Today I am showcasing a new book by author Rebekah Lyn. I met Rebekah on a Facebook author forum quite a few years ago and have enjoyed reading her blog and many of her books. Her new release, Fragments of Grace, is a lovely story set in Venice, Italy. I have never been to Venice myself, but it is obvious that Rebekah has. I felt like I'd been dropped directly onto those cobbled streets where a briny sea breeze carried a hint of espresso on the air and church bells ring out from an ancient tower, calling worshippers inside. The setting was perfect and the characters really peaked my interest. I thoroughly enjoyed following Gabriel's search for family ties and belonging after the loss of his dear grandfather and the truth about the man's mysterious past that he never shared with his grandson.

Read on for a book blurb, excerpt, and a little more about author Rebekah Lyn. And be sure and pick up a copy of Fragments of Grace. I know you will enjoy it!

Fragments of Grace
Just when Giuseppe was beginning to share fragments of his past, his life was cut short — leaving Gabriel with half-stories and no one left to answer the question he couldn't unhear: Why Papa? Why do we have to leave? Unmoored by grief, Gabriel Salviati travels to Venice — the city his grandfather left as a boy and never returned to — hoping to find the answers Giuseppe never gave him. Instead, Venice reveals a history his family never spoke about. An accusation. A betrayal. A family forced to flee after the war. As Gabriel follows fragile threads of memory through quiet neighborhoods and hidden workshops, he discovers that understanding the past is only part of the journey — the harder work is learning to live with grace in the present. Fragments of Grace is a novel about family, faith, and the way healing begins by listening to the stories we were never meant to hear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt from Fragments of Grace:

Marcello smiled. “You do have a way of changing the subject. I think this is part of the process of bringing you closer to God. When we can recognize our weaknesses, we can bring them before God, allowing Him to strengthen us. In doing so, we get to know Him better and gain a little more of that joy that only comes from Him.”

“Your explanation of happiness as fleeting, dependent on external events, and joy as a deep-seated inner feeling, showed me the emptiness I’ve felt after periods of intense happiness. How do we recognize joy?”

Pushing his empty plate aside, Marcello leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on his stomach. “The best way I know to describe it is a feeling of certainty that makes you smile even when you want to cry.”

Marcello motioned toward the window. “My garden starts from seeds, which require attention every day to make them grow. In Galatians, Paul tells us the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. God plants these seeds in our hearts when we commit our lives to Him, but we have to tend to them so they will grow into traits we exemplify in our daily lives.”

Gabriel blew out a heavy breath. “I suppose we grow these traits through adversity.”

“Yes,” Marcello agreed. “Life’s difficulties test them. When we lean into God, search for guidance in the Bible, and share our struggles with other believers, our roots go deeper and we bear more fruit. I’m not saying you won’t still grieve losses, but your grief changes. When you trust someone rests in God’s care, grief no longer stands alone.”

A vision filled Gabriel’s mind of Giuseppe walking hand-in-hand with his beloved Helen, both transformed into younger versions of themselves without illness or aches of old age. Peace and happiness radiated from their smooth faces, instilling a sense of calm in Gabriel.

“So, what you’re saying is that spending time with God helps us reframe our perspective, which grows our joy and all the other fruits.”

“Exactly.” Marcelo grinned. “God is at work in your life. I believe He’s already reshaping you.”

Barbara