The Sweet By and By

Jade Fitzgerald and Max Benson find their wedding day fast approaching with all the assorted relatives, and past baggage along with the joy, of their special day. Jade thought she left her past behind a decade ago, but when her gypsy-like mother, Beryl Hill, shows up with her younger sister, Jade's old insecurities come barreling to the surface. Can God's grace help to mend her family's broken hearts and somehow meet in the middle before it's too late?

A redemptive story from multi-platinum recording artist Sara Evans.

Jade Fitzgerald left the pain of her past in the dust when she headed out for college a decade ago. Now she’s thriving in her career and glowing in the light of Max Benson’s love.

But then Jade’s hippie mother, Beryl Hill, arrives in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, for Jade’s wedding along with Willow, her wild younger sister. Their arrival forces Jade to throw open the dark closets of her past--the insecurity of living with a restless, wandering mother, the silence of her absent father, and the heart-ripping pain of first-love’s rejection.

Turns out Beryl has a secret of her own. She needs reconciliation with her oldest daughter before illness takes her life. In the final days leading to the wedding, Jade meets the One who shows her that the past has no hold on her future. With a little grace, they’ll meet in the middle, maybe even before that sweet by and by.

Sara Evans has garnered such honors as ACM’s Female Vocalist of the Year, CMA’s Video of the Year, named one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People," and she was the first country star to compete in ABC's Dancing with the Stars. This is her first novel, releasing at the same time as a new album. Sara has said that the redemptive message always attracts her to a given story. It’s the story she’s cares about most in the songs she records and sings; it’s the story of her life; it’s the story she looks for in the faces of those she meets.

“I’ve been a Believer since I was 21. My faith has been everything to me in my life since then. In my marriage, my motherhood, my career, and just dealing with everyday life, God is my constant companion and friend. I find myself praying constantly prayers of gratitude and guidance. As a mom and a career woman, my life is filled daily with choices and decisions to make that will affect lots of people. So I rely on God to guide me!”

In this heartwarming collaborative debut from country music star Evans and Christian romance veteran Hauck (Sweet Caroline), antique dealer Jade Freedom Fitzgerald of Whisper Hollow, Tenn., must make peace with her hippy mama, Beryl Hill, before she can marry her lawyer fiancé, Maxwell Charles Benson. But wait, there's more: she also needs an annulment from an elopement at 16, to resolve her anger at the father who abandoned her, to learn how to get along with a pushy mom-in-law-to-be and take responsibility for a dire choice she made 13 years before. The arrival of Jade's mother and her tempestuous little sister, Willow, before the big day shakes things up further, especially after Beryl reveals an unhappy secret of her own. Comforting in that Southern way and inspirational without being too saccharine, Evans and Hauck's first outing together shows promise. (Aug.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Average Rating:

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Reviewed by Sharon A Lavy (New Carlisle, OH), January 22, 2010

Everyone loved Jade Fitzgerald. She got along with everyone. But just the thought of inviting her mother to her wedding freezes Jades very insides. This book can bring hope to any estranged mother daughter relationship. Healing does not come easy. Healing has a price that must be paid. I especially enjoy a story where family relationship healing is attempted. I highly recommend this book. It is truly a book with take home value.

Reviewed by Jennifer Griffin (Ada, Ohio), January 13, 2010

I recently finished reading "The Sweet By and By" by recording artist, Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck. I really did enjoy this book. The descriptive words drew beautiful pictures on each page. This is the story of Jade. She grew up being abandoned by almost everyone that she loved. As she prepares to marry the man of her dreams different pieces of her past unravel. She struggles to share each piece of the story worrying that Max will leave just as everyone else had. This is not a deeply spiritual book full of verses. She's known of God through her grandma and brother and in the end choses His forgiveness which changes her heart. You can purchase this new book at CBD or at Thomas Nelson's website.

Reviewed by Josh (Berea, Ky), January 12, 2010

I am not normally a reader of the books some would call touchy-feely books. When I saw that Sara Evans had written, The Sweet By and By, I decided I would give it a shot. Having left the pain of her past, Jade looks to move on when she heads to college. We catch up with Jade as she is in the midst of her wedding and a new step forward. Jade eventually sends an invitation to her mother, who shows up for her eldest daughter’s wedding. Jade’s mom has her own issues with a hidden illness and a need to have a relationship with her eldest daughter. Her presence brings back the past the Jade has tried to leave behind. We read along as Jade searches through her past in order to find what she seeks most, a relationship with her father and reconciliation with her mother. This was a different read for me as I stated but I would recommend this book to those who would like to read about love, hurt, anger, reconciliation and how a family can truly live together and not seem like a perfect family. I was captured by the changing twists that I didn’t see coming and had thought it was going another way. All in all, I would recommend this novel to many of the people I know. If you aren’t into the touchy-feely novels this one might still grab you as it grabbed me.

Reviewed by Jade =) (Dallas, TX), January 10, 2010

I am not normally much of a novel reader. I tend to stick with non-fiction, “Christian Living” or biography type books, but the fact that the lead character has the same name as me...and it was written by a musical artist, definitely caught my interest. Sara Evans is known in the music world as a singer/song writer and multi-platinum recording artist, but she is now attempting to take on another form of art... as an author of a novel... actually several. The Sweet By And By is the first in a series and introduces the lead character, Jade, as she is preparing for what is supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Jade has seemingly succeeded to keep her dirty and painful past in the past, even from her fiance, up until just a matter of days before the couple unites in matrimony. Suddenly a flurry of memories, lies, pains and troubles are brought to the surface and despite Jade's best efforts, they must be dealt with including having her free-spirited, hippie mother around with her own secret to reveal. The story is tragically heart-breaking, but as Jade discovers herself and her faith... quickly turns to a sweet story of surrender and forgiveness. As an author, Sara vividly describes the scenes, the emotions and the senses. You are taken through a wild ride of emotional highs and lows in this book, so be ready for it.

Reviewed by amy (Seattle, WA), January 10, 2010

The Sweet By and By its a story about jade and other family/soon to be family. Her struggles in secrets of the past the hurt the anguish of family and keeping the secrets. It all comes out but in this amazing story it all turns out in the end by Gods grace only. This book was really amazing it flowed super amazingly it was one of those quick fast can't put it down kind of books. One that really draws you in loved it a lot. One of the quotes in the book that really got me was “We like to put God in a box, determine when and how He can speak to us, but He can relate to us anyway He wants.” just even that line is so inspiring like this book is. Jade overcomes all of it so well with grace.

Reviewed by Diana Brandmeyer (O Fallon, IL), January 07, 2010

Have you ever listened to a song and thought that would make a great book to read. Sweet By and By is just that. Evans with Hauck has a unique voice that uses the English language in a delightful way. Whisper Hollow is the place Jade has come to escape painful memories. She’s building a new life, getting married and loving the way this life is turning out. Then it begins to crumble. Unwelcome surprises from her past show up on her doorstep, prince charming seems to be a bit tarnished and then there is the pushy mother-in-law to be. Having read several books by Hauck I can see her story telling presence in this book. And as a collector of Sara Evans music I can hear her voice. This was one of those books you want to read again and again.

Reviewed by Jessica (NC), January 06, 2010

Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck's book The Sweet By and By is an interesting tale of love, faith, heartbreak, joy and loss. It follows the growth of the relationship between Jade and her mother, Beryl, from its very roots to present day where Jade is about to be married. The Sweet By and By is a very easy read and you will find yourself wrapped up in the story to the point that you just can't put the book down. I was impressed with how much this book made me stop and think about my own relationships with people and with God. I know this is one that I will be going back to read again in the future. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Jade is speaking with the Reverend who is to marry her and her finance. The Reverend asks if she knows the story of Paul, "...He was a passionate young man in his day, running around Jerusalem arresting and beating Christians in defense of the synagogue. One afternoon, right in the middle of his mission, God dropped by for a visit." Jade tries to tell the Reverend that this is a different era. The Reverend responds by saying, "'But He's the same God. He doesn't change. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever..." What a wonderful truth that is!

Reviewed by Susan (United Kingdom), January 06, 2010

I received The Sweet By and By through the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger programme. The story is about 29 year old Jade who is about to get married to the man of her dreams. It follows her in the run up to the wedding and her relationship with her semi-estranged mother through a combination of "present day" commentary and flash backs to relevant past events. Although I didn't hate this book, it wasn't that great - indeed I only completed it because it is a requirement of the review programme to do so. I realise that it can take time sometimes to set the scene but more than half way through the book I was feeling bored and waiting for it to get to the point. Maybe they were trying to create suspense or something but it didn’t work for me. I felt that a lot of the Christian bits in it seemed contrived almost as if someone had been deliberately trying to find every opportunity to put things in rather than them flowing into the story naturally. When the story ended, I wasn't satisfied. The story was complete and it stopped at a natural point but it just all seemed to end a little too nicely especially considering what had gone before. It was just all a bit too syrupy for me. Perhaps if you like reading "chick-lit" you would enjoy it but it wasn't really for me and I would hesitate to recommend it.

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