Monday, July 5, 2010

Book Review: A Morning Like This


A Morning Like This. Deborah Bedford. 2002/2009. Faith Words. 336 pages.

They sat together at their favorite corner table, two of them alone, absorbed in the candlelight and in each other.

David and Abigail Treasure have a "perfect" marriage. The book opens with the two spending their anniversary together. Everything just as cozy as can be. But the very next morning, the perfect marriage begins to crumble. Why? A message left on their answering machine. A message for David from a woman he'd known nine years ago. He's angry and confused. Why would she call his home? Why would she call now?

Susan, the "other" woman, has a good reason--a very good reason for getting back in touch with her former lover. You see, she has a daughter, a dying daughter. Samantha has leukemia, she needs a bone marrow transplant. David and his son, Braden, might be the best chance for Sam to make a recovery.

David has so much to lose--his wife's love, her trust, her respect, his son's love and respect as well, and then there is his church family--but there is something very precious to be gained. David has the opportunity--if he chooses--to get to know his daughter. As much as he hates his sin, his mistake, he can't help looking at his daughter with anything but love. And that's a good thing, right?

One thing surprised me, in a way, about A Morning Like This. I was surprised at who I felt sympathy for. I was surprised that David was the one I most sympathized with. I'm not sure why either.

A Morning Like This is a compelling contemporary novel exploring love and marriage, life and faith. I thought it was well-written. I found the characters to be realistically flawed.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

1 comment:

Nicole said...

Haven't read the novel, Becky, but in similar stories I've been put off by the ferocity and visciousness of the wife's reaction to a hurtful and difficult situation. How did this wife react?