Another book I picked up last week at the KenTen writers retreat was Carolina Grace by Regina Rudd Merrick. It’s the third book in her Carolina series and takes place five years after the second book, but it’s a stand-alone, and you don’t have to read the others to know what’s going on. But I figure once you read this one, you’ll go back and read the other two. 🙂
I read it in two nights and stayed up past midnight to finish it. Great story about God’s grace. And isn’t the cover beautiful! Here’s the back cover copy:
She knows about God’s grace for her life but pushes it away. He hasn’t experienced it but finds grace in a way he never expected.
First-year Special Education teacher Charly Livingston demonstrates God’s love on the outside but is resentful that God allowed back-to-back tragedies in her family.
Rance Butler is a top-notch medical intern. He’s on his way to the top, and when he meets Charly, he knows things will only get better. When he discovers family secrets and a dying father he never knew, his easy, carefree life seems to disintegrate.
Even in the idyllic ocean breezes and South Carolina sunshine, contentment turns to bitterness and confusion except for God’s amazing grace.
My take:
I loved the way grace kept showing up and the way Regina used the song, Amazing Grace in the story. Charly is dealing with the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people. She struggles with resentment that God allowed her dad to die and her mom to go blind. When she meets Rance Butler, she falls hard for him even though he isn’t a believer and she knows they are unequally yoked.
As for Rance, when he learns his family’s secret, it throws him for a loop, totally disrupting his very put together life. I enjoyed watching the dynamics of their relationship work out as well as a couple of other relationships in the story. This is a great story that shows what grace is all about. While it’s not romantic suspense, it’s a book I think my readers will enjoy. And the setting is gorgeous! I could hear the waves lapping on the shore.
This is Regina’s third book in the series…what do you think about series and how many books do you think should be in a series? Leave your comment and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library.
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Comments 25
I love series of books, because you get to learn about a group of people, instead of certain people being in the background, and never learning what their life is like. I think each series should have all the main characters from book 1 in the case of a family group , or as many books as you can do for other kinds of series, where each new book introduces totally new people as the main characters, but mentions the heroes and heroines from all previous books, if that makes sense!
Author
It does make sense, Monique. I like writing series, and so far my publisher only wants 4 books in each series. I still want to go back and write a few more Logan Point books…thanks for stopping by.
I love series books. I love when the other introduces secondary characters in one book and then rights a book about them and their situation. I also love seeing characters from other books and what they are doing now. I dont think there is a set number of books in a series(me, the more the better.) I know I hate when the series is ended.
Author
Janet, that’s where most of my books come from – characters that were in a previous book. 🙂 I hate it when a series ends, too.
I love a good series. Especially when it continues to build the characters lives out. Usually, 3-5 books. However, if it’s time set as in Jack Cavanaugh’s American Family Portrait series, that’s an exception.,
Author
So far, Lisa, my series have been about different characters, but if my publisher agrees, the series after the Natchez books will feature one person. Thanks for stopping by!
I would say at least 3 in a series but have read up to many more in a series. It really begins to feel like a group of characters that you come to know. I enjoy series of large number of books.
Author
I agree that it takes at least 3 for a series, Gloria. I like reading series, too.
You always do a great job of reviewing and this sounds and I can tell by your comments this will be excellent. I’ll look forward to reading.
Author
I enjoyed this book immensely, Delores. Hope you’re having a great time in Canada!
I love series! This sounds good! And I just took advantage of the great Kindle price on your Book 4….Justice Delivered! YAY
Author
Great, Jackie! Tell all your friends. 🙂 And thanks for stopping by.
Hi, I like book series, and as many books as it takes to finish the story. Have a Great weekend.
Author
I agree, Alicia! And thanks…you have a great weekend, too.
I don’t think I prefer a certain number of books in a series. Just keep going until there are no more stories to tell.
I like three possibly four in a series. Sometimes you need four to get the whole story told. But I have seen several series that work with more such as Dee Henderson’s O’Malley’s.
I won Carolina Grace on ebook but I have not read it yet.
Author
Regina wraps up everyone’s story really well in it, Paula, and you see some of the characters in the other books five years later. I think you’ll enjoy it.
I enjoy book series. A long, long time ago and far, far away, :), it seems most books I read, with the exception of The Hardy Boys books, they were standalone. Now, whenever I read a book that I truly enjoy, I am hoping it’s the beginning of a new series, or wishing it was. I want to know about other characters who are revealed in the book. I frequently am a bit “frustrated” when a series ends. I put that in quotes because it may be a bit stronger emotion than I feel but I couldn’t quickly think of another word.
Author
Edward, for traditionally published authors it’s usually the publisher who decides how many books are in a series and that number is usually four. At least that’s my experience. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
sounds great!
Thanks for the review, Patricia! So enjoyed spending time with you last week!
I love being reading a series! Five books in a series is ideal.
Thank you for the wonderful review of Carolina Grace.
I wish my publisher had wanted five in my Cold Case series, Caryl! Four seems the magic number with them.
I love series books! I like the depth of character or seeing characters from previous books appear again and just knowing there’s more to the story then just one book 🙂 I don’t mind stand-alone and definitly DON’T like cliff-hangers. I think at most, 5 or 6 books is a good number or even shorter like 3 or 4 depending.
I love the cover on this book and the story sounds equally as good. You continue to add more and more books to my want-to-read list Patricia 🙂
Author
I’m with you on ending the book with a cliffhanger. I.Don’t.Like.It. I like stories to be ended. Period. Thanks for stopping by, Trixi.