Apr 23, 2014

Book Review: What Follows After by Dan Walsh

Back Cover: In 1962, life was simple, the world made sense, and all families were happy.And when they weren't, everyone knew you were supposed to pretend.

For the past year, Scott and Gina Harrison have been living a lie. While they show up at family get-togethers in the same car, they've actually been separated for over a year. To keep up the charade, they've even instructed their sons, Colt and Timmy, to lie--to their grandparents, their teachers, and their friends.

Colt, for one, has had enough, so he hatches a plan. He and his little brother will run away from their Florida home, head for their aunt's house in Georgia, and refuse to come home until their parents get back together. But when things go terribly, terribly wrong, Scott and Gina must come to grips with years of neglect and mistrust in order to recover their beloved sons, their love for one another, and their marriage.

In this emotional story, bestselling author Dan Walsh takes you on a journey to rediscover the things that matter most in life--love, truth, and family. With profound insight into the heart of a hurting child, he reminds us that a time will come to look back on hard times and smile, because we'll know that what follows after . . . is not what we expected at all.

My Review: It's 1962 and the Cuban Missile Crisis is in the forefront of everyone's mind. Everyone except a little boy locked in a dark closet. As a parent, the events of What Follows After were chilling. I can't imagine the heartache of having my child run away and then get kidnapped. Walsh paints a vivid picture of the heartache these people experience through their ordeal. He takes the reader on an emotional ride that will keep you flipping pages. This book is not my favorite Dan Walsh book, but it does rank highly. It is hard not to notice the counseling influence of Gary Smalley, even though he is not a co-author on this novel. There are scenes reminiscent of The Dance, as the lead male realizes his failings as a father and husband.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to readers of christian fiction and fans of Dan Walsh.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

2 comments:

  1. Hi, my 16-year-old son needs to read a book by a Southern author. Would you think this book would appeal to a teenage boy? Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. I think this book would appeal to a mature teenage boy. There is excitement, but it is also coming from an adult point of view.

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