From the moment I heard about this book, I've been excited to read it. Cynthia is a debut author and her novel's premise sounded great. See for yourself:
When Libby’s husband Greg fails to return from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities soon write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband’s escape from an empty marriage and unrewarding career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn’t died…and if Greg hadn’t been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband’s disappearance…if for no other reason than to free her to move on. What the trio discovers in the search upends Libby’s presumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.
I've had a chance to read Cynthia's prose and become familiar with her voice in the context of her emails to the ACFW e-loop. She has a distinctive, poetic, profound and witty voice. I just knew I'd find that in her writing. And I was not disappointed.
Here's my review:
Add this book to my list of top favorites ever! Make room on the shelf.
There have been few times I’ve enjoyed a novel as much and devoured one as quickly as They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti.
How many times did I permit a three-second pause in voracious reading to exclaim over her delectable prose: “She’s a genius!”? I lost count.
Or choke back a sob, so deep in her heroine’s POV was I?
Or chuckle aloud, even in public?
Or try to balance the need to know with not wanting to miss a syllable and savoring the words?
This novel never disappointed me.
I will be watching impatiently for Cynthia’s name on another cover. Her debut novel is beyond-words beautiful, poignant, poetic and satisfying. Don’t miss it.
Highly recommended!
Note to readers: if you have a Kindle (or the free Kindle for PC app), you can download the Kindle version of They Almost Always Come Home for free right now through this link. Enjoy!
Thanks for the review! I am really looking forward to reading this book. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Annette! This felt like a long-distance hug which I deeply appreciate!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Cynthia. What a treat to read your writer's voice in a book format.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Lynda. Here's hoping you get to read it soon. Enjoy!
This does look soooo good!
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you...I am also Annette...and I have two blogs that I keep going...and a third that I have the domain for as annettesnotes, though I have retitled our family blog Net's Notes for now. (It was our family name...and I decided I should change it for privacy.) Great minds think alike!
Hey Annette W., how cool to connect with you here. :)
ReplyDeleteLynda and Annette, I'm going to enter your names in the contest drawing, hope you don't mind. See post from 6/8/10.
Happy reading!
Thank you, all, for your comments!
ReplyDeleteAnnette W-- I pulled your name from the "hat" so you're the winner at this blog! I've passed your name along to the organizers of the contest. They'll draw a name and send an email. I'll be sure to let you know if you've won the grand prize. (Again, see June 8th post.) Best wishes! And thanks for reading.
ReplyDelete