Customer Reviews

Tender Grace

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Tender Grace is a new novel that deals with a widow's grief, her growth, and her transformation to a new state of awareness. In the story, Audrey, a widow of 18 months, leaves for a trip to visit the places she and her husband never visited but wanted to visit. The book is about her journey. Her journey isn't easy. She feels that it is about the trip, but it is also about her hopes, dreams, memories, and soul. This is a Christian book, but not one that preaches at you. It is a quiet, loving type of affirmation of faith. In this book you meet new friends, see new places, and feel as if you were on the trip with Audrey. It was a story that I started in the afternoon and could not put down until I finished it, hours later. It was time well spent. This will be a book that I read over and over again. I will recommend it to my friends, and I will also recommend it to those who have difficulty with grief issues and moving foreward with life. It is the type of book you give for a gift; the type you give to your mom and her friends; your daughter and her friends. This book transcends age groups and moves into the realm of ageless treasure. I want these friends for my own. I want to go on Audry's journey, but not for the same reasons.
This is Jackina Stark's first novel. I hope that it will not be her last.

Just couldn't put this book down and finished it way too quickly! While it is a novel about the loss of a spouse, it is so much more than that. Jackina has beautifully used the Gospel of John to help anyone who finds herself losing the joy she once knew, regardless of the circumstance that may have brought about that loss.

Jackina's sense of humor, as well as her love for art, music, literature and grammar do shine through in little unexpected moments...really delightful!

And, for those of us in the Tulsa and Oklahoma area, lots of references to familiar places make it especially fun!

We'll be reading much more from Jackina Stark!

Tender Grace by Jackina Stark is a poignant story about a woman's quest to reclaim her voice and her life after the death of her husband. Audrey Eaton has isolated herself after the sudden death of her husband Tom just a few months into their early retirement. She stopped substitute teaching, seeing friends, and doing any reading, including her Bible. Her life revolves around watching lots of television to numb her pain; she's even stopped speaking except when absolutely necessary to keep up the illusion of normalcy. After two years of mourning, Audrey decides to take a road trip in hopes that it will reawaken her love for life. Road trip stories are one of my favorite genres. I love stories that involves a physical journey that mimics a spiritual one as well, and Stark's is a wonderful example of just how it should be. Her writing is lyrical and moving. In the opening chapters, Audrey's journal entries are terse and unemotional, but as she meets new people and sees the world around her, they start to flow with feelings and depth. Her writing sings on every page: I'm not brain dead, but I'm sure my heart in precariously close to a kind of death, because anything I do is such a chore. My life is one long sigh. I love that not every encounter Audrey has is full of meaning, but she chooses to learn from each one. I was reluctant to turn the final page on this book, and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Loved this--highly recommended! Tender Grace is beautifully written, with well-developed characters, believable dialogue, biblical truths and even humor throughout. After only a few chapters, I felt as though I were in Audrey's heart. And when I finished reading, well, I didn't want to be done. Looking forward to reading more from Jackina Stark!

I read about 10 pages of the book, Tender Grace. It was depressing and sad to read this story. I guess I don't understand the high reviews for this story. No "meat" to the story. Disappointing

Now I have a new favorite author! Jackina Stark takes us on a journey through seven states with newly-widowed Audrey Eaton as she begins her growth process through grief. Funny and poignant, not a downer at all. Ms. Stark is a knowledgeable and talented writer, and I love the way she weaves the gospel of John into Audrey's journey. I hope for many more books from this author.

I loved this book from the first page to the last! It immediately pulled me in and took me on a journey with Audrey. When I told friends about the book, I spoke of her like she was a real person! I could completely relate to her not being a morning person and her husband "smelling the roses when he got to where he was going." So many Christian fiction books don't even mention God, but Jackina leaves so many nuggets from God's Word as she goes through the Book of John. I look forward to more novels from Jackina Stark!

I spent 7 hours traveling 7 states with Audrey Eaton. What an incredible journey. If you are a Christian, have lost a loved one, and are traveling in that dark tunnel of recovery, you will experience graceful healing through the gospel of John and through the people and places encountered along the way. Jackina Start has entered the minds of individuals living today who have experienced untimely loss. A great (and quick) read for those who are open to God and what He has to offer them in their personal journey to wholeness after losing a loved one.

Tom Eaton died suddenly at the age of 58, 15 months ago, and his wife Audrey has not recovered. She has stopped reading, stopped listening to music, almost stopped living, when she starts reading her Bible again (in small sections - she describes her soul as "stunted", and can't cope with more than a few verses), and reads where Jesus asks the invalid "Do you want to get well?". Audrey decides she does, and the book, written as a diary, describes her physical and spiritual journey as she drives alone, cross-country, on a trip she always intended to take with her husband. On her way, she meets up with old friends, makes some new friends and rediscovers herself as she reads the Gospel of John.

As this is published by Bethany House, this novel is clearly Christian Fiction, of the likes of Karen Kingsbury or Linda Nicholls. Personally, I liked the way Audrey's journey is aligned with her Bible reading, and I found the first-person narrative easier to read than many of the current multiple-point-of view novels around (which helped, as following even a fictional someone on a journey out of grief can be emotional). Overall, I think it's 4 1/2 stars and I'll certainly look for more books by this author.

At the age of 56, I lost my husband following a 4 month illness - pretty similar to Audrey. When I read Tender Grace, I couldn't believe how Stark had pegged the emotions and thoughts I had in the months following my loss! I shed tears and laughed along with Audrey as the emotions were so familiar to me. I enjoyed the style of writing - like reading Audrey's journal as she was finally ready to put her grief behind her. From my perspective it was believable and real, and demonstrated how faith and God's Word can provide comfort and healing in the most difficult of circumstances.