A DEEP HAVEN NOVEL: THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE
Susan May Warren
ISBN: 9781414334837
December 2011
Tyndale House Publishers
Inspirational Fiction/Women’s Fiction
Trade paperback

Kelsey Hueston was only a teenager working in a gas station when a young man entered to rob it. In the chaos that followed, both Kelsey and the police officer who coincidently happened to come in during the robbery, were shot and died.  The impact of their tragic deaths ricocheted through both families and irrevocably changed the paths of each person who knew and loved them.

How do you rebuild your life when an essential person has been violently ripped from it, and where is God during it all? These very core faith questions are faced in many different ways by each of the characters in Warren’s newest book, The Shadow of Your Smile.  By skillfully switching the point-of-view from character to character, we are able to follow the paths and thoughts of many different people who paths are entwined and who are all reacting to the same violent event with very different responses.

The Shadow of Your Smile is not a light humorous romantic read, nor is a gripping suspense adventure like many of the other books by Susan May Warren.  It has a haunting depth that grips the reader, dragging them along for the heart wrenching journey that each character must take.  There are no cookie cutter formula heroes or heroines here; each person is vividly presented with both their failings and their strengths, and readers will find themselves routing for a fulfilling resolution for everyone involved.

For me, one of the most powerful passages was spoken by a minor character in the book.  On page 232, Pastor Dan says of God and faith:  “He longed for intimacy with you, to care for you, for you to have faith in Him.  And I know you were afraid you wouldn’t get the right response – that He’d let you down… [This is] where your faith really kicks in.  Trusting God, being vulnerable even if you don’t get the response you want.”   It still sends chills down my spine…in the best possible way.   If you want an intensely emotional book that leaves you feeling more hopeful and connected to God than before you picked it up, read The Shadow of Your Smile.  I wish I had more than 5 klovers to give.

Reviewed By:

Let's see.. what to tell you about me.... well I'm an academic librarian and deal with stuffy boring books (I'm a mathematics librarian) so fiction is my fun outlet. My passions include ballroom dancing, bichon frise rescue work, reading (duh!) and if I had time, I'd get back to my quilting, scrapbooking, jewelry making, etc. Sigh. I really need to find my rich prince who tells me I never have to work again. LOL. Genre's that I prefer: Inspirational romance, gentle romance (Like Harlequin Medical, etc), romantic comedy and paranormal (unless they get too dark and gritty) to name a few. I love books with themes/characters of animals, librarians, dancers, trainers, ministers/missionaries, etc. Having said this, I read pretty broadly from the inspirational fiction line all the way to Blazes and chick lit. The only thing I don't really care for it erotica. I don't care for the starkness of the erotica genre. I guess I just like things wrapped up and tied with a prettier satin bow. :-)

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