Heart of the Country

by Rene Gutteridge & John Ward
Tyndale Publishers

Faith and Luke Carraday have it all. Faith is a beautiful singer turned socialite while Luke is an up-and-coming businessman. After taking his inheritance from his father’s stable, lucrative business to invest in a successful hedge fund with the Michov Brothers, he’s on the fast track as a rising young executive, and Faith is settling comfortably into her role as his wife.

When rumors of the Michovs’ involvement in a Ponzi scheme reach Faith, she turns to Luke for confirmation, and he assures her that all is well. But when Luke is arrested, Faith can’t understand why he would lie to her, and she runs home to the farm and the family she turned her back on years ago. Meanwhile, Luke is forced to turn to his own family for help as he desperately tries to untangle himself from his mistakes. Can two prodigals return to families they abandoned, and will those families find the grace to forgive and forget? Will a marriage survive betrayal when there is nowhere to run but home?

My Review:

The idea of two prodigals was more than a wonderful idea, it is what truly made this story. Told from a multiple first person perspective, the way Gutteridge presents her characters is breathtaking and  true to human emotions and nature. The way Faith struggles with the loss of her mother, the way Luke loves Faith like nothing else in his life, the way Olivia hurts for the absence of her sister, and the way Calvin loves his family no matter what, makes for a heartwarming story that I want to revisit again and again. 

And of course, there is the epic battle between which man gets the girl. Honestly, I was torn between which one I wanted to ultimately earn Faith's love. It wasn't a matter of who deserved her more, but even the mere thought of Lee being abandoned by the most precious gift he almost had was just heartbreaking. So I have to give it to Gutteridge - she had me pulling for both men. (I know Faith couldn't have them both!) But even when the book was closed, I couldn't help but think "what if?" Ultimately, this will be a story that stays in my mind and heart forever. 

I received a copy of this book and DVD by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4DXfARALE8