The Sweet By and By (A Songbird Novel) [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Sara Evans (Author), Rachel Hauck (Author), Lisa Seals (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 2010 | Series: A Songbird Novel (Book 1)

“All my songs tell a story. But this one’s special. My first novel. A story about Jade. Her search for real love, her one-eyed mutt, hippie mother, and quirky vintage shop. It’s about looking backward while moving forward. About chasing dreams, endless country roads, and tender faith. A breath of fresh air that’ll take you away and leave your heart humming a song of joy.” —Sara Evans.  Insert disc 7 into your PC to access the group listening guide.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this heartwarming collaborative debut from country music star Evans and Christian romance veteran Hauck (Sweet Caroline), antique dealer Jade Freedom Fitzgerald of Whisper Hollow, Tenn., must make peace with her hippy mama, Beryl Hill, before she can marry her lawyer fiancé, Maxwell Charles Benson. But wait, there's more: she also needs an annulment from an elopement at 16, to resolve her anger at the father who abandoned her, to learn how to get along with a pushy mom-in-law-to-be and take responsibility for a dire choice she made 13 years before. The arrival of Jade's mother and her tempestuous little sister, Willow, before the big day shakes things up further, especially after Beryl reveals an unhappy secret of her own. Comforting in that Southern way and inspirational without being too saccharine, Evans and Hauck's first outing together shows promise. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Multi-platinum recording artist Sara Evans has garnered such honors as ACM's Female Vocalist of the Year, CMA's Video of the Year, named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People," and the first country star to compete in ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Oasis Audio; Unabridged edition (January 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598596160
• ISBN-13: 978-1598596168
• Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 0.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (139 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,238,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sweet By and By is beautiful story and a must read!, December 16, 2009

By 

M. Vasquez "Michelle @ Life in Review" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sweet By and By (Hardcover)

The Sweet By and By written by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck is a beautiful story that touched my heart deeply and will stick with me for a long time.

The authors practically bring these characters to life. After reading the book, the characters seem more like real people that I know and I find myself wondering how they are doing and what happened to them after this story. Jade Fitzgerald, the story's heroine, has been through so much in her lifetime that she has tried to run away and close off her past and pretend it never existed. I felt myself relating to her on so many different levels and rooting for her.

The story gives a beautiful picture of God's love and mercy. From the very beginning of the book I was drawn in by the dynamic relationships between these characters and the drama of a wounded family. No matter how wonderful our family is, we all have relationship problems at times, and the issues in this book just felt so true to life for me. It's a story about people who are more "real" and I truly enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. In fact, I would say that this book is at the top of my list of books from 2009 that I would consider a must read!

Rachel Hauck has been a favorite of mine for awhile, and I am hoping these two ladies will collaborate again in the future. They very obviously write well together!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Sweet By and By - Sara Evans, January 5, 2010

By 

A. Cox (Albany, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sweet By and By (Hardcover)

The Sweet By and By is about Jade, whose upcoming marriage is swiftly approaching. She debates whether or not to invite her mother, Beryl - who is just about Jade's polar opposite, a free spirit who enjoyed Woodstock, in comparison to Jade's staid existence as a shop owner and the soon-to-be wife of a lawyer who often suffers from panic attacks. Before Jade's marriage, she has to come to grips with her past and her family - as well as adapting to the differences in the family she's marrying into. Will Jade be able to let go and heal from her past or is her upcoming marriage going to fail before they even exchange their vows?

Overall, I mostly enjoyed The Sweet By and By. The family dynamics in both Jade's and Max's (her fiancé) families were interesting. Also, having a novel with romantic elements but without premarital intercourse was a refreshing surprise. The writing is clear.

However, as I read, the plot seemed to all move along well enough until about three-quarters of the way through. Then it all seemed to rush into a huge climax ... and then peter out a little. The pacing in the beginning worked well. Toward the end ... I just am not so sure about it.

The plot is original enough. Some events are a little predictable, but not too many. The characters are original and have believable dialogue. Still, with all the strong points, I don't know that I would re-read this novel. But, if you're looking for a quick read without graphic language or sex scenes, this might be the book for you.

I am a reviewer for Thomas Nelson Publishing. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for this book review. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sweetest Book in a long time, March 11, 2010

By 

Rare's Reviews - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Sweet By and By (Hardcover)

The Sweet By and By is one of the best books I've read all year. What a great finish to 2009. The book follows Jade as she prepares for her wedding to Max. Jade finds herself in some situations that bring on panic attacks and she finally faces her past. Willow is Jade's mother and the book goes back and forth from her point of view to Jades. It also goes back several years to Jade's youth. The authors have done such a good job of writing this book that it all flows together seamlessly. Rachel and Sara should continue to work together as it rewards the reader with a book that is heartwarming, bittersweet and redemptive all at the same time. I can't wait to read more from these two!