starts out with a bang on the first day with a visitor from the snake world, sending Darlene into frenzy.

Brad and Darlene’s marriage seems to have the normal ups and downs, but their deep love and faith have always kept them going. All three children seem to be adjusting to the move on the outside, but brewing o...more After Chad gets into the wrong crowd in high school in Houston, Brad and Darlene Henderson make the decision to move the family to Round Top, TX, to her grandparents’ old homestead. Life starts out with a bang on the first day with a visitor from the snake world, sending Darlene into frenzy.

Brad and Darlene’s marriage seems to have the normal ups and downs, but their deep love and faith have always kept them going. All three children seem to be adjusting to the move on the outside, but brewing on the inside of Grace is another world–a world of cutting to cope with her feelings.

Darlene tries to make friends with Layla Jeger, her next-door rancher, but it’s a touch and go relationship on Layla’s end. Seeking outside friendships, Darlene takes on her first job away from home at the Evans House, a special needs’ school. As time progresses with her working outside the home, tensions in the home abound. About two months later they find out about Grace’s cutting.

Beth Wiseman, in Need You Now, brings out the stormy issues of childhood emotional problems and their families and how they each cope with the individual issues. The multiple points of view are great, as you see the same incident through the different character angles, which makes the story well-rounded and more real. Her story hits close to home, as Beth draws you into the emotions and circumstances of the characters. They could be your own family or the neighbor next door.

The development and descriptions of Grace’s cutting are well-developed and very informative. This issue is prevalent in the teenage world, and Beth’s book helps and encourages parents to be on the lookout and to be willing to get good outside help.

The strain between Brad and Darlene’s relationship is palpable throughout the blame-game scenario and subsequent silence between the two. This leaves Darlene vulnerable to another male’s perspective and understanding, which escalates into a sticky romantic relationship.

Beth interweaves the importance of praying and God’s intervention in response to those prayers in both the Henderson family and Layla’s life, even though it wasn’t necessarily a happily-ever-after as we define it. I commend the author in how she dealt with the circumstances in difficult, real-world outcomes.

This novel was a fulfilling read, yet was filled with difficult scenarios that deeply touched my heart. When an author can get you to grieve over fictional characters, she’s done an in-depth job of portraying real emotions in her characters!

Special thanks to Rick Roberson, The B&B Media Group, for sending me a review copy through FIRST Wild Card Tours. No monetary compensation was provided in exchange for my honest review.(less)

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Apr 24, 2012 Lisa Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: Need You Now
Author: Beth Wiseman www.BethWiseman.com
Pages: 312
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Note: I received a complimentary copy from B & B Media for this review. Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspo...
Wow what a story! It is not all too unusual for a novel to share aspects of historical fact or a person’s life within the pages of a book. This new book by Beth Wiseman is not based on real people per se, but on an activity that is very real and experienced by...more Title: Need You Now
Author: Beth Wiseman www.BethWiseman.com
Pages: 312
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Note: I received a complimentary copy from B & B Media for this review. Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspo...
Wow what a story! It is not all too unusual for a novel to share aspects of historical fact or a person’s life within the pages of a book. This new book by Beth Wiseman is not based on real people per se, but on an activity that is very real and experienced by many families. Personally, I have known a family that has dealt with this issue and watched them cling to God as they faced it.
Within this book, Beth delves into the many ways people deal, hide or run from the issues of the heart that touch our everyday life. It is a brilliantly written novel, and she leads her readers through what a family may feel when issues arise. It is a novel written about a family who, by outward appearances, is doing quite well without any problems. However, as trials come along the story peals back to reveal the “real” people behind the perceived perception of others. This is a family of five who has to deal with different manners of destructive behavior, learn to really cling to God and not settle for a life apart from Him. The characters ask questions like we all do when we go through a trial.
The neighbor of this family is hiding a painful past of her own. Through various experiences and choosing to draw near to God instead of running away from him, she finds healing of the heart. Later on in the story a tragedy strikes that, while causing untold pain in the life of the characters, the reader can also identify with what one might feel if they experienced the same sadness. The neatest thing about the novel is the hope that we can all find if we turn to God instead of away from Him. Another wonderful truth expressed in the novel is that no one has a perfect life free of problems. We can risk befriending those who may not draw near to God and be surprised to find out that they really want Him and need someone in the “flesh” to love them as they return to God.
In this novel it is clearly implied that marriages aren’t perfect, and while there are times of distance or even anger between husband and wife, we can choose to forgive as He forgave us. The novel paints an accurate portrayal of the truth that sometimes it takes time to heal from hurts, to draw close to God and learn to be okay with being “real” and not wearing a mask. I want to tell you more about the story, but I think it best if you sit down and read it for yourself. Let it tug your heart and speak to your life wherever you are in your walk with the Lord. No novel takes the place of the Scriptures, so please understand I am not advocating that. I do believe though that this well-written novel is meant to draw out of us whatever it is we don’t easily let others see, though God sees it all.
Kudos to Beth Wiseman for courageously writing a novel based on a tender topic. Need You Now will be a book you may want to share and discuss with others. I hope so. My rating for this novel is 5 stars.

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Apr 22, 2012 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-literature, christian-fiction, christian-inspirational-fiction, christian-living, christian-self-help, christian-parenting-resource, christian-teen-fiction, contemporary-fiction, self-help, young-adult-fiction

It seems like at some point in our lives, we'll blame God for something that hasn't gone right in our lives. Perhaps it's the death of a child we didn't seem coming, or trouble with finances or an affair within our marriage. Yet often times God will place someone in our path when we struggle with the answers why to help us deal with this situation in ways they can verbalize and help us understand when God's ways can seem to overwhelming to comprehend.

In Need You Now by Beth Wiseman, The Henderso...more It seems like at some point in our lives, we'll blame God for something that hasn't gone right in our lives. Perhaps it's the death of a child we didn't seem coming, or trouble with finances or an affair within our marriage. Yet often times God will place someone in our path when we struggle with the answers why to help us deal with this situation in ways they can verbalize and help us understand when God's ways can seem to overwhelming to comprehend.

In Need You Now by Beth Wiseman, The Henderson family is about to face the biggest challenge of their lives and their faith in God will be tested in ways like they never could imagine. Just when their lives seem to be settling down after moving from Houston to a rural small town of Round Top, Texas, the begin to see the facade that each of them have painted for one another.

With their youngest daughter Grace, just fifteen-years-old, she struggles with being labeled as the perfect child neither of their parents needs to worry about. Yet besides dealing with a boyfriend she left behind when they moved and trying to find new friends at her school, Grace has to find new ways of dealing with her out-of-control emotions. She turns to cutting, to release the emotions that are building up inside and a way to maintain control. Only thing is no one knows except a Goth girl at school named Skylar. Will she be able to stop in time before her family finds out?

Darlene Henderson has been the picture perfect role model of wife and mom, and now that her kids don't need her for anything else but a hot meal, she finds solace in getting a job helping special needs children. When Dave Schroeder, the father of the autistic girl she's been working with, begins to develop a much stronger interest in her that he could have imagined since his wife died, he begins to find new ways to come and see Darlene. Will she be willing to walk away from her own marriage to her husband Brad, even if he is seeing someone from work?

I received Need You Now compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest review and think that Beth Wiseman has done an incredible job at identifying the signs of both affairs and teenage cutting in this remarkable fictional book. Even though the characters are fiction based, this could very well be the story of any family we know. I applaud her for informing her readers through this powerful story and show how often pray is our last resort to our problems when it should be our first line of defense. I highly recommend this book and rate it a 5 out of 5 stars!(less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Mary rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A family coping with everyday struggles is the gist of Need You Now. A stay at home mom, a dad working his way to partnership, and three children who are not perfect describes this religious family.

The story begins with the family’s move from the city of Houston, TX to out in country in an effort to improve their life. Their son, Chad, was in trouble, and they thought leaving the city would be a fresh start.

Chad improves, but their daughter, Gracie, develops major life threatening problems, bro...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Most commonly known for her Amish fiction ,author Beth Wiseman has decided to take a go at writing contemporary fiction or what I personally would put under the category of Edgy Christian Fiction. I have to admit that I didn't know what I was really in for until I started reading it and as the storyline went along , it well was amazing. I have always been a fan of Edgy Content . so I loved the way Beth Wiseman captured the essence of the different issues in Need You Now. I think for me the theme...more Most commonly known for her Amish fiction ,author Beth Wiseman has decided to take a go at writing contemporary fiction or what I personally would put under the category of Edgy Christian Fiction. I have to admit that I didn't know what I was really in for until I started reading it and as the storyline went along , it well was amazing. I have always been a fan of Edgy Content . so I loved the way Beth Wiseman captured the essence of the different issues in Need You Now. I think for me the theme of Need You Now was that no matter how hard and how difficult life gets for you , the obstacles that can be chucked in your path God Loves You, no matter what and with his love , you can fix anything .
Need You Now starts off a little slow as it sets the scene of Darlene and Brad who have just moved to Round Top - a rural community with their three children Chad, Grace and Ansley. The first bit of excitement comes when Darlene finds a snake in her bedroom and the snake incident introduces us to Layla -one of the other main female characters. Soon Layla becomes one of Darlene's good friends , but Layla isn't a christian and has lost her path with God as a few years ago Layla's daughter Marissa committed suicide. Can Darlene show Layla that God isn't all bad and before it's too late as tragedy strikes their friendship ?
Darlene and Brad have never had to worry about their daughter Grace , as she has been the good,quiet one but lately she seems to be withdrawing more and more . We discover that Grace has been cutting herself , what will the consequences be when Brad discovers that Grace has been self-harming herself ? When a cut goes wrong, can Brad and Darlene get Grace the help she needs before the next time when the cut will be fatal ?
It seems like temptation is in the air as Brad and Darlene's marriage hits a rocky bump in the road which will lead to misunderstandings and a kiss from another person, can this once strong couple prove that their love is strong no matter what happens , can the pair overcome their rocky road ?
Find out all this and more in Beth Wiseman's Need You Now , an excellent attempt in the transistion from Amish fiction to Contemporary Edgy Christian Fiction.(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Edna Tollison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Need You Now" is Beth Wiseman's first book outside the Amish secter. I have read so many of her books and loved everyone of them. This one is not exception. The B and B Media Group provided me with this complimentary paperback book.

As Darlene and her husband Brad struggle to raise three teenagers, they move from Houston to Round Top, Texas to a farm left to Darlene by her grandparents, but the house needed a lot of repair. The move did not go well with the children and expecially for their midd...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: NEED YOU NOW
Author: Beth Wiseman
Publsiher: Thomas Nelson
May 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59554-887-0
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary women’s fiction

Darlene Henderson’s life is practically perfect. She has an adoring husband who is soon to be named partner at an accounting firm in Houston, and the family has bought out the farm that used to belong to her grandparents. Her three children are all wonderful behaved. The only child to give her any trouble had been Chad, but he had seemed to be better sinc...more Title: NEED YOU NOW
Author: Beth Wiseman
Publsiher: Thomas Nelson
May 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59554-887-0
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary women’s fiction

Darlene Henderson’s life is practically perfect. She has an adoring husband who is soon to be named partner at an accounting firm in Houston, and the family has bought out the farm that used to belong to her grandparents. Her three children are all wonderful behaved. The only child to give her any trouble had been Chad, but he had seemed to be better since they moved away from the city.

But small town life isn’t all Heaven on Earth. The teens are having trouble adjusting—especially sixteen year old Grace who’d begun coping in a dangerous way. And seems get worse when Darlene decides she isn’t needed any more at home, so she takes on a full time job working with educationally challenged children.

When the widowed father of one of Darlene’s students begins to take an interest in her, Darlene feels someone hears her for the first time. Will her marriage survive her working outside the home? What about her children?

NEED YOU NOW is Ms. Wiseman’s first non-Amish book and I could feel the passion flowing through the pages of this book—something I could never feel in her Amish books. This is a genre that literally sings for Ms. Wiseman and I hope she plans more of this type book in the future.

The book has multiple points of views in it – from each of the children, the neighbor lady, the widowed father, Darlene, and her husband, just to mention a few. Each of the characters are very well developed, and one felt for them even though one didn’t understand or agree with the choices that are made.

As a warning for more conservative readers, this book deals with some troubling issues that they might want to keep more their teen girls from reading about, and there is some social drinking included.

I did enjoy the book, and give it 4.5 stars. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $15.99. 308 pages.
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Jun 03, 2012 Lynne Young rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. It is not your typical Beth Wiseman read. Instead it is full of love, emotion, misunderstanding, forgiveness and taking away stigma.

Ms. Wiseman does a wonderful job addressing the subject of cutting. She not only has the daughter be a cutter but a friend of the daughter who has cut in the past but is now ostracized by her peers because she appears to be goth. This friend, Skylar, is a breath of fresh air in this book and does a complete turn around which has the reade...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Elaine Littau rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: modern-fiction

Beth Wiseman is mostly known as a best selling author of Amish Fiction. In her new book, Need You Now, she tackles life in a small Texas town located a little over an hour away from Houston. The family dynamic is believable to the reader. Darlene and Brad are parents of three children ranging in age from twelve to seventeen.

I appreciate that the author brings out difficult situations like raising and caring for a special needs child and balancing that care with looking out for teens and their i...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Trinity Rose rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman is an O.K. book. I know most people really love it, but it’s just not something I would read again.
I like the setting of the story. It is a small town in Texas and the family of five go from big city life to the country and live next door to a famous movie star.
The family believes in God and loves Him, but when things get difficult they seem to pull away from Him. That also happened to the neighbor. I know that doesn’t or shouldn’t happen in life. When things go w...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, e-book, i-own-this, inspirational, kindle-ebook, b-b-media, thomas-nelson

I really enjoyed this book, it was hard at first to know I was reading a Beth Wiseman book since it wasn’t her usual Amish fiction, but this is a well done book. This book deals with an issue I dealt with in high school – cutting – it’s not easily understood and most don’t want to talk about it, however cutting is on the rise mainly among teenage girls. I did feel some of the issues were rushed and everything was tidily wrapped up – a few counseling sessions and Grace was ‘making progress’ and a...more

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May 19, 2012 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What would you do if you felt your child was in danger?

After their son Chad made some poor choices, Brad and Darlene Henderson made the the tough decision to move their family from Houston to the small town of Round Top, Texas. Chad and his sisters, Ansley and Grace, each had their own difficulties with the move, especially Grace. While the pace is much slower, the challenges are still there, just in a different form.

Need You Now takes you through the struggles of a family who faces challenges...more What would you do if you felt your child was in danger?

After their son Chad made some poor choices, Brad and Darlene Henderson made the the tough decision to move their family from Houston to the small town of Round Top, Texas. Chad and his sisters, Ansley and Grace, each had their own difficulties with the move, especially Grace. While the pace is much slower, the challenges are still there, just in a different form.

Need You Now takes you through the struggles of a family who faces challenges and finds the only way through is by trusting in God.

Beth Wiseman does an fantastic job of telling this story. The main characters of the Henderson family each have their own personality that you can relate to as a reader. The tone of the book and the language makes it easy to imagine the characters interacting. The supporting characters like Tristan, Myrna, David, Cara and especially Layla, are there for a reason, not just to fluff up the book. I love the realistic situations and the fact that the author was not afraid to address a current problem facing our young women. She did it tastefully and with great sensitivity. While the ending was incredibly sad, it only served to add more depth to the story.

Overall, I thought this Christian fiction was well written, with a well developed story line. The story makes you stop and think about what you would do if you were in those challenging situations. Would you trust in God or would you fall apart? There were a variety of responses in this book and I learned something from each. The overriding theme is that even when we don't trust ourselves, when we don't trust the people around us, we need to trust God.

This was my first Beth Wiseman book but I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me through the Booksneeze program, for the purpose of review. I was not asked to nor required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Love and Blessings Always!
Margaret Rogers(less)

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Sep 18, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three (Chad, Grace, and Ansley) teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas. The children are not coping well, but Grace is having the hardest time of all. Her coping mechanism is to cut herself. Darlene gets a job for the first time since she's been married, working with special needs children. One thing leads to another, Darlene and Brad are having problems at home and the single father of one of the students Darlene is working with is...more

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May 15, 2012 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

One word, busy. Most of the time there is one big climax, but there are many things happening with Darlene and Brad. They move to the small town of Round Top TX from Houston TX. Brad still commutes to Houston but they moved into Darlene's grandparents farmhouse, wanting to fix it up. They thought it would be good for them and their kids, especially Chad who had gotten into some trouble in Houston. Their middle daughter Grace is a perfect daughter. The youngest has had some challenges so the move...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: family-struggles, christian-romance

When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas.

Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way.

Married life hasn't always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried Brad and Darlene through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, th...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Bonnie (Words at Home Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-month-2012

Review originally posted to Words at Home June 20, 2012: http://www.wordsathome.ca/2012/06/nee...

I have read Beth Wiseman before but only ever her Amish Fiction novels (and it is no secret that Amish Fiction is my ‘guilty pleasure’ genre!) so I was extremely excited to see that she had just written a contemporary Christian fiction novel. I had no idea what to expect from this novel and I was met with an intense family drama that was so full of emotion I had a difficult time putting it down.

Beth...more Review originally posted to Words at Home June 20, 2012: http://www.wordsathome.ca/2012/06/nee...

I have read Beth Wiseman before but only ever her Amish Fiction novels (and it is no secret that Amish Fiction is my ‘guilty pleasure’ genre!) so I was extremely excited to see that she had just written a contemporary Christian fiction novel. I had no idea what to expect from this novel and I was met with an intense family drama that was so full of emotion I had a difficult time putting it down.

Beth Wiseman has a way of telling a story that makes you forget about everything else that is going on in your life at that moment. When you are reading one of her novels you are there 100% and she is committed to telling the story in a way that makes you feel as though you are a part of it. I think this is why I am such a big fan of Ms. Wiseman, simply put, she is a beautiful story teller and she is not afraid to push the envelope. Need You Now is no exception. It is full of emotion and meaning, based around a strong cast of characters and is built around an unwavering faith. It deals with difficult issues such as infidelity, teenage depression, and Autism and yet the themes and lessons in honesty, tolerance and the importance of friendship make it an extremely uplifting novel.

Need You Now was full of lovely characters that I was able to connect with easily. Darlene ended up being a far stronger character than I initially thought she would be and I always love it when I am surprised by a character. She had a heavy load to carry and still made herself available to reach out to others who were in need of some extra caring and understanding. She was uncompromising in her faith and completely devoted to her family, but she also understood the need to have something just for herself. If I could change anything about Darlene I would wish that she would put herself first a little more often, as she was too willing to give up on herself to be there for others.

Darlene’s Children were also more realistic and dare I say edgy than I expected from Wiseman. I have become used to the wholesome family found in so many Christian fiction novels that I was shocked (in a good way) buy how relatable and utterly teenage they were. Beth tackled some seriously difficult issues in this novel, and she did it with care and grace. She was able to move the story along without minimizing the problems she was writing about and in my books that takes major skill. The problems that this family was going through, and especially the issues that the children were dealing with makes this a novel that I truly believe bridges the gap between straight contemporary fiction and Christian fiction.

Need You Now is a book that could find a home on any bookshelf whether you are a fan of Christian fiction or not. It is an uplifting novel based in Christian faith, but it is so rooted in today’s issues that that it transcends the boundaries of faith. It is an emotional and thought provoking family drama that will have your heart aching for the characters you are reading about. This is a beautifully written novel that I would definitely recommend.

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Apr 14, 2012 Maureen Timerman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

I started reading this page turning book as Part One...and true to two part books it left you on a cliff hanger. Had to know the rest of the story...and a good story it was.
This book has it all, the great love of a family for each other..."Who do you love?". Also so not so typical teenage difficult problems, when Grace their middle child starts coping in a dangerous way.
This book also deals with marriage problems, even where there shouldn't be any. Also enjoyed how dealing with "special" childre...more

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Mar 12, 2013 writer... added it · review of another edition

A Thomas Nelson read for review..

Not having read Beth Wiseman previously I didn't have the expectations of long time fans of her Amish writing.
This contemporary story is replete with issues of the day - perhaps too full for a manageable handling of the topics raised? Then again, life as lived typically today, is often without margin by the choices made by the parties involved. Ms Wiseman's characters are part of just such a modern family. I won't spoil the reading with the solutions and resoluti...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Raya Whitehouse rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: booksneeze

Great book about a family who moved from the city into the home of (the mom's, Darlene) late grandparents. She meets up with her next door neighbor, Layla, (who helps her kill a snake in her bedroom) and is a formal movie star with some problems of her own and who doesn't believe in god. The mom has a need for independence and wants to get a job. She gets one at a school for special kids. At the school she does afternoon one on one sessions with a special girl named Cara. Cara's dad is named Dav...more

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Apr 03, 2012 K. L. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Beth Wiseman, known for her best-selling Amish genre fiction, is applying her storytelling skills to contemporary fiction with admirable results. The popular author writes fearlessly with the stresses and struggles that are an inevitable part of a marriage and raising children. She doesn't shy away from letting the characters in this book face some problems and challenges. I think many readers will be able to relate to this book, and be comforted by the fact that they are not the only ones who...more

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