Times and Seasons (Seasons Series #3) [Paperback]

Beverly LaHaye (Author), Terri Blackstock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002

When Cathy Flaherty's teenage son, Mark, is arrested for selling drugs, her neighbors once again show that Cedar Circle is more than a suburban cul-de-sac. It is a tightly knit circle of friends whose faith, love, and encouragement help each other make it through the changing seasons of life. More is at stake for Cathy than her son. With Mark in juvenile detention, the single mother of three finds herself struggling over whether to marry Steve Bennett, a man she truly loves. It will take strength and wisdom for Steve to see Cathy through this time of family conflict. Fortunately, he is not alone. Other lives, each with concerns of their own, weave together in a strong show of mutual care and support. And through the hands of this loving community, God moves.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Hard times have come again to the close-knit neighbors on Cedar Circle, who confront fresh challenges, overcome disappointments, and encourage and support each other in Times and Seasons. Nothing comes easy in this little community. "I'm tired of learning things and growing," Cathy says in despair. Crisis after crisis has sapped her strength: her son Mark is in jail, her ex-husband Jerry is ignoring the children, and her wedding to her fiancé Steve has been postponed.

Cathy's life isn't the only one that's topsy-turvy. Her neighbor Tory focuses on making her Down's Syndrome baby Hannah "high-functioning" and forgets the needs of the rest of her family. Across the cul-de-sac, homeschooling mom Brenda finds it's difficult to let her children spread their wings and fly. The final blow comes when Sylvia decides to sell her house to support her Nicaraguan mission.

Just when things seem unbearable, a few rays of sun break through the clouds: Annie finds a calling to the mission field, Steve discovers the ins and outs of becoming a step-parent, and Mark learns lessons about life. Fans of the Cedar Circle books will enjoy picking up where Showers in Season left off and following the progress of characters they've come to care about. --Cindy Crosby --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This third collaboration between LaHaye and Blackstock continues to recount the events in the lives of neighbors and friends living on Cedar Circle. On the day of Cathy Flaherty's bridal shower, what should have been a joyous gathering of friends wishing her well on her second marriage turns into a test of love and friendship when her 15-year-old son, Mark, is arrested for selling drugs. Thus begins a year of trials and discoveries for Cathy, her fiance, and all of her children. Friends try to offer assistance, but they are facing their own family issues. Ruth Ann Phimister does an excellent job of moving from one character to another, providing emotion and nuance suitable to the story line. Recommended for public libraries with Christian fiction collections. Gloria Maxwell, Penn Valley Community Coll., Kansas City, MO
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310242975
• ISBN-13: 978-0310242970
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #432,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Realistic, superbly written, and moving, April 28, 2001

By 

Susan Richardson (Jackson, MS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Times and Seasons (Seasons Series #3) (Hardcover)

Terri Blackstock is one of the strongest authors writing Christian fiction today, and this is one of her best works. I was so overwhelmed by my first reading that my only comment was "Wow!" It was just as good the second time through. You'll find wonderfully developed characters in real situations with a beautifully touching ending. Time with this book is definitely time well spent.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars another crisis in Cedar Circle, June 17, 2001

By 

Beverly "bevreader" (Mississippi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Times and Seasons (Seasons Series #3) (Hardcover)

My reviews of the last two books in this series stated that I cannot wait for the next one, and that bears repeating! Once again, Blackstock and LaHaye have focused on the families of Cedar Circle, and the readers of this series know that when one family is in crisis, all of them are! Cathy's long-awaited wedding to Steve is almost here when young son Mark is arrested for drugs. Devastated, she halts the wedding plans indefinitely. To make matters worse, ex Jerry, Mark's father, gives her no support and makes no effort to reach their son.Once again, the friends and neighbors rally around Cathy and give her the support that she needs. The best support comes from fiance Steve, who lovingly and unconditionally guides Mark into the realization that he is a child of God, and, like the prodigal son, can return to his heavenly Father at any time. Meanwhile, Tory is stressed out with caring for baby Hannah's needs and begins to neglect her other children while caring for the Downs syndrome baby. Brenda is having trouble letting go of her teenaged son and allowing him to make and learn from his own mistakes. Worlds away in Nicaragua, Sylvia cares for the needs of the victims of the hurricane, and finds some surprising help from one of the neighbors of Cedar Circle. Once again, Blackstock and LaHaye have written a heartwarming novel of real people with very real problems, but whose reliance on God gives them the grace to cope. Thanks, writers, for this wonderful series, and keep them coming!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Prodigal Son, December 2, 2005

By 

A reader (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Times and Seasons (Seasons Series #3) (Paperback)

I have been eagerly reading all the books in this series, though out of order. I've been moved many times throughout. One thing I appreciate about the books is we have real people with real life issues. They aren't fairy tale books; they have meat in them and people can relate. It shows Christians have struggles and that we don't always handle everything the way we should. Despite our failings, God is able to intervene, take a disappointment or bad situation, and use it for good.

As each book does, this focuses on one of four families and yet continues the stories of the other three. Cathy, Mark, Rick and Annie are the main focus. Cathy is about to celebrate her engagement shower with family and friends when something happens which will shatter her world at first. A knock on the door brings the unbelieveable news that her youngest child, Mark, was arrested for possession and distribution of drugs. He was caught red-handed, trying to sell to an undercover police officer.

Cathy is terribly shaken at first and calls off her wedding with Steve. Mark finds himself at a juvenile detention center for a year. His mother should be able to stop all of this, he thinks as he places blame on everyone but himself for his plight.

It takes awhile, but little by little the reader will start to see victories amidst the struggles. How it ends, when Mark returns home after serving his sentence is absolutely wonderful. The prodigal son indeed!

I rated this one a little lower than the other two I've reviewed so far because I was disappointed that there wasn't more about Annie's year on the missionary field with Sylvia and Harry. It would have been good to have included more from this. The book was wrapping up too quickly for me as I neared the end and saw there was no way the authors could have included more details in the few pages that remained. Despite how I felt about this, I very much enjoyed the book.