Review of Hallie's Heart by Shelly Beach
2008 Christy Award Winner in the "Lit" category
Description:
Trying to prevent her Michigan antique business from becoming a thing of the past, Mona VanderMolen is even more worried about the 15-year-old runaway niece who suddenly shows up on her doorstep! As the two women work through their problems and learn to forgive, will an unfortunate accident tear them apart once again?
My Review:
The main theme of this book is about forgiving oneself. Both Hallie and Mona have things to forgive. Hallie is so pained by her mistakes that she runs away to Mona's beach house on Lake Michigan to try to find answers and escape the nightmares. Hallie's pain is about the drowning death of her sister and the events of the day of Stacey's death. Hallie is not doing well with the pain of the loss and Mona knows it.
Mona is that special aunt in Hallie's life who can reach a place in Hallie that even her mother can't reach. So when Halllie runs away to Mona's beach house, Mona is longing and praying that she will be able to somehow reach her and help her forgive herself. She also is desperate to communicate God's love to Hallie even though Hallie is determined to be angry with God for taking her sister away.
A tender and loving story of Hallie and Mona and their journey toward forgiveness. I had an aunt like Mona too. My Aunt Betty had a way of reaching a part of me and encouraging me in a very special way. Reading this book makes me miss her! She had a beach house in Michigan too!
A touching chance to take a look at the way that God pursues us and gives us his love, sometimes with little things like "musical sand" and chocolate and sometimes with jolting reminders that rock our world.
