Customer Reviews

Beneath a Southern Sky

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

To consider just the concept of this book brings to mind mid-day talk shows and tabloids instead of an insightful work of fiction. But it simply proves that Deborah Raney is an extremely talented author who can tackle a bizarre situation without succumbing to the error of sensationalism.

The story of Daria, Nathan, and Colson moved my spirit deeply as she confronted fears many women face -- that of losing the love of their life, of being alone and the grief and pain it brings. The tone of the book, on first impression, is tragic, but the genius is the hope it inspires. There is nothing we humans can do that will mess up God's plans. We can't fail so badly that He shakes His head and says, "Well, I have no idea what to do now." Instead, this book shows that even a huge mistake can be used by God to bring blessing and a deeper understanding of His love and compassion.

I'd like to correct some errors made in a previous review by an anonymous reader. She felt that Daria's behavior at her husband's memorial service showed a lack of genuine feeling because she wasn't behaving in a completely devestated way. I think the author is actually trying to show 1) that a person who has given control of her life to the Lord has a joy and hope that transcends even the darkest moments of life, and 2) people in mourning need all the opportunities to smile and feel like "their old selves" that they can obtain. It's part of the healing process, and is natural and healthy.

Second, the other reader felt that Daria's relationship with Colson was inappropriate and unrealistic so soon after her husband's presumed death. She refers to the quote on page 62 about Colson's touch being "strangely intimate" as if Daria's attraction to him began there. This is out of context. The idea was that the "strangely intimate" contact was unpleasent to her, not that it attracted her. Her daughter was nuzzling the man, trying to nurse! The entire episode would have been painfully embarrasing, not romantic. By page 83, all Daria has done is tearfully confessed to her mother that she LIKES Colson, and she feels a good amount of guilt over it.

Perhaps it is more romantic to think of people pining for their lost loves the rest of their lives, but reality is that most people do move beyond their grief. And for Daria, it seems that the need to heal would have been especially pressing considering she had a child to think of as well. Her loneliness and desire for companionship seems to me to point more to the depths of her grief and loss rather than to a lack of feeling.

The rest of the reader's review is not worth comment, except to say that she attempts to distort the true path of the story into something it is not.

I highly recommend Beneath a Southern Sky for anyone who has ever wondered what they would do if their spouse was taken suddenly from them. Despite Daria's lack of heed to the Lord's voice, her story is one that shows there IS life after the death of a loved one, and that healing is possible as well as a fulfilling peace in the aftermath of a tragedy.

I'm a romance reader, but most of the books I read are not Christian romances. Still, that was a complete non-issue to me in enjoying this book. As a romance novel, I thought it was really top notch.

First of all, the writing style. It's a carefully written book that provides a rich atmosphere. But it never gets bogged down in dull detail or caught on insignificant events. It keeps moving and pulling the reader along. I never once got bored.

Secondly, it's an EMOTIONALLY INTELLIGENT book. Everything that happens in this book - you feel it. When something sad happens, your heart will sink. When something surprising happens, your jaw will drop open, and when something romantic happens, you will have a big silly grin on your face. It is a right-brained book as well as left-brained. It's a book you can feel right down to your bones.

As far as romance, the book is an absolute dream. I can't say too much without giving away some secrets about the plot. But I wanted desperately for "us" (the heroine and me) to marry the hero. I adored the men in her life. And even though the book was tasteful, I found that the author could give me chills by mentioning just a few gestures, a few powerful words. It definitely gave me romantic flutters.

Another thing I loved was the honesty in the minute, routine observations made throughout the book. When the heroine has an argument with her husband once, the authors says that for just a moment, she kind of hated him. I appreciated that honesty! I know exactly what she's talking about - that moment when you're in an argument with someone you love, when your "I've got to win this argument" feelings are so strong that you lose all affection for the person for one moment. It's so real. And yet, their love went on - it wasn't a big deal. There were a number of things the author mentioned which occur in real relationships, in real marriages. Some of them, I'd never seen expressed on paper before. It really made me feel good to relate to those moments, and to see that the couple could just keep moving on past them.

As far as the Christian aspect, as I said, that's not usually my thing. So did the Christian theme interfere with my enjoyment? Not at all. In fact, it added a lot to the story. This was not a book about wholesome, "perfect people" who were so devout and angelic that I wanted to roll my eyes at every turn. Not at all! They were just normal people with normal problems (OK, some unusually dramatic problems as well), and I was able to understand their Christianity through their eyes ... how it affected them as characters. And it was not a shallow Christianity that was presented here. It was a more thoughtful, profound kind of Christianity. The kind where I could say, "OK, I guess I've had religious experiences that felt a little like that. I kind of know what she means."

Finally, without giving away the ending, I want to say that I was really impressed by the parallel drawn at the end of the book between one of the main character's fates, and the story of Jesus. As literature, that was well done. It was a rich and beautiful parallel that really shed light on both stories (This one, and the story of Jesus's sacrifice). Again, I don't think you have to be a Christian to appreciate how well done that was. It was good writing.

I recommend this book to any reader of romance. I recommend it to anyone who likes high quality popular fiction. And personally, I have actually had dreams about the ending of this book, that's how much it affected me. So I am putting myself on the waiting list for this author's next novel.

With Beneath a Southern Sky, Deborah Raney has created a cast of characters with a depth and maturity we can all hope to achieve. At first, I assumed this was a typical "triangle-type" love story - but there is nothing at all typical about this tremendous story! By the end of the book I was gasping, crying and cheering. I look forward to reading all of Deborah Raney's books.

Daria Camfield is living her dream. "Beneath a Southern Sky" of South America she works as a missionary alongside her beloved husband, Nathan. Nate longs to reach the Timoné people for Christ, and Daria is learning to share his passion.

But when Nate goes off to help the people of a neighboring village, Daria waits in vain for his return. After a lengthy search, Nate is presumed dead. Daria returns to the States to mourn, carrying Nathan's child.

Enter veterinarian Colson Hunter. During the mending of Daria's heart, Cole provides the listening ear Daria needs. But can she ever love again? Is marrying Cole what God wants her to do?

In "Beneath a Southern Sky," author Deborah Raney captures the essence of Daria's grief, making the reader feel a part of the story. We care what happens to these people, and in the end, when choices beget agonizing consequences, we see the hand of God reach out and touch our spirit, giving us a glimpse of His character through the lives of Daria, Nathan and Cole.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it reminded me how important it is to consult the Lord in every decision of our lives. Some choices we make can't be undone. Some consequences are beyond remedy in this life. "Beneath a Southern Sky" is a poignant reminder of it all.

While on a mission in South America, Daria Camfield's husband, Dr. Nathan Camfield, travels to a nearby town to treat a possible outbreak of dengue fever. Daria fears for her husband's safety but relies on God to see him through. Her faith is shattered a few weeks later when his guides return with stories of his tragic death in a cabin fire. Daria returns to her home in Kansas where she soon learns she is pregnant. She finds a job in a nearby veterinary practice and begins her new life.

Daria's new boss, Dr. Colson Hunter, is recovering from his wife's suicide. Cole has also lost faith in God, and together they befriend one another and soon fall in love. A year and a half after Nathan's death, Daria remarries and is overjoyed a few months later when she becomes pregnant again. Joy then turns to dread when a telegram arrives stating Nathan was found alive and is coming home.

BENEATH A SOUTHERN SKY is an extremely satisfying love story that uses references to God without an excess of preaching. A skilled use of dialogue blends with narrative to create strong, believable characters. Cole and Daria have a superb relationship that is also realistic with parenting conflicts, disapproving in-laws and the return of her first husband for whom Daria still has intense feelings. She does not rush to a decision but weighs all the pros and cons and places her trust in God to find the best solution for the children involved.

The gripping storyline flows with a fast pace that held my interest from the first page. Have a Kleenex on hand and let BENEATH A SOUTHERN SKY sweep you away for a few hours.

Who Should Read: lovers of human drama, romance, and inspiratonal fiction.

Review: Oh, the choices we make without the guidance from the Lord!

Daria Camfield went into the mission field more out of love for her husband, Dr. Nathan Camfield, than in obedience to God's call. When Nate is reported killed in the jungles of Colombia, she is left alone--with the exception of the baby growing inside her.

When Daria returns to the U.S., she is returning to more than her family. She must now build a new life for her daughter and herself. Part of that new life includes the handsome & personalble Dr. Colson Hunter. When Cole asks for Daria's hand in marriage, she quickly says yes.

The early days of Daria's marriage to Cole sees both good and bad days and is eventually blessed with the forthcoming arrival of another child. Life finally seems to be settling down to a happy medium when the unthinkable happens: Dr. nathan Camfield has been found...alive!

Personal Comments: Few books rivet me; this is one of those. Ms. Raney so carefully created her characters and researched her subject matter. I woke up early--to read. I carried the book with me--to read. It shared teatime with me and I took it to bed for "just a few more pages" before falling asleep.

Challenge: Prepare for a huge knot in your throat as Daria and Nate make the most difficult decision of their lives. See if you can get thru the last few chapters with tears.

Beneath a Southern Sky is one of my all time favorite books. The writing flows, the plot is gripping, the emotions are authentic to the core, and the characters are still "people" I think about. No wonder this book won the coveted RITA award! Raney is a master at touching the heart and giving hope in the midst of impossibly difficult circumstances.

Deborah Raney's Beneath a Southern Sky is a great book with a plot that will keep you trying to guess what Daria will do. You'll never be able to guess because there is no way that you or she could make the right decision. There are no correct answers. Daria thought her husband Nate was dead. A few years later she remarried a man named Cole. She then finds out Nate is alive. She loves them both. Both men love her. Who should she choose.

This plot makes a great story, even though it is highly unlikely to ever happen in real life. Raney mentions in the novel that this scenario occured quite often during WWII and Viet Nam, when wives thought their husbands were dead and remarried.

Raney seems to set un Nathan as the super husband where everything he does is part of God's plan and that he can do no wrong. Nathan and Daria are missionaries to Columbia. After traveling to a remote village, Nathan never returns and Daria is told he is dead and is even given his charred watch. Daria returns home and meets a vet named Cole Hunter. Cole isn't perfect, and he and Daria have many fights, including one over a "secret" Cole has been harboring. Yet Cole is also a praying man and views Daria as an answer to his prayers. While both men are different, and Nathan might be too perfect, there are no obvious answers to Daria's predicament. As the novel progresses, Raney adds more layers to the story that make it seemingly impossible for Daria to choose which man will be hers.

The primary religious theme of the novel is God's will. Was it God's will for Daria to be a missionary. Should she have stayed even after she thought Nate was dead. Why did God allow her to remarry? Which man should she choose? Characters constantly pray for God's direction in their lives. This is a good novel in that all the characters are Christians. At one point though, Daria seems to think God "allowed" Nathan to die in Columbia, and she is stuggling to understand why God would do that. I think authors should be careful in saying that God allows bad things to happen to good people or that every evil thing is God's will.

I strongly recommend this book. You'll go from thinking Daria will choose Nathan to thinking she should choose Cole. There are no easy answers and I didn't guess the ending. Raney concludes the novel in the only way she really could have and it is very satisfying.

The book illustrates very well how situations that seem to have no possible solutions can be resolved through a loving and just God. It shows that God can work even when we don't trust Him and go on our own path. A book that once started is hard to put down because of wonder on how the author will reconcile the issues which is done in a wonderful way.

An excellent and poignant story! I read this on my summer vacation and didn't want to do anything else until I had finished Beneath a Southern Sky. I kept raving about it to my friends who then fought over being the next one to get this enthralling book. It is a must read IF you want a realistic portrayal of what happens when very good Christians fail to seek the counsel of God. Get ready to laugh, to learn and to cry.
Georgia Shaffer, PA Licensed Psychologist, speaker and author