Until the Harvest

Title: Until the Harvest
Author: Sarah Loudin Thomas
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1226-0

“Whatever His purpose is for you, it’s different from anyone else’s. You ponder on what makes you feel satisfied. That ought to at least point you in the right direction,” Henry is reminded of God in Sarah Loudin Thomas’s novel, Until the Harvest.

At three hundred and four pages, this paperback targets those who enjoy contemporary romance with relationship conflicts. With a slang word used twice, topics of moonshine, alcohol abuse, inferences of premarital sex, and having a child out of wedlock may not be appropriate for immature readers. This reviewer wishes there was consistency capitalizing all pronouns of God for reverence.

In this fictional story based in 1975 in West Virginia, college-aged Henry Phillips returns home for Christmas break. When his father passes away in his sleep on New Year’s Eve, the boy becomes angry and depressed, thinking it is his responsibility to maintain the family farm where his grandmother lives.

Twenty-one year old Margaret Hoffman may feel homely and unloved, but she sincerely enjoys helping Henry’s grandmother with day-to-day chores on the farm and caring for her diabetic twelve-year-old sister, Mayfair.

As Henry’s grief grows on what to do with his life, he gets involved with the wrong clan by transporting moonshine. Although he enjoys playing the fiddle with the group, he knows he should not be delivering the illegal drink that gives him the cash he desperately seeks. Missing his father, he begins to question what he wants and why, especially when he encounters Margaret and her confrontational ways.

Meanwhile, Mayfair has a knack for helping those with rough edges as Jesus smoothes the wrinkles away their lives. Often facing episodes of illness, the young girl is the link to many in town that need to find their purpose in life.

Although romantically predictable, the story shows how God’s unending love protects and shelters us, even when we make poor choices. Through realizing our mistakes, He helps heal our hearts and guides us if we listen to His instruction.

Growing up on a one hundred acre family farm in West Virginia, author Thomas is a fundraiser for a children’s ministry while living in North Carolina. As a published freelance writer for magazines and newspapers, this is her second novel.

Thanks to the Book Club Network and the author for furnishing this complimentary book in exchange for a review based on the reader’s opinion.

This review will be posted on the Book Club Network, Bethany House, DeeperShopping, and Amazon with links on Bookfun.org, Godinterest, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

GRAMMARLY was used to check for errors in this review.