The Way of Grace by Cathy Bryant
In pursuit of justice, in need of grace . . .
A justice-seeking perfectionist pursues her dream of a perfect life in her hometown of Miller’s Creek, Texas. Sidetracked by a desire to be a prosecuting attorney, Grace Soldano launches into uncharted waters, making herself over to please her boss and mentor. Then a disheveled free spirit turns her perfectly ordered world upside down, challenging her concept of personal goodness. A fall from perfection leaves Grace teetering between vengeance and grace, caught in a deadly crossfire that leaves her dreams in a heap of ashes. Can she learn to joyfully accept the life God has given her–far from perfect–but one completely immersed in His grace?
This is the 3rd book in the Miller's Creek series by Cathy Bryant. I reviewed book 2, "A Path Less Traveled" here. Cathy Bryant's website is here.
Here's an interview with Cathy Bryant from her blog:
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a Christ-follower, wife, mom, Nana, musician, teacher, and writer. I
enjoy just about anything outdoors, including hiking, canoeing, camping
and gardening. I also enjoy creative activities—home improvement
projects, scrap-booking, painting, composing, and of course, writing. I
love watching movies and reading books, though since becoming a writer, I
can’t stop analyzing what I’m watching and reading. I’m a big reality
TV fan, my favorites being Survivor and The Amazing Race–both great
material for analyzing human behavior for my books!
Where do you write?
Our little homestead is short on space, so my “writing room” also serves
as a bedroom/library/office. I’m a cheapskate at heart, so my desk
consists of a used bookshelf, two file cabinets, and four wooden crates
which serve as extra drawers. The “drawers” and file cabinets are topped
with MDF to create a desk-top, and a shoe caddy serves as an organizer
for office supplies.
What are you writing now?
I just finished The Way of Grace (book 3 in the Miller’s Creek
novels), which tells the story of Gracie Soldano, a young woman
motivated by justice and the illusion of perfection. Matt Tyler, the
story’s hero, challenges her belief in personal perfection, which comes
in handy when her perfect world is thrown into a tailspin. Through the
course of the story Gracie not only learns that God’s plan is better
than hers, but that His grace is wider and deeper than she ever
realized. I hope to soon get started on book 4 in the Miller’s Creek
novels, Pilgrimage of Promise.
What inspired you to write The Way of Grace?
As with all my books, the spiritual theme follows my spiritual journey.
I’ve battled perfectionism my entire life, and Gracie also struggles
with it. Though her story is different than mine, the issues she deals
with are very much the same.
What do you want readers to take away from this book in particular?
I want them to realize that grace isn’t something we earn. In fact, if
we could earn it, it wouldn’t be grace at all. God’s grace is vast, not
just a drip here and a drop there, but an ocean—wave upon wave of divine
favor—a gift He bestows because of His great love.
Tell us how you come up with characters. The
characters actually introduce themselves to me. (I know, I know,
they’re not real. I promise I’m not certifiable…) After they make their
appearance, I fill out extensive character charts, including taking
online personality tests for them! (Hmm, maybe I am certifiable…) And by
the way, for all you aspiring novelists out there, I’ve just started a
new series on my blog, WordVessel, entitled “Wanna Write A Book?” My
hope is to share with others what I’ve learned about the process of
creating a book.
Of all the characters you’ve created, which is your favorite and why?
Without a doubt the answer would have to be Mama Beth, the wise woman in
all the Miller’s Creek novels. She is everything I want to be when I
grow up—wise, kind, and loving. She’ll be the main character in the
fourth book of the series.
What do you hope to accomplish through your writing? I
want my writing to honor and glorify God. If only one person is touched
and moved closer to God as a result of my writing, then the hours of
hard labor are worth it. One early reader of Texas Roads (the first book in the series) told me the story brought healing to her life. I can think of no higher compliment.
My Thoughts: I loved this book. The character's were well written and the storyline was very interesting. There were several twists and turns I didn't expect. To me, the overall theme of the book was grace and Grace or Graciela was the lead character's name. Grace learned about not only the grace God shows us, but that she (and we) have to show grace to others. Forgiving and helping our enemies, which she learned wasn't easy. But when we provide that grace, lives can be changed. And when we forgive ourselves and accept God's grace, our lives can be drastically changed. One of my favorite scenes in the book was when Grace attended a very small church in a very small town. During that service they sang the wonderful old song "Amazing Grace" and it was neat how she related the song to where she was in her life at that point. As in book 2, I loved that the author was able to teach us more about living for God without coming off as being preachy. I totally loved this book and highly recommend it. And I can't wait for Book 4, "Pilgrimage of Promise".
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the author and
these thoughts and opinions are my own and I am not required to to give a
positive review.
That definitely sounds like a book I would enjoy! Great review, Cathy!
ReplyDelete