'Desert Gift' by Sally John

Sally John's newest book, 'Desert Gift', is such a treat.  I've enjoyed other books of hers (though I've not read them all yet), and I'll add this book to that pile of favorites.  In this one she has two specific main characters---one being a woman who has a very popular Christian talk show and who's just written a book to go along with her marriage counseling focus---and her husband has always supported her work, yet in the opening pages tells her out of the blue that he's had enough, and enough in a big, permanent-sounding way.  The book goes into great detail about how each of them handles this news (I was at first afraid she'd tell the story in just the wife's voice, but was pleased to see into his head as well), and even the husband is surprised at himself, finally speaking out about things that have bothered him for years, but that he's not voiced.

I found it interesting that many of the women in the book are extremely strong-minded and, to my thinking, very un-likable, but my goodness, very believable.  This includes the main character, Jill, and both her mother and mother-in-law.  All of them are over the top in manipulating the people they love.  And if you think about it, women do tend to control their families and even sometimes their close friends by their tendencies to push.   The men in the story are more appealing and maybe it's because they don't talk so much, and don't meddle.  The message is clear as you read it---the way the women have managed their husbands has had a direct result in how the husbands relate to their wives, yet some handle it more gracefully than others.  I'd think that this book could certainly be a wake-up call to wives who see themselves in these characters.  Not a pleasant reality at all, and I believe all wives have at one time or another attempted to mold our husbands into something they're not. 

Many thanks, Sally John, for another wonderful book.  I do appreciate it. :)

( this book was received free to review from tyndale publishers)