The Widow of Saunders Creek: A Novel by Tracey Bateman
BOOK DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:
A grief that knows no boundary.
A love without any limit.
A need that doesn’t end at death.
Corrie Saunders grew up in a life of privilege. But she gave it all up for Jarrod, her Army husband, a man she knew was a hero when she vowed to spend her life with him. She just didn’t expect her hero to sacrifice his life taking on an Iraqi suicide bomber.
Six months after Jarrod’s death, Corrie retreats to the family home her husband inherited deep in the Missouri Ozarks. She doesn’t know how to live without Jarrod—she doesn’t want to. By moving to Saunders Creek and living in a house beloved by him, she hopes that somehow her Jarrod will come back to her.
Something about the house suggests maybe he has. Corrie begins to wonder if she can feel Jarrod’s presence.
Jarrod’s cousin Eli is helping Corrie with the house’s restoration and he knows that his dead cousin is not what Corrie senses. Eli, as a believing man and at odds with his mystically-oriented family members, thinks friendly visits from beyond are hogwash. But he takes spirits with dark intentions seriously. Can he convince Corrie that letting go of Jarrod will lead to finding her footing again— and to the One she can truly put her faith into?
A love without any limit.
A need that doesn’t end at death.
Corrie Saunders grew up in a life of privilege. But she gave it all up for Jarrod, her Army husband, a man she knew was a hero when she vowed to spend her life with him. She just didn’t expect her hero to sacrifice his life taking on an Iraqi suicide bomber.
Six months after Jarrod’s death, Corrie retreats to the family home her husband inherited deep in the Missouri Ozarks. She doesn’t know how to live without Jarrod—she doesn’t want to. By moving to Saunders Creek and living in a house beloved by him, she hopes that somehow her Jarrod will come back to her.
Something about the house suggests maybe he has. Corrie begins to wonder if she can feel Jarrod’s presence.
Jarrod’s cousin Eli is helping Corrie with the house’s restoration and he knows that his dead cousin is not what Corrie senses. Eli, as a believing man and at odds with his mystically-oriented family members, thinks friendly visits from beyond are hogwash. But he takes spirits with dark intentions seriously. Can he convince Corrie that letting go of Jarrod will lead to finding her footing again— and to the One she can truly put her faith into?
MY REVIEW:
In this book, Corrie loses her husband, Jarrod – a soldier – to a suicide bomber in Iraq. He dies a hero, but she is angry that he threw his life away so impulsively and left her behind to grieve. She stays with her wealthy mother – in Texas – for as long as she can stand it, until she feels drawn to Jarrod's childhood home in Missouri. Jarrod was supposed to return home soon, and Corrie and he planned to live there and raise a family. Jarrod left the house to Corrie and this causes a stir among some of his family members.
Jarrod's cousin, Eli, is doing the remodeling. There is a history between Jarrod and Eli that nobody is aware of, which feeds Eli's long time jealousy. Eli is a religious man. He preaches at the small town church and runs a camp for kids who have deployed parents. He feels an attraction to Corrie but doesn't want to push too quickly. He knows she isn't over the loss of her husband yet, and he has to work out his own issues of envying Jarrod.
Corrie moves into the house and slowly builds a bond with Eli. They become friends. She is overcome with grief, and feels the loss of Jarrod all over again. She believes she can sense his presence, and that her husband returned to the house when he died. Eli disagrees. He feels the house has been haunted for many years because parts of his family dabble in witchcraft and invited these things into the home. Corrie has to sort out her beliefs and what this supernatural presence really is. She has a budding affection for Eli. He supports and encourages her to move forward, to regain her talent as an artist, and to be a member of her new community. She feels guilty about it, and she has to work through all her doubts and misgivings to figure out if she can have a relationship with Eli.
I thought this was a very entertaining, well written story. I liked the characters. The range and depth of feelings Corrie went through were powerful. It is understandable that she would want to believe her husband was still there, that she wanted to hold on to him some how. I enjoyed Lola's part. She blows into town and sets her sights on the handyman – and Lola usually gets what she wants – but he is no pushover. The presence in the house was spooky. If you believe in that sort of thing – which I do – it will hit a nerve. I happen to agree with Eli. Don't invite those things into your home. The way the story came together at the end with Eli in the barn will show you just what happens when you become friendly with an unholy entity.
I did receive this book for free in exchange for an honest review. If you are not averse to paying the kindle edition price, I would recommend reading it.
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