Customer Reviews

Tidings of Joy (The Ladies of Sweetwater Lake, Book 5) (Larger Print Love Inspired #369)

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The characters of Margaret Daley's "Tidings of Joy" immediately absorbed me into their lives. Chance--recently released from prison for a crime he didn't commit--comes to Sweetwater to pay back the debt he feels he owes to his cellmate Tom who saved his life. Tanya, Tom's wife, is struggling to make ends meet as a single mom while battling her own fears and guilt over the past. Crystal, Tanya's teenage daughter--paralyzed in a riding accident and now wheel chair bound--battles not only the normal insecurities of growing up, but bullying and prejudice at school.

Chance's struggle to understand how God could allow him to go through what he did, and his difficulty believing he can be a welcome part of a community once again, is understandable and written with both sensitivity and realism.

This is the final installment of "The Ladies of Sweetwater Lake" series, but you don't have to read the earlier books to enjoy this one. I hadn't, but the secondary characters in "Tidings of Joy" were such a special part of Chance and Tanya's story that I want to go back and read each of their stories as well.

Life has been hard for Chance Taylor. He was sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. He has been released, but now he has to start over. However, he can't escape his past. Tanya Bolten has had her own problems to overcome. Her husband, Tom, died in prison, leaving her with a daughter to raise. Tanya needs the money, so she agrees to rent her garage apartment to Chance. She never wanted him to become part of her life, but in spite of her better judgment, she begins to depend on him.
Crystal, Tanya's daughter, is confined to a wheelchair. Crystal is a talented, lovely young girl, but a few of the kids from her schol have been harassing her. In addition, some of the townspeople don't want Chance in their town. Tanya tries to defend him, but Chance has a secret that may destroy their blossoming relationship.
This is a tender love story about two people struggling to overcome their past and live a normal life. Bullies come in all sizes. Whether it's kids in school picking on a girl in a wheelchair, or adults determined to drive someone out of town because he's different. Margaret Daley has done a good job of making us aware of the problem. You'll see the hurt, feel the pain, and be warmed by the love as Chance, Tanya, and Crystal learn to rely on God and on each other.

I wish, wish, wish this book would be recommended reading for all junior high and high school students. The manner in which Margaret handled the bullying issues in the story were excellent. Very touching story by a master in the craft of fiction. Heartwarming characters that stayed with me long after I finished the book. BRAVO, MARGARET!!!

As a person with a physical disability, I could relate to the daughter in this story, and I appreciated the way Daley handled it. I loved how the other characters treated her as well. This was a very sweet story.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Tanya Bolton has a lot to deal with. Her husband, Tom, was recently killed in a prison brawl, leaving Tanya and her physically handicapped daughter, Crystal, to pick up the pieces. As if that wasn't enough, something is bothering Crystal, turning the once cheerful and driven young woman into a silent and morose child. If money weren't so tight, Tanya would never think of renting the room above the garage to a perfect stranger with everything else she has to worry about.

Chance Taylor is fresh out of jail for a crime he did not commit and hides a secret about Tom that could hurt Tanya even more. He is in Sweetwater to pay a debt he believes he owes Tom and to make up for past mistakes. What better way to do so than by renting Tanya's little apartment? The last thing Chance needs is a romance with the widow of his prison-mate and one who in spite of all the troubles she faces still retains a very strong faith in God. Chance gave up on religion a long time ago but it could be Tanya is exactly what he needs.

In Tidings of Joy, my second book by Margaret Daley I've read, once again I find she is not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects in her novels. This time the issue we face is bullying. Bullies come in all shapes and sizes, but generally have the same reasons for their actions. Through this story, Crystal is suffering at school because of the fact she is stuck in a wheel chair. Chance too had to face his own bullies when he was in prison, though not as much focus as we see with Crystal is put on his previous circumstances.

The growing relationship between Tanya and Chance is beautifully done. We see her hesitance to get involved with someone new, made all the more difficult because of the fact that she loved Tom deeply, even knowing what he did to put him in jail. Not to mention she has Crystal to think about and is unwilling to do anything that may hurt her. Chance struggles with the fact he was close friends with Tom in jail and therefore has no business being attracted to Tanya. His circumstances are even further explored as we learn why he was in prison and the other, deeper internal agonies he faces every day. This actually comes to play a key role in the latter half of the book.

There were really only two things I didn't really like in Tidings of Joy. Throughout the novel, we learn of Crystal's talents in artwork, specifically portraiture. This is very important to her, making up a large part of her personality and is a skill she got from her mother. But Tanya was harassed mercilessly about it as a child and she spends far too much time bemoaning the teasing about her pride and joy she received growing up. So because of Crystal's enjoyment of the same activity, Tanya is convinced Crystal should keep her artistic ability to herself to prevent the same thing happening to her. I felt this was way overdone and did not need so much focus placed on it. My only other issue was I thought Chance kept his Big Secret about Tom from Tanya for far too long. There were plenty of other issues throughout the story that could have provided the necessary conflict to their relationship.

In spite of my two minor complaints, Tidings of Joy is a very powerful story of love and faith. We all need love in our lives and faith, too, is important. Tanya's strong devotion to God and her church brought her over many hurdles she could never have conquered on her own. Chance too needs faith and when he comes to accept God into his life once more, his true healing can finally begin.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2007. All rights reserved.

I love the Steeple Hill Love Inspired Series of books. Margaret Daley is one of my favorites who writes regularly for LI. She alaways tells a good story with faith and Christian love all tied into it.