Patricia Sweet There is a River
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There is a River

Release Date: 07/09/2024

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about There is a River
Carly Green once knew more love than she’d dreamed possible in the church she and her husband planted, but she’s grown so far apart from the brethren she can no longer call them friends. Her life has gone in a different direction. The glory days of the Jesus movement are long gone and so is Carly’s sense of belonging.
Suspecting her pastor husband of having an affair she’s ready to leave him and the church. But when her sons go missing one after the other she returns to the congregation only to be called out in public for failing as a mother.
Her family in shatters and the faith of many at stake, Carly must find her way back to the place of forgiveness and strength, the foot of the cross.

Editorial Review ★★★★★

In this deeply moving exploration of faith, family, and redemption, the author crafts an emotionally resonant story that speaks to the complex challenges of maintaining both spiritual and personal relationships in modern life. Through the character of Carly Green, readers encounter an achingly honest portrait of a woman whose journey from despair to hope feels both timeless and thoroughly contemporary.

What sets this novel apart is its unflinching examination of religious community dynamics. The author masterfully portrays the tension between personal crisis and public faith, showing how the same congregation that once represented perfect love can become a source of judgment and pain. The depiction of Carly’s estrangement from her church family is handled with remarkable nuance, avoiding both saccharine platitudes and cynical criticism.

The author’s portrayal of a marriage in crisis is particularly compelling. Carly’s suspicions about her pastor husband create a complex dynamic that explores the unique pressures faced by families in ministry. The writing captures the painful irony of a couple who can shepherd others through spiritual challenges while struggling to maintain their own connection.

When the disappearance of Carly’s sons catalyzes the story’s central crisis, the narrative takes on a powerful urgency. The author deftly weaves together themes of maternal guilt, community judgment, and crisis of faith. The public calling out of Carly’s perceived failures as a mother is a devastating scene that perfectly encapsulates the sometimes cruel intersection of personal tragedy and public religious life.

Perhaps most impressive is how the novel handles the journey back to faith. Rather than offering easy answers or instant transformations, the author charts a believable path through doubt, anger, and ultimately to a deeper understanding of grace. The metaphor of the river runs beautifully through the narrative, suggesting both the power of divine love and the sometimes turbulent nature of spiritual journey.

“There is a River” stands as a powerful testament to the complexity of modern faith, the challenges of religious community, and the enduring power of grace. It’s essential reading for anyone who has ever struggled to reconcile personal trials with public faith, or who has sought to find their way back to spiritual community after profound loss.

About This Author

Patricia Sweet grew up on an island and like Carly couldn’t wait to drive across the bridge to explore the wide world.
She distinguished herself as a writer in second grade publishing her first poem in the Grand Island Dispatch, then moving on to short stories throughout high school and college. It wasn’t until she began teaching English for the City of Buffalo Schools that she wrote her first novel, inspired by her students who’d asked for a book about them.
These days she writes stories crafted to entertain, inspire, and challenge women of faith. She and her husband live in an old farm house in upstate New York with a very shaggy dog named Cozzi.
She is thrilled to be working with Defiance, a company that shares her belief in freedom, especially freedom of speech, something we can’t take for granted in this age of political correctness and censorship.

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