Customer Reviews

Almost Forever (Hanover Falls Series #1)

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I would like to extend a heartfelt "Thank you" to Deborah Raney and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Almost Forever" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me.

Deborah Raney's "Almost Forever" is the emotionally gripping story of a firefighter's wife who suffers the greatest horror imaginable - losing her beloved husband in the line of duty. This story follows the path of the grieving widow who questions the cause of her heartache. As she embarks on the journey of coming to grips with the reality of her loss, she finds a close friend in another deceased firefighter's spouse and a romance begins to develop as she seeks to solve the mystery behind the deaths of her husband and four other firefighters.

Raney creates an expressively charged story that glows with the larger-than-life heroism of firefighters and their families. She builds a suspenseful plot with the help of thoughtfully fleshed-out characters who make you want to turn the pages and discover whodunit. Her sympathy and admiration for these individuals who risk life and limb everyday is more than evident. What a wonderful fictional tribute to some real-life modern-day heroes.

Bryn Hennesey's husband, Adam, and four other firefighters rush into a burning homeless shelter and never make it out. Five spouses are left to try and make an existence from the ashes of their old lives and loves. Bryn's recovery is made even harder by her diminishing faith and a memory she can't quite bring to the surface.

When she finally does remember, it could be the most costly memory of her life--in more ways than one.

Garrett Edmonds lost his wife Molly in the same fire. When he and Bryn are thrown together by their loss and external circumstances surrounding them both, he finds himself drawn to the pretty widow. But when he discovers the secret Bryn's been hiding even from herself, the knowledge could mean an end to their budding relationship.

Can Bryn learn to trust God again? Can she accept His forgiveness and put her life in His hands? And will Garrett find his way around Bryn's secret to the promise of a new beginning?

Almost Forever tugs at the heartstrings with its poignant exploration of wrenching sorrow and unbearable guilt. It probes the difficult world of the homeless, and the controversial, financial and legal difficulties in keeping their shelters operational. Love and loss, hurt and healing, bad decisions and forgiveness...each has a place in Deborah Raney's newest contribution to the world of inspirational fiction. As always, she excels at hooking a reader, and weaves a subtle thread of spiritual wisdom into a wonderfully entertaining tale.

I loved the fact that Deborah Raney actually did some volunteer work at a homeless shelter so that she could make this story as realistic as possible. She does a great job exposing some of the issues of the homeless, yet focuses on one character in particular throughout the story, Charlie. One of Bryn and Charlie's conversation really spoke to me. After the fire, Bryn goes to visit Charlie at a new shelter. She promises to come back and visit.

"You think you will. You'll mean to. But you've got a life to live. You need to go live it. But thanks for coming today. I-I didn't think you'd come."
How many times do we mean to help..visit...volunteer...but we never put feet to our intentions? Charlie made me realize that I do that too many times.

But this story is also a love story and it was the sweetest story. You could feel the tenderness, the fear, and the excitement of experiencing a new love. Yes...between a man and a woman...but mostly between a woman and God.

"She hadn't felt God's presence like this in so long. Convicted, she continued to pray, whispered words that rushed out without effort. And this time, the words didn't seem to stop at the ceiling, but instead they rose to heaven, and she somehow knew they were heard and understood."
Almost Forever: A Hanover Falls Novel
I really loved this story. It was sweet, eye opening, and heart touching. I'm looking forward to the next two novels in the Hanover Falls Series.


My full review can be found at [...].

What would you do if you found out that you were the reason why something bad happened? Would you be able to own up to it, knowing that forever your life was going to change possibly negative for the rest of your life? Or would you hide it and hope that you could get away with it? That is the dilemma Bryn faces in this book as she goes through the hardest decision that will affect her life.

The beginning of this book is heart wrenching as the reader is introduced to Bryn and her life as a volunteer in a homeless shelter. Her peaceful night is abruptly interrupted when the building catches on fire, a fire so deadly that it takes the lives of five firefighters who came to put it out. This includes Bryn's own husband and the wife of elementary school teacher Garrett. Due to their unique circumstances, the two find themselves drawn together as they cope and mourn at the same time.

The lives of firefighters and their families were shown in great detail in this book. Firefighters are really close and it doesn't matter what their gender is, they are one unit. I really liked how Garrett's wife was not portrayed any different from the other firefighters just because she was a woman. I also enjoyed learning about the shelter. It was really amazing how she did this strictly as a volunteer and not getting funding for all her work.

While I enjoyed the book, there was also some things I didn't like about it. I just never really got the chemistry between Bryn and Garrett. I understand why they felt a closeness with each other but honestly I thought it was just too soon for them to be getting together. Also I got a little bit annoyed with Bryn's refusal to get a lawyer or even listen to one. I understand why she felt she had to do what she needed to do but it was just annoying to read her constant refusal. Overall, though I did enjoy the book. Raney has always done an excellent job with telling stories and this one is no exception. I'll be looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

This was a very emotional book for me to read. It starts off with a fire that causes the death of five firefighters. What if you were the one who accidentally started the fire and your husband was one of those who died? This story is full of gut wrenching emotions: loss, guilt, betrayal as well as love, forgiveness, as well as faith and trust in God. This book will be embedded in your memory for a very long time. Make sure you have a box of tissues nearby.

*Thanks to Rebeca and Glass Roads PR for this review copy*

No joke...Deborah Raney gets better with every single book she writes! This has to be her best book yet, and she's written some pretty awesome books! Her trademark is evoking emotion through her characters, which in turn, sucks the reader into an unforgettable story. Another author who does this well is Karen Kingsbury, but I don't think she's got anything on Deborah Raney!

The action begins in the very first chapter, and that is my kind of book. Unfortunately, it starts with a huge tragedy that affects 5 families and the community around them. As the days go by, the questions start to pile up. "Who's responsible?" "What started the fire?" Bryn thinks she knows how it started, but after awhile she convinces herself that she had nothing to do with it. It's not long, though, before the doubt starts to creep in, and she wonders if she truly was responsible.

Garrett's wife, Molly, was one of the firefighters who died in the fire, along with Bryn's husband, Adam. Even though I never got to read about them while they were among the living, I thought Deborah did an awesome job of portraying them after their tragic deaths. She also did an incredible job writing the emotions of the surviving spouses, and the incredible grief that each one felt.

There is so much more about this story I could share, but if I did, I would honestly be spoiling it for you! If you love stories that pull on your heartstrings, make you shed a few tears (I certainly did), and ones that just stay with you for days and weeks, then you need to get your hands on every single Deb Raney book available! I assure you....you will not be sorry! :o)

I can't imagine what it would be like to do something accidentally that causes the death of someone. What if that someone was 5 members of a fire department, including your own husband? In Almost Forever, Bryn Hennesey believes she might be responsible for the fire that took the lives of her husband and four of his comrades. In addition to grieving the loss of her husband, Bryn must figure out if she was negligent when the homeless shelter burned down while she was on duty.

Author Deborah Raney knows how to capture a reader and touch the emotions; and she brings her reader into the story in such a way that I couldn't help asking myself what I would do if I were Bryn. I felt the raw emotion of grief and the self-doubt about a budding friendship with a husband who lost his wife in the same fire. I understood her dilemma over needing a listening ear but wondering what people would think about their friendship so soon after the loss.

Raney writes well and I enjoyed the story very much. If I had one disappointment with the book, it was that it was a little too predictable on several aspects of the plot. However, the author did a marvelous job of incorporating scriptural truth without it standing out or seeming pasted in. That's commendable when so much of Christian fiction doesn't do that well. The message of grace and the emphasis on telling the truth despite the consequences were both solid and convicting.

I'd definitely recommend Deborah Raney for any reader who hasn't already checked her out.

Note: In exchange for my fair and honest review, I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publicist.

Have you ever left a candle burning unattended, left your child alone for just a minute while you answered the phone, or said something you regretted later? What were the consequences? We all do and say thoughtless things that usually have no real affect on the rest of our lives. But what if . . . .

Deborah Raney examines the what ifs that are the stuff of nightmares. Bryn Hennesey is married to a firefighter. She knows the drill about leaving candles burning, curling irons plugged in, etc. But in one careless moment, her life and the lives of 4 other families are changed forever. What follows is a very real depiction of the emotions, struggles and fears that accompany the aftermath of a tragedy. Raney takes characters that are good, loving people and at the same time hurting people and explores their reactions when faced with a crisis. She also causes the reader to question how well he or she would hold up under the stress of tragedy and how much forgiveness would be offered to the one causing it.

Almost Forever is a true-to-life novel. The characters are real. Their emotions are real. They make bad decisions even while the reader shouts -- don't do that! It is also a thought-provoking read. You may never light a candle again or say an unkind word to your spouse or child without thinking of the consequences. Check it out today, you won't be disappointed.

(Thank you to Deborah Raney and Glass Road Public Relations for the opportunity to review this book. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Bryn Hennesey loves working at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter but her husband, Adam, doesn't want her there after one of the workers was attacked by a homeless person. Adam is a firefighter in their town of Hanover Falls. He works nights so Bryn has been secretly working at the shelter. On the night the shelter burned to the ground, Bryn was working. She is worried that Adam will see her when his station responds to the fire. She also is bothered by something else, something that haunts her. Bryn sees Adam go into the building, along with 4 other firefighters. Five heroic firefighters lost their lives that day, Adam among them. How can Bryn go on without her husband and how can she live with the haunting thought of what she may have done?

Garret Edmond's wife, Molly, was the only female firefighter that died that day. He feels that it's a husbands job to protect his wife. In his eyes, he failed miserably. The feelings of loss and guilt seem almost unbearable. How could God allow Molly to perish when they had only been married such a short time. They had their whole lives ahead of them.

Bryn takes in the dog of one of the homeless men when he has to relocate to another shelter due to the fire. She is out trying to walk this dog when she runs into Garret. They become fast friends because of what they have both been through. Bryn and Garret find things getting closer between them when Bryn has a dream one night that confirms her worst fears. How can she face Garret or any of the surviving spouses? How can she face anyone with what she now knows?

I really enjoyed "Almost Forever"! The characters were very believable and easy to identify with. Deborah shows that facing the truth and having faith in God and in yourself is the right way to go. The book was never preachy and I feel that Deborah got the spiritual message across perfectly! I highly recommend this book and I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the Hanover Falls series!

The latest book on my checked-off list is `Almost Forever: A Hanover Falls Novel' by Deborah Raney. I have heard a lot of wonderful things about her books, so I'd been wanting to read one for a long time. This one lived up to my high expectations!

Here is the synopsis of this novel:

Unearthing a Lost Memory May Cause Her to Lose Everything She Holds Dear...But Could It Also Set Her Free?
Bryn Hennesey, a volunteer at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter, was there the night the shelter burned to the ground and five heroic firefighters died at the scene. Among them was her husband, Adam. Like the rest of the surviving spouses, Bryn must find a way to begin again. But Bryn must do so living with a horrible secret...
Garrett Edmond's, Molly, was the only female firefighter to perish in the blaze. As her husband, it was his job to protect the woman he loved... How can he go on in the face of unbearable loss and guilt?
And what started the fire that destroyed the dreams and futures of so many? Investigators are stumped. But someone knows the answers....

Here is the biography of the author:

Deborah Raney's [...] first novel, A Vow to Cherish, was awarded a Silver Angel from Excellence in Media and inspired the acclaimed World Wide Pictures film of the same name. Since then her books have won the RITA Award, the HOLT Medallion, and the National Readers' Choice Award. Raney [...] is also a two-time Christy Award finalist. She and her husband, Ken Raney, have four children and enjoy small-town life in their native Kansas.

The book's opening scene is the tragic fire at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter. Bryn had been volunteering at the shelter for a while, but she'd been keeping it a secret from her husband, Adam, who was concerned about her safety. Ironically enough, his presence at the shelter cost him his life as he bravely fought the fire with many of his colleagues. The scene was compelling and suspenseful, and I was instantly engaged in the lives of these characters.

In my opinion, one of the most important elements in a Christian-themed novel is to prominently feature biblical truths. This book by Mrs. Raney [...] is brimming with them. Many of the main characters, including Bryn and Garrett, are Christ-followers. Bryn is experiencing a great deal of guilt for her perceived actions with regard to the fire. She not only had many doubts that the survivors of this tragedy would find it in their hearts to forgive her, but she also thought she'd never be able to forgive herself. Isn't that often the case - that we are often harder on ourselves than is anyone else?

Here is an example of Bryn's tortured soul, as she attended the memorial service for the fallen heroes:

The rest of the short graveside service was torture, and when the bagpipes began to play again - a mournful rendition of "Amazing Grace" - Bryn thought she might be going mad.
For if the hellish nudging of her imaginations were true, surely there was no grace on earth or in heaven that could save a wretch like her. (p. 40)
Ultimately, she realized that God does not condemn her; He forgives and forgets our sins if we confess them to him. Other biblical truths in this book are redemption, mercy, love, and gratitude.

One of the characters that really touched my heart was Charlie, a resident in the homeless shelter who had developed a close relationship with Bryn. Charlie had developed a brotherly affection for Bryn, and a selfless act toward her on his part truly showed the love of Christ; Charlie was the hands and feet of Jesus.

Bryn and Garrett developed a healing friendship, nurtured by the care they had to take of two dogs which were `orphaned' by the displacement of their owners
due to the loss of the homeless shelter. Here is Garrett's perspective of this new friendship:

Molly was gone, and God had put Bryn in his life for a reason. Hadn't he prayed for help, for a way to get through his grief? God had answered with a beautiful friendship. He refused to feel guilty for rejoicing in that divine provision. (p. 150)

And here is Bryn's perspective:

In bed that night she smiled up at the ceiling. It was like strong medicine to smile again. She'd shed enough tears to last a lifetime....She would defend her friendship with Garrett to anyone. She didn't care what her dad would say. Or what Garrett's family might think....
What they had together was a gift from God. They had each lost the most precious person in their world, they had both experienced the horror of being left alone in the prime of life. God had sent her a person who understood her grief intimately because it matched his own. Identically. (p. 179)

This is the first novel in the `Hanover Falls' series. The second novel is `Forever After,' which is schedule for release in January 2011. And Deborah is working on the final novel, `After All.' I thank Deborah for shining a light into the life of fire fighters, and look forward to see what the future holds for Bryn and Garrett!

This book was provided by Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, for review purposes.

Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea - [...]