Publisher Description
Will revelations of the past hijack their future?
Since childhood, Ida Mae Hoscutt, the beloved proprietress of the Come and Get It Diner, has loved Charles “Chuck” Farrow from afar. Now on the eve of her thirty-ninth birthday with no marriage proposal in sight, Ida Mae mourns past mistakes and contemplates a makeover. When a radio commercial wrenches Ida Mae’s heart, will a sudden turn of events sabotage her chance for happiness or will a long-held secret be the answer to love ever-after?
As Ida Mae’s right-hand man at the Come and Get It, Chuck yearns to shift gears and start over. He’s ready to shelve bachelorhood and blunders in favor of possibilities and new beginnings. When he prepares to move forward, two things challenge his objective. One is the father who walked away and never looked back. The other? A decades-old question that only Ida Mae can answer.
And Ida Mae isn’t talking.
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My Review:
Returning to Ruby, Missouri, in this book was like returning home for me. Cynthia Herron has done a fabulous job of creating a small “hometown” in which every reader can feel at home. All of the characters, even the secondary ones, come to life and seem like old friends. After I read this book, I wished I could eat at the “The Come and Get It” Diner, and have a lively conversation with Ida Mae. I’d even like to have a slice of her apple pie.
We follow this story through the viewpoints of the two main characters, Ida Mae and Chuck. They are life-long friends, and work together at Ida Mae’s diner. Ida Mae has loved Chuck since they were teenagers, but Chuck has wanted to keep their relationship at the “ best friends” stage. As Ida Mae celebrates her 39th birthday, she realizes she’s let too many years go by waiting for Chuck to love her back. Both Chuck and Ida Mae have heartbreak and reckless decisions in their pasts. But events are happening that may change the path of their relationship, and will force them to confront the heartaches of the past.
I loved the strong emphasis on trusting God through the difficult times. The themes of forgiving others, forgiving yourself, and seeing the change that redemption brings in a heart makes this an outstanding story. I have to admit that I was reading with tears in my eyes at a couple of points in this book. This book is what Christian fiction should be: inspiring as well as entertaining; heartfelt and hopeful.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cynthia writes Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction from the beautiful Ozark Mountains. A hopeless romantic at heart, she enjoys penning stories about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. HER HOPE DISCOVERED, her début novel and the first in a three-book series, released December 2018 with Mountain Brook Ink.
“Cindy” has a degree in psychology and a background in social work. She is a member of ACFW, ACFW MozArks, and RWA.
She is a 2020 Selah Awards (Double) Finalist, a 2017 ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2016 ACFW Genesis (Double) Finalist, and a 2015 ACFW First Impressions Winner. Her work is represented by WordServe Literary.
Besides writing, Cindy enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has a fondness for gingerbread men, miniature teapots, and all things apple. She also adores a great cup of coffee and she never met a sticky note she didn’t like.
Cindy loves to connect with friends at her online home. She also hangs out on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. For love, fun, and encouragement, sign up for Cindy’s monthly e-NEWSLETTERS at authorcynthiaherron.com.