Grace in the Desert (Book 4)

The journey of the McDonald family continues on with Rachel in this story. I love that her battle to forgive is very real, and not just brushed over in a few words. I also love that one of the main characters has downs syndrome. Dillon makes you easily fall in love with this friendly guy and cherish his unique insight to deep life issues. So much wisdom to glean from characters as you read this encouraging story.

Another great read from Christine Dillon! This is book 4 in the Grace series. While there is enough history given in this book that you could probably enjoy the story line as a stand-alone, I would strongly recommend reading books 1-3 in order prior to reading this one as the emotional depth and history of the characters is contingent on that. Fans of the series will be glad to see what happens next in Rachel's world as she seeks to move forward and struggles with the age-old problem of forgiveness. I loved that this book offered insight into the difficulties of forgiving those who have hurt you and offered sound Biblical advice in regards to that. This story was a beautiful tale of continuing redemption and second chances. Unlike the other books by this author, this one has some romance elements as well, though it's done with grace and dignity. The spiritual relationships are still more central to the story than the human relationships.

It was nice to "see" some familiar faces - Dirk, Pete and Josh from the Nursery, Naomi (Esther and Rachel's grandmother), and Gina. In this book, we get to dig a bit deeper with Gina, which I love. She's been a favorite side-character of mine since the very beginning (along with Naomi), and I hope we get to see more of her in the future books as well! As is typical for this series, there is sound Biblical teaching woven within the story-line and it's done in a naturally flowing way. In addition to a solid faith thread, this series is very character-driven. This particular novel focuses on both Rachel and Pete as they both struggle to put the past behind them and allow themselves to be truly forgiven and free. Josh, with his carefree spirit, is in the midst, keeping things light, as he plays soccer in the special olympics league. We're introduced to some additional side characters, including Binh, whose story I really want to hear more of in future books. In addition, I loved the vivid descriptions of the beautiful Australian landscapes. Between kayaking in Kangaroo Valley and hiking in Perth, I felt like I was actually experiencing the great outdoors in Australia. All in all, I really enjoyed this story!

I would recommend this book (and series) to fans of Christian fiction of all genres who are seeking stories that are both interesting and spiritually enlightening. Special thanks to the author for an advanced e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.