Christmas break allows me time to sit with a few good books and get lost in the stories of authors I admire. This week I read the novel It’s Better This Way written by New York Times bestselling author, Debbie Macomber. It is the story of Julia Jones, a heartbroken divorce’ and her two daughters as they navigate the betrayal of their father.
I like Julia Jones. She is a strong businesswoman and a loving mom who embraced her new life, even though it was difficult. She never gives up on helping her daughters forgive their estranged father.
What I relate to most is the story of redemption between families broken by harsh words spoken and decisions made that affect them all. Julia is determined to forgive and works to help her daughters do the same. She never set out to fall in love again, but in a twist of fate, she finds Heath, a divorce’ himself with a similar story. Joining their two families proves extremely challenging as they work through these estrangement issues.
Alongside many people in my life, I’ve experienced estrangement too. So this book hit home for me. I loved how Julia never gave up on finding a way for her daughters to forgive and move forward in their relationship with their dad and his new wife. It gave me hope for my situation.
Even if you have not experienced estrangement or family relationship challenges, I believe you’ll enjoy this read. It is full of love and faith and forgiveness is woven in with a few surprising plot twists.
Debbie Macomber breathes life into the believable characters she creates in her novels. She hits the issues we all face and adds a touch of romance to keep our hearts hoping. If you are looking for a good book to read, pick this one up. It is now available in paperback from RandomHouseBooks.com. I think I picked it up at Target and I’m sure you could get it at most bookstores or online.
