Heart echoes by Sally John
Book Cover blurb:
In the aftermath of a massive LA earthquake, the perfect existence Teal Morgan-Adams has built begins to crumble. Teal’s daughter, Maiya, is determined to learn the identity of her biological father, despite the loving devotion of her stepdad, River Adams. But that’s a secret Teal hoped would remain buried forever. She has never shared the truth with anyone––not her family, not River, not even Maiya’s father.
As Maiya’s prying reopens old wounds, Teal receives tragic news and must travel home to Cedar Pointe, Oregon––a place she’s avoided most of her adult life. Will her already-strained marriage survive the distance and the secrets she’ll be forced to face there?
My Review:
Sally John has once again written a provocative story with characters that will live in your heart long after you read the last page. Heart Echoes takes you on a journey with Teal Morgan-Adams as she struggles to deal with a lifetime of lies steeped in regret, love, pain, and longing that continue to reverberate in her heart like aftershocks. Her father’s desertion, the angry, bitter words spoken by her stepfather and the lies she’s told herself have caused her to live in a self-made bubble, refusing to deal with the hazy past her husband and daughter know nothing about.
Teal is a tough, savvy lawyer, mother to a teenage daughter she raised alone, and wife to a handsome, new, doting husband. She’s a bit of a control freak but after a huge quake shakes loose problems in their lives that they didn’t realize or refused to acknowledge were even there, Teal’s safe world begins to crumble. She must learn to lean on and listen to the only One who mends hearts and loves unconditionally – until her heart echoes His truth.
The names in the book were so “California” – Teal, River, and Maiya. They made me smile. River was such a great guy, so patient and understanding, and a terrific stepfather to Maiya. He was almost too perfect, but he did have his moments of imperfection; he just didn’t express them as loudly as Teal.
The characters were all thoughtfully fleshed out, the storyline was engaging, and the dialogue was fresh and real. Maiya was pretty mature for her age but I think it was appropriate and true to the character. I would definitely read another book by Sally John.
Sally John wrote some thoughts in the back of the book. Thought I’d share a snippet:
“Our beings echo with our experiences, with voices of other people, with our perspectives. We live out of all of these whether they are truth or lies. Sometimes we can’t tell the difference.
When devastation strikes, we have a choice to make. We can run and hide…or we can sit up, take notice, learn, and heal. The second option requires a heart ready to receive a new message, a new echo, from the only One who can speak it.”
Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for writing an honest review.
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