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Parenting to Impress

Encouragement to Impress | Deuteronomy 6:7

Review: Softly and Tenderly

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Softly and Tenderly (A Songbird Novel)

Just a year ago, I started a new book The Sweet By and By by recording artist Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck.  In my review I stated, “I was sorry that I started the book over the Christmas season because all I wanted to do was read!”  The second book in the Songbird Series – Softly and Tenderly – was exactly the same.  Full of surprises and hard to put down. 

Unlike most people, I almost never read the back of the book.  I don’t want to have any leads to the plot.  Because of this, my overview of this book is very slim. Jade is married.  She owns two antique stores.  She has a past that haunts her.  The present terrifies her.  The future seems unbearable.   I can sum it up in two words – Interrupted Expectations. 

Momma C’s Thoughts:  Much of what I wrote in my review of the first book applies to the second one.  The authors have an amazing way with words.  The luring descriptions pull you right in.  I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the final book in the series.  But, I want to preface that statement with – this could be a very difficult story to read for people who have had similar circumstances in life.

A quote on the front of the book compares this book with those of Karen Kingsbury’s.  Since I have read almost every Karen Kingsbury book ever written, I can say with assurance that I would not put these books in the same category.  If the movie rating system was used on books, Kingsbury would be “G” and the Songbird Series would receive a “PG-13.”  This is not a book that I would allow my daughter to read until a maturity level is reached.  The plot includes some tough topics and some crude comments are made at times.  While this may not shock most people, those who are anticipating a Baxter-style book are going to be in for a rude surprise. 

Scattered throughout the book are references to God, prayer, salvation.  I was disappointed that the references weren’t more blatant.  The authors had a golden opportunity to present the Gospel and I feel they left it hanging. 

I enjoyed this book but understand that it is not for everyone.


Thank you to BookSneeze for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

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Comments

  1. UK says

    Jade's life is finally in order. She's been reunited with her estranged mother, she's realized her dream to own her own business, and she's happily married. As she prepares for hopeful motherhood and puts to rest the demons from her past, her life is suddenly thrown into chaos with the news of her husband's infidelity, the resulting child, and her mother's terminal illness. In an effort to cope with all that she's facing, Jade goes back to her childhood home with her mother and mother-in-law, where she finds no easy answers but where she learns to rest in God's grace.

    This is the second book in a four part series by Sara Evans. The story is one of love and faith that leaves no easy solution for the characters and that asks the hard "what if" questions of life.