A Review

I’m not sure what happened, but I woke up in the middle of the night Thursday with some kind of stomach bug. It hit me suddenly, lasted a couple of hours, then left me feeling tired and rotten all day Friday. It seems all my gloating about ‘never getting sick’ has come back to bite me.

By Saturday I was up and about, and by Sunday, I was almost back to normal. Today, it was business as usual. I had a critique meeting with my writing buddies, ran a couple of errands, then headed home to contine revisions on Peace, my October release.

In the middle of everything, I received two very nice reviews. One was from Romantic Times Magazine, which gave Ray of Light 4 Stars. Yay! I always worry about first reviews. The second review I received was for Daybreak. It was so kind I decided to share it~I don’t see reviews like this very often!

If you’ve read Daybreak and posted a review of your own on CBD.com or amazon.com, or recommended it to a friend, thank you! If you enjoy buying books, and have preordered Ray of Light, thank you for that, too. I truly appreciate all of your support.

At this moment, it’s Still Snowing here at our house. Anyone else seeing snow, too? Warm spring weather will be so appreciated!

Thank you for stopping by!

blessings,

Shelley

 From Sharon Galligar Chance,  the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas

So many books out these days feature the lives of the Amish and Mennonite people, and among those novels, the ones written by Shelley Shepard Gray emerge as ones that capture the people, their way of living, and the events that shape their lives.

Gray’s latest book, “Daybreak: Book One of The Days of Redemption,” is no exception.

In the beginning of this new series, readers are introduced to the residents of the Daybreak Retirement Home, located in a Mennonite community in Ohio, and to Viola Keim, a health care provider at the home. Even though she isn’t a Mennonite, but a New Order Amish, Viola finds herself wondering just how adult children can abandon their parents to live out their final days in the care of strangers instead of living at home with them, as the Amish do.

Viola is particularly fond of an elderly gentleman named Atle Swartz, who is wheelchair bound but is as ornery as they come. But lately Viola finds she can dish it back to him in a manner that creates a wonderful relationship despite the age difference. However, when Atle shares the letters from his beloved son who is volunteering in mission work in Nicaragua, she isn’t pleased with how he has seemed to have abandoned his father.

She is surprised when Edward unexpectedly returns home to see his father. Viola has a hard time coming to terms with the care for aging parents and feels obligated to share her concerns with Edward, with no holds barred. But even in the midst of their disagreements, there seems to be a sparks igniting between them that is more than just anger. Can they work through their differences before Edward is off on his next mission, or will he find contentment closer to home?

In a secondary story, Viola learns that even her own family has troubles and hidden secrets of their own. This opens her eyes up to the possibilities that not everything is as it appears on the surface. Viola and her family learn that her grandmother was born “English” and she and her grandfather have hidden the facts of their lives before marriage from their children. Now Viola’s grandparents have to come to understand that their reputation as the perfect family isn’t really true and the standards they have placed on their children growing up have made life more difficult than they could have imagined.

What implications will these newly uncovered secrets have, not only on their immediate family but in the Amish community. And will this new knowledge help Viola move toward a softer heart toward Edward and his own father?

“Daybreak” is an intriguing look into the little-known private lives of the close-knit Amish community, including the day-to-day problems and worries they share with the rest of the world. The difference is in how they handle these problems, both privately and religiously.

This new cast of characters is lively and very personable, and the setting, as always, is peaceful and soothing. I enjoy how Gray brings a saucy side of realism to the story and makes “Daybreak” a grand debut for her new series involving the folks of the retirement center. I look forward to the next installment of this planned series.

© 2013 Times Record News.  [image error]