Customer Reviews

It Happens Every Spring (Thorndike Press Large Print Christian Fiction)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marriage has many seasons: Spring which is full of hope and anticipation, Summer and its comfort, Autumn and its negligence and Winter with its dissatisfaction. This fictional work, based on Dr. Gary Chapman's The Four Seasons of Marriage, explores the seasons of marriage in a small-town setting where the couples revolve around one another and are probably far too involved in one another's business.

The Lake of the Ozarks is full of character and so are the people who inhabit it. In this fictional town set at "The Lake" readers get to know several couples in various stages of marital love. In particular readers meet Brenda and Steve, who are having trouble adjusting to their empty nest. More accurately, Brenda is having trouble adjusting as Steve seems to have created a life without her just as she reached a point where she could look forward to the additional time they would have for one another.

Well written without being preachy, It Happens Every Spring does a good job of introducing characters in the different seasons of marriage and even gives them a good reason for knowing one another. I especially loved the setting. I've been to The Lake so the setting was vivid in my mind, but anyone who has been to a teeny lakeside community could relate to the intimacy of its inhabitants.

I look forward to the rest of the series.

Armchair Interviews says: This neat book explores the facets of marriage in a realistic setting.

I've read and enjoyed many Inspirational/Christian novels that fall into the romance category. But this one is not the most enjoyable I've ever read. I did read it all, to see where it was going, but found it to be very repetitious and preachy.

On the other hand, there were several important life lessons to be learned here, some of which the characters never did seem to get a really firm grasp. Cody is treated well by the authors and the characters, as is Patsy Pringle. Brenda, however, gets lambasted no matter what she does. She wasn't the only one who contributed to the bad and good of her marriage, but her husband Steven is whitewashed to the point of thinking he's the poor, put-upon long-suffering man who just wants a good wife. He doesn't seem to realize he can't expect that without reciprocating, and spending time with his wife.

Depression comes in many guises, and Brenda was fortunate to have good friends and neighbors to help her out of hers; Steve's friends weren't given the opportunity to help him see the errors of his ways. I suspect men who read this book will agree with Steve, while women will tend to see Brenda's side of things more clearly.

I think this is an interesting concept--pairing a non-fiction author with one more well-known for fiction--and using the former's self-help books as a basis for this series. Having not read any of the others--yet--I can't speak to how well they succeed in future volumes. I suspect I'll try at least one more of the series, as the characters and the setting are very appealing. I can't help but hope the women develop a bit more backbone, however. Women are not subservient, and I think it's harmful when they're presented as such. Equal partnerships are much better, and way more fun, especially in a loving relationship.

I was pleasantly surprised by "It Happens Every Spring". I picked up the audio book on a long car trip with the in-laws, and it looked like a book that we would enjoy together (fairly PG rated, no profanity). The characters are intriguing, reminding me of Steel Magnolias, with their quirks and strong wills. The marriages are also very real, and I like the idea of the seasons of marriage. It seems to fit most people I know. The plot outcomes were predictable, no surprises here, but that's ok since the characters were fun.

What I found heavy handed were the long "marriage counseling" descriptions and conversations. Where feelings were stated and re-stated to hammer the "seasons of marriage" into your brain, and the arguments border on textbook training for counselors. But that aside, it's a nice read. I may get the other 3 books in the series.

There are two things that don't make any sense in this book: the first chapter and the title. What the title has to do with the book, I do not understand. The couple at the center of the story are no where near the "spring" of their marriage, so who knows why the author chose this title? Anyway, after you've skipped the first chapter of conversations between multitudes of characters, the story begins to unfold into an unexpectedly interesting story. Truthfully, the fights between the couple are so verbally realistic that at times I found myself extremely agitated, which is a sign that the book had sufficiently sucked me in. I enjoyed this book and watching the characters work their way through several tumultuous periods. The characters are well developed, with my favorite being that of Patsy Pringle, a supporting character. This book is not earth shattering, but it is an example of the good Christian fiction that is available at this time.

First in a series of four novels, It Happens Every Spring by Gary Chapman and Catherine Palmer does a great job at illustrating the two sides of a marriage in trouble.

Brenda feels lost, now that the children are gone and Steve has immersed himself in his new job. She needs to feel a part of something and she needs attention and support from Steve.

Steve needs physical affection and attention from Brenda, to believe that she appreciates his efforts as breadwinner.

But somehow their timing is all off, their needs no longer mesh, and the longer things go, the farther apart they grow. There was an old magazine series called "Can This Marriage Be Saved?"; we find ourselves wondering the same thing.

A little preachy in a place or two but altogether a good story. Bits and pieces of other marriages in Tranquility peek through and we hope they'll be further developed in the other volumes.

Fans of Gary Chapman's perennial bestseller, The Five Love Languages, will appreciate this new fictional series, which offers readers an opportunity to see how Christ's love can transform marriages.

It Happens Every Spring is the first of four books, co-authored with award-winning romance novelist, Catherine Palmer. The cozy neighborhood of Deepwater Cove on Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks offers the perfect setting for exploring the various seasons of marriage.

Like the movie, Steel Magnolias, the hub of this quiet community is Patsy Pringle's "Just As I Am" hair salon and tearoom. Here we meet our cast of characters: five women who form "The Tea Ladies Club" (TLC).

Brenda Hanson has seen her last child off to college and faces her empty nest alone, while her husband of 25 years spends every minute on his new, fast-paced real estate job. Lonely, she resents his time away and wonders if their marriage will survive.

A couple of dramatic events lead the TLC women to rally together, with plenty of laughter and tears along the way. Not only is the novel entertaining, I came away with new insight into what makes a beautiful, long-lasting marriage.

-- Christian Women Online Book Buzz

Deepwater Cove is a small community overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks by Tranquility, Missouri. It is small town where everyone knows everyone else. Five women form the TLC club are there for one another especially with personal issues.

Since the kids left, one of the TLC members Brenda Hansen suffers from empty nest syndrome as she feels she offers nothing to her community, her spouse or especially herself. Her husband Steve is a workaholic who comes home to eat and sleep, which adds to Brenda's feelings of abandonment, isolation and loneliness; whereas Steve avoids Brenda because he finds her increasingly nasty and combative when hw is near.

During a nasty storm, a stranger knocks on Brenda's door saying he is Cody and asking for chocolate cake as that is the Christian way. Brenda initially fears this young man, but soon brings him in from the rain giving him his cake. Others also help the mentally challenged lad without understanding in his way he is assisting them much more as couples like Brenda and Steve try to renew the euphoria of their relationship.

Using the spring of Dr. Chapman's THE FOUR SEASONS OF A MARRIAGE theory as the base for the first of a quartet of relationship dramas, IT HAPPENS EVERY SPRING is a delightful tale that introduces the audience to the TLC members and other folks, but focuses mostly on Brenda and Steve. Most fascinating is that the authors chose spring for the couple who is probably in early fall; however spring is the time of rebirth, which means that a pair must renew their relationship or it will atrophy and die prematurely. The opening Four Seasons saga is a warm story of the importance of relational rejuvenation.

Harriet Klausner

This book caught my attention from the very first line I read, and it just got better and better. The characters were unique; the plot was very suspenseful and it kept building and building. Wonderful story teller, and based on the works of Dr. Gary Chapman. Great combination!!!!

I love Christian fiction because you can learn while being entertained. Based on concepts from his non-fiction book The Four Seasons of Marriage, Dr. Gary Chapman joins forces with CBA best-selling author Catherine Palmer to launch The Four Seasons series.

Anyone who's been married or contemplates marriage will enjoy this first book. A page-turner, I read it in It Happens Every Spring in two sittings. An explosion of trouble in the opening sentence sets the stage in this fast-paced novel. Be ready for an emotional rollercoaster ride. You'll chew your nails, laugh out loud one minute and cry the next.

You may also see your own marriage through new eyes. Chapman and Palmer hold nothing back in presenting a gut-wrenching story filled with all the temptations and problems of marriage. Be ready for some unexpected twists in this honest portrayal. Novel Reviews gives It Happens Every Spring a high recommendation.

Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
[...]

In the small town of Tranquility, everything seems to be picture perfect from the outside. It's your average small American town where everyone knows your name. It's also spring, a happy time because everything is new again. However inside Brenda and Steve's house it's ice cold chilly as the couple is having problems with their marriage. Each feels the other to blame and are almost ready to call it quits. However circumstances such as a homeless guy and the TLC club plan to put a stop to it and help them out. But a handyman seems to tempt Brenda while Steve's work seems to consume him. It'll take the whole season for them to realize how to work things out.

Ah, marriage relationships. Seems like everyone is always talking about them. Maybe it's because I'm not married yet and don't have kids, but I personally felt that Brenda was mainly to fault with her and Steve's relationship. I might be wrong here, but she seemed really moody and just plain mean to him. He kept trying to talk to her and she would blow him off and then get mad at him for talking to her. No wonder why men can't figure women out. To be fair, Steve did seem more preoccupied with work, and it seemed that every time he did try to talk to Brenda at night it was so they could have sex. Not the best intentions it seems. I also felt that the Cody situations seemed a little forced. While I liked his character much better near the end, he originally came off as kind of annoying to me. Brenda seemed a little too trustworthy in letting a random man sleep on her porch and only did it to rebel against Steve. I mean, Cody could have been acting and then murdered her when no one was around. But that's the only complaints I have because I really really enjoyed this book. The characters are refreshingly real and relatable. I liked the other women in the town, especially the multi hairstyle Patsy and her beauty shop. If I visited the town I would definitely stop there to get my hair done. I'm also looking forward to reading more about Ashley because I'm hoping that she will put sense into her husband. Lots of funny tidbits in the book that will get you laughing too. The whole town would be a wonderful place to live/visit. Reading the book was like drinking a cold iced tea, refreshing. I really enjoyed this book. I love the cover too, it's really colorful and so detailed. I can't wait for "Summer" to get here!