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Tristan's Gap
She thought they had the perfect family…
For eighteen years Serena Soltanis has poured herself into her family, making every effort to please her husband and to protect her daughters from the evils of the world. Respected and admired for her obvious parenting success, she leads a popular mothers’ group at her church, passing along wisdom gained through years of experience.
until she woke up in a mother’s worst nightmare.
Then the unthinkable happens. Sixteen-year-old Tristan, the quiet “good girl” of the family, disappears–and the search brings to light unpleasant truths that prompt Serena to question nearly everything she believes about her children, her marriage, and her faith.
“Where did we go wrong?”
Brokenhearted by her daughter’s behavior and her husband’s angry response, Serena struggles to see God’s hand of grace in their lives. Initially determined to rescue Tristan from whatever trouble she’s in, Serena learns the painful lesson that true strength won’t be found in regaining control of her daughter’s choices but in finally learning when to let go.
For eighteen years Serena Soltanis has poured herself into her family, making every effort to please her husband and to protect her daughters from the evils of the world. Respected and admired for her obvious parenting success, she leads a popular mothers’ group at her church, passing along wisdom gained through years of experience.
until she woke up in a mother’s worst nightmare.
Then the unthinkable happens. Sixteen-year-old Tristan, the quiet “good girl” of the family, disappears–and the search brings to light unpleasant truths that prompt Serena to question nearly everything she believes about her children, her marriage, and her faith.
“Where did we go wrong?”
Brokenhearted by her daughter’s behavior and her husband’s angry response, Serena struggles to see God’s hand of grace in their lives. Initially determined to rescue Tristan from whatever trouble she’s in, Serena learns the painful lesson that true strength won’t be found in regaining control of her daughter’s choices but in finally learning when to let go.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
12 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Nancy N. Rue
224 books289 followersNancy Rue is the author of over 100 books for adults and teens, including the Christy Award-winning The Reluctant Prophet, Unexpected Dismounts and Healing Waters (with Steve Arterburn), which was the 2009 Women of Faith Novel of the Year. She travels extensively—at times on the back of a Harley—speaking to and teaching groups of women of all ages. Nancy lives on a lake in Tennessee with her Harley-ridin’ husband, Jim, and their two yellow Labs (without whom writing would be difficult).
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 2, 2022
This hit close to home as I have a 15-year-old daughter. I could feel every emotion of this mom, and it made me want to hug my kids a little tighter.
So well-written.
So well-written.
January 15, 2021
I had a hard time reading this book because it made me remember my past & my guilt. I was raised in a good family, but felt the pressure as Tristan did in the book. I "ran away" at 18 with my boyfriend, technically an adult, but definitely still a naive kid in love.
I enjoyed the characters & their emotions. A few times I felt as if there was a little too much description that didn't really matter & wanted more story. I definitely wish there was more to the ending... maybe one day she'll make a sequel?
I liked the way the main character, Serena, grew in herself & in her walk with God. One thing that stayed with me is God is always there, even when things aren't good & even when we get upset & question Him.
I enjoyed the characters & their emotions. A few times I felt as if there was a little too much description that didn't really matter & wanted more story. I definitely wish there was more to the ending... maybe one day she'll make a sequel?
I liked the way the main character, Serena, grew in herself & in her walk with God. One thing that stayed with me is God is always there, even when things aren't good & even when we get upset & question Him.
September 3, 2010
I haven't read a lot of Christian fiction in the past – with the exception of my slight obsession with Amish novels – but I'd definitely consider getting hold of more of it after this book. Sixteen-year-old Tristan vanishes into thin air, much to the shock of her family. Everyone assumes that she must have been kidnapped, because surely such a happy "good girl" with a loving family wouldn't leave of her own accord...would she? But all is not as it seems. As the search for their daughter progresses, Serena begins to realise that by overprotecting their daughter they've pushed her so far away from them that they don't even know who she is anymore. While her husband refuses to admit that their daughter would willingly want to leave home, Serena is forced to admit that blindly following her husband's rules and advice will not bring their daughter home, and that this may have forced her to leave in the first place. Serena has to take matters into her own hands as she searches for her teenage daughter, and trust that God can help to bridge the gap between them.
While I was initially unsympathetic towards the character of Serena, a woman who believed that her family was "perfect" and that by wrapping her children in cotton wool she could protect them from the "evils" of the world, like single-mothers who wore excessive amounts of jewellery and had tattoos, I came to like her more as she grew and changed throughout the novel. Serena is not too proud to admit that she has made mistakes in her past and humbles herself so that she can bring her daughter home. She is surrounded by a host of wonderful secondary characters - the quirky but well-meaning Aunt Pete, her youngest daughter Max and an unlikely friend, Hazel, she of the tattoos and bangles. The one character that I couldn’t stand was Serena’s husband, Nick. Just reading about his arrogance made me want to throw something! I know that Nick was vital to the story but I could not fathom why Serena had married such a man or stayed under his thumb for so long. I also found it difficult to believe that his actions were based upon his desire to please God. While God and Christianity didn’t actually feature a huge amount in this book, the message seemed to be that God is always with us, even though the bad times, and that God’s grace is always there, no matter what we do. While, to me at least, this isn’t a new and radical idea it appears that this is something people need to hear.
While I found it hard to emphasise with some of the characters – at least for part of this book – this was incredibly hard to put down. The search for Tristan should compel many to read on, and although the ending isn’t tied nicely in a big, red bow, seeing Serena’s character mature and change is very satisfying. 9/10
While I was initially unsympathetic towards the character of Serena, a woman who believed that her family was "perfect" and that by wrapping her children in cotton wool she could protect them from the "evils" of the world, like single-mothers who wore excessive amounts of jewellery and had tattoos, I came to like her more as she grew and changed throughout the novel. Serena is not too proud to admit that she has made mistakes in her past and humbles herself so that she can bring her daughter home. She is surrounded by a host of wonderful secondary characters - the quirky but well-meaning Aunt Pete, her youngest daughter Max and an unlikely friend, Hazel, she of the tattoos and bangles. The one character that I couldn’t stand was Serena’s husband, Nick. Just reading about his arrogance made me want to throw something! I know that Nick was vital to the story but I could not fathom why Serena had married such a man or stayed under his thumb for so long. I also found it difficult to believe that his actions were based upon his desire to please God. While God and Christianity didn’t actually feature a huge amount in this book, the message seemed to be that God is always with us, even though the bad times, and that God’s grace is always there, no matter what we do. While, to me at least, this isn’t a new and radical idea it appears that this is something people need to hear.
While I found it hard to emphasise with some of the characters – at least for part of this book – this was incredibly hard to put down. The search for Tristan should compel many to read on, and although the ending isn’t tied nicely in a big, red bow, seeing Serena’s character mature and change is very satisfying. 9/10
April 7, 2020
Serena Soltani poured herself into her family. For eighteen years she made every effort to please her husband and protect her two daughters from the evils of the world. She was respected and admired for her parenting success. Then the unthinkable happens: daughter Tristan, sixteen, the “good girl,” disappears. As the search for her continues, unpleasant truths come to light. And Serena begins to question everything about her family, marriage, and God as she goes after her daughter.
This was an elegant, simply wonderful story. It read like a page-turning mystery. And that Mrs. Rue wrote this in the first-person was marvelous. The reader really feels for Serena as she is plunged into disbelief, fear, and endless wonderings as her world is shattered. All the other characters, Aunt Pete, Hazel, Max, and Nicky, are all well developed and we come to love, or lack thereof, them.
This is a great drama of revelation and redemption, and offers the powerful lesson that true strength is not found in regaining control of people’s choices but in learning to let go.
This was an elegant, simply wonderful story. It read like a page-turning mystery. And that Mrs. Rue wrote this in the first-person was marvelous. The reader really feels for Serena as she is plunged into disbelief, fear, and endless wonderings as her world is shattered. All the other characters, Aunt Pete, Hazel, Max, and Nicky, are all well developed and we come to love, or lack thereof, them.
This is a great drama of revelation and redemption, and offers the powerful lesson that true strength is not found in regaining control of people’s choices but in learning to let go.
December 13, 2009
Everyone has a gap only God can fill. Serena Soltani learned that the hard way. She was the "super mom" with poster children, Tristan and Maxine. Everyone looked up to her and admired her obvious parenting success and relationship with the Lord. One day her daughter Tristan turns up mysteriously missing and Serena is tested in her faith. With memorable characters such as the tough Hazel, the loyal Lissa, and Serena's practical daughter Maxine, Serena uncovers her hidden self and re-discovers her daughter, and God.
July 25, 2014
Really enjoy Nancy's writing. It's from a Christian perspective but not Christenese. I think a whole second book could have been written continuing on the subject of Christian parenting and marriage that she started in this one. For that reason I was left a little let down with the book ending.
December 28, 2019
A Must Read
Started out a bit slow for me, but then it took hold. I longed for Serena to find her missing daughter and feared that Tristan was dead. I was angry with Nick for his controlling ways. Had a difficult time putting it down.
Started out a bit slow for me, but then it took hold. I longed for Serena to find her missing daughter and feared that Tristan was dead. I was angry with Nick for his controlling ways. Had a difficult time putting it down.
May 17, 2019
Not my favorite book by this author. I couldn't connect with the characters. I did like the way things ended up.
September 11, 2019
Man. This book is so well done. It hits deep, keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through, and ends both truthfully and poignantly. I read it all in one night, because I simply couldn't put it down. And I will likely read again. Highly recommended.
September 30, 2025
This is a wonderful story of a mom and a daughter’s journey to find themselves. God is woven throughout this entire book which makes me love this story and makes the characters relatable.
October 9, 2025
Wow this really touched me. Nancy’s writing is so gripping and real. I felt everything.
August 13, 2016
"Tristan's Gap" is a Christian general fiction book. While the book was from a woman's point of view, the issues were mainly about parenting in general, so men might enjoy it as well.
The characters were varied, acted in realistic ways, and dealt with realistic issues. The suspense was created by relationship tensions, not knowing what happened to Tristan and some instances where Serena was in physical danger. The unique setting details brought the story alive in my imagination.
I did wonder why the detective didn't just check the phone records to see where the phone call came from. It would have cut several months off the search. However, it's a minor point.
The Christian element was woven into the story and flowed as a natural part of the story. There were some short conversations about God, but they didn't give "easy answers" to Serena's questions and didn't come across as sermons to the reader.
There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book.
The characters were varied, acted in realistic ways, and dealt with realistic issues. The suspense was created by relationship tensions, not knowing what happened to Tristan and some instances where Serena was in physical danger. The unique setting details brought the story alive in my imagination.
I did wonder why the detective didn't just check the phone records to see where the phone call came from. It would have cut several months off the search. However, it's a minor point.
The Christian element was woven into the story and flowed as a natural part of the story. There were some short conversations about God, but they didn't give "easy answers" to Serena's questions and didn't come across as sermons to the reader.
There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book.
December 30, 2008
Throughout the first third of the book I had decided that the whole story was made up entirely of predictable stock characters. I found it to be a rather light read that at times seemed to drag out longer than needed. It seemed to include a lot of unimportant and slightly annoying details in what appeared to be an attempt to make the characters more dynamic. I found myself skimming over multiple paragraphs containing absolutely nothing important or interesting. As the story progressed, I started to enjoy it more, and I even started to care a little about the characters involved. I thought the message was very good, and I have to say I need to remember that lesson more often, but to me it felt like the book was stretched way too far, and that the story could have been much better and more interesting if it had been shortened by one or two-hundred pages.
October 13, 2024
I AM NOT OKAY. 😭 This book is the story about a missing daughter and a mother's love. I have not read a book that hooked me so quickly in a while!
I loved all the characters, even when they were terrible people. They all brought something unique to the story. Notable favorites were Aunt Pete and Hazel. Goodness did I love them! 🥺
The character development is *chef's kiss*, but also this is the most realistic story I have read in a long time.
And the ending undid me. I will think about this book for a long time.
I loved all the characters, even when they were terrible people. They all brought something unique to the story. Notable favorites were Aunt Pete and Hazel. Goodness did I love them! 🥺
The character development is *chef's kiss*, but also this is the most realistic story I have read in a long time.
And the ending undid me. I will think about this book for a long time.
June 3, 2009
This was a very good book! How well do you know your children? Are the deep down resenting you and you are not even aware of it? Where and how will they handle this feeling. Read this book to find out what Tristan did. I could not put this book down near the end of the book. Sleep would not come untill I found out what the ending was!
October 6, 2015
I'm not a fan of the majority of Christian fiction, but I will read a novel by Nancy Rue any day. Tristan's Gap was just what I was hoping for: a deeply good story, a moving subplot, and no mamby pamby religiosity. And yet, God is all over this story. Redemption, reconciliation . . . this is worth reading and passing along to a friend.
November 23, 2008
a. Nancy Rue is a terrific author and this book is no exception. Another good one. This one about a girl who runs away from home. She was pregnant without her parents knowledge and contemplates an abortion.
September 1, 2009
Heartbreakingly Beautiful.....this is a must read for anyone with kids....it makes you take a step back and ask yourself....am I really listening to what my children have to say? Everyone of us has a voice and should stand up and use it.
December 27, 2011
This book is an enjoyable and an excellent read. I enjoyed how real the feeling of the mother was, and that the book spoke to me as a real person. Nancy Rue is an excellent author and I look forward to seeing more of her books.
July 23, 2010
Good story of a perfect family, but things are not so perfect. A must read for any Mom. I love Nancy Rue's style and how she addresses hard topics.
June 7, 2011
Good book. It was simple to read, yet the author was able to express deep feelings throughout the book.
June 28, 2011
Really made me think about the mother/daughter relationship. It also made me consider the fine line between submission and losing your own identity.
July 31, 2011
As a mother, it was hard to read. But, I could not put it down. Wonderful message about asking God to "stand in the gap" when we can not meet the needs of our kids.
October 17, 2011
A wise, haunting, beautifully told story.
October 11, 2015
Deeply moving story, engrossing, page-turner that impacted my prayer life. Highly recommend.
April 28, 2017
Very thought provoking, and a quick read.
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October 4, 2017It was a re-read; enjoyed the book all over again.
Nancy Rue is a masterful writer; I just wish she would write more adult fiction.
Love her quirky, sparkling literary voice which is evident even when she's tackling the weighty issues of life.
Nancy Rue is a masterful writer; I just wish she would write more adult fiction.
Love her quirky, sparkling literary voice which is evident even when she's tackling the weighty issues of life.
June 18, 2018
Really good book!
June 30, 2018
It was okay. I have to admit, I skimmed the first 3/4 and then fully read the last 1/4, because it was just not my favourite writing style.
I like the idea of God bridging gaps. :)
I like the idea of God bridging gaps. :)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews