Book Review and Blog Tour: Dreams That Won't Let Go by Stacy Hawkins Adams

 

ESSENCE BESTSELLING AUTHOR RELEASES NEW BOOK:
Sometimes you have to come home to discover who you are…

Essence bestselling author Stacy Hawkins Adams
releases the final book in her popular Jubilant Soul series: Dreams That Won’t Let Go.

Readers have followed along with the Burns family of Jubilant, Texas as they’ve experienced heartaches, celebrated new faced life-changing choices and learned how far faith can carry them through it all.

Now in Dreams That Won’t Let Go, everything seems to be going along perfectly for Indigo Burns: Her wedding preparations to the man of her dreams are under way and her career as a photographer is a success. Even her family seems to be doing better than ever—all except her brother Reuben who no one has seen in years. But that's about to change, because Reuben has decided to move back home to Jubilant, bringing with him all his unspoken secrets and upsetting all of Indigo’s best-laid plans.

As the family struggles to deal with the pain of the past and find healing, Dreams That Won’t Let Go illustrates that despite what has happened in our lives, there is always a second chance where love conquers all.

My Review:

Rating: 10.0/10.0 

Dreams that Won't Let Go is a riveting and beautiful book.  I have not read the earlier books in the Jubilant Souls series, but I will make it a point to go back and read the first two.  However, the third installment stands on it's own very well, I never felt lost.  I just want to rad the first two to learn more about some of the characters and to enjoy more of Ms. Adams' writing.

So what about this book stood out to me?  First the characters.  I enjoyed getting to know Indigo and Reuben and their loved ones, Max and Peyton along with their family members.  The characters are well done and you feel things for all of them.  The story plays out through the characters and keeps you wanting to read more and learn more.  The characters also grow through the book, both Indigo and Reuben are searching for something and though they seemed stumped to begin with on how to make things better, by the end they are making progress on working things out.

The plot is also amazing.  Every time I thought I had something figured out, Ms. Adams took it in another direction.  Yet nothing felt like it was out of the blue or not fitted in with the story.  It is well plotted out and very interesting to read.

Conversation in this book also flowed well.  Nothing felt stilted or strained.  The message was one of love and forgiveness and I loved how it was written out in the book.  The pastor that helps them out feels real and loving and very typical of what I am use to in the church.  Not judgmental but understanding and loving.  That comes out fully in the book without seeming preachy, and I think it is a beautifully written message.



Characterization:   2.0/2.0
Plot:                     2.0/2.0
Writing:                2.0/2.0
Attention-holding:  1.0/1.0
Ending:                 1.0/1.0
Believable:            1.0/1.0
Genre:                  1.0/1.0    
Rating:                10.0/10.0

Stacy Hawkins Adams is a writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the author of several novels, including the Essence bestseller The Someday List and Worth a Thousand Words. All of Stacy's novels have been bestsellers in Black Expressions Book Club.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Available January 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Watch for this title to be available to win for commenting on my weekend wondering post this coming Saturday.