Heaven Help Heidi

Heaven Help Heidi

Author:  Sally John

Website: www. sally-john.com/

Number of Pages: 352

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

ISBN-13:  978-0736954686

Release Date: February 1, 2015

Market: Christian

Genre: Fiction

My Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Description (from the back cover): Welcome to the Casa de Vida--eleven quaint bungalows located three blocks from the Pacific Ocean in tiny Seaside Village, California. Owner Liv McAlister never advertises vacancies beyond a small hand-lettered sign out front, preferring to trust that God will send the right tenant at just the right time. And He always does.

Heidi Hathaway's life has been turned upside down. After an accident leaves her injured, unable to work, and incapable of negotiating the stairs in her multilevel oceanfront condo, she leases her home and moves into a cozy little cottage in the charming garden complex where her friend Piper lives. There she finds so much more than a place to rest and recover.

Piper Keyes knows Jared is not coming back from Afghanistan. After making it through the fifth anniversary of his death, she wonders if she's at last ready to get on with life. She gingerly explores new avenues--photography, cooking, and buying her own boutique--and learns to open her heart again.

The most comforting thing about living at the Casa is that the women there become each other's mentors and confidantes, learning from their own mistakes and arriving at new, healed places in their lives.

How and Why I Acquired this Book

I received a free copy of the book from Harvest House Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review.

My Expectations

This is the first time reading Sally John’s work.  I liked the cover, and Harvest House has a good reputation for publishing awesome books.

Were My Expectations Met

Absolutely!  I will definitely read more books by Sally John.

The Writing

The writing flowed smoothly, and I enjoyed Sally John’s writing style.  I could hear the characters talking in my head and see the various locations in the story.  I felt like I was actually present, not just reading a second hand account of the story.

The Storyline

There are so many different stories going on that this could become a TV show.  It was great!  The characters were realistic.  They were all flawed in some way.  Wounded.  Broken vessels.  Yet, together they formed a beautiful community to help each other grow and heal with Mama Liv at the center of it all.  The story is also about friendship, change, and how we can show love to others in need.

 

Spiritual Aspect

God is the center without being thrown in the face of the reader.  I feel like this novel really shows us how to be Jesus with hands…how to act out true love for God and others in daily life.  It shows how to come beside someone in need without beating them over the head with the Bible.  It’s a beautiful story.

Questions I Have

I do want to know what happens with Val and Livvie.  Do Val and Adam figure out their mother’s lie?  Who moves into the Casa next?  Is this story “to be continued?”  I hope so!

Audience Appropriateness and Appeal

People who like stories about overcoming tough obstacles will like this story.  Also, those who don’t like a lot of mushy romance will enjoy this book.

Conclusion

This is a great book! 

Pros:

§  Real characters that offer different points of view

§  Great theme and writing style

§  Cons:

§  It ended