Strained by his devout faith and her continuing doubts, David and Susanne Carson's marriage is already tenuous when a teenage girl appears on their doorstep. With nowhere to go after her mother's death, Brianna turns to the father she's never known: David. Will the shock drive the Carsons apart---or to God? 320 pages, softcover from Kregel.
The Other Daughter by Miralee Ferrell, begins with a shock and rift growing between characters. Susanne Carson is at home the day of her birthday, waiting for her children to return from school. Her husband David is the boss of his own construction company and away at work. Planning to be home late, he moves their date plans even later into the evening. That was the only thing on Susanne’s mind until the sound of a car racing away brought her out of her dozing and she moved to the door to see what all the commotion is about.
Standing at the door is Brianna, a fourteen-year-old without a mother. All her life she had been told that her father didn’t want her, which had caused many problems between her and her mother. She has only a suitcase, and she claims that she is David’s daughter. Susanne’s mind spirals into a whirlwind of questions and fears.
Throughout the story, readers can see David’s connection with God along with how the family reacts to this unexpected and painful situation. But after the resurfaced memory of his cheating ordeal with another woman back when he and Susanne were engaged, David’s struggle is apparent. Pushing his wife farther from God because of his past mistake, David begs for forgiveness from her and prays that God will show her the way.
During all of this hectic rifting between the husband and wife, their children get to know Brianna and begin to value her. Over time, it’s obvious that Brianna needs to stay, but the parents still aren’t sure.
All in all, the story is well written. The twists and turns that take readers through the novel sustain interest while building suspense and curiosity about what will happen next. It is a clever plot idea, and I must applaud Ferrell’s writing style. This novel I would suggest for teenagers and older, as some of the things that happen throughout the book may not be acceptable for a younger audience. -- Eliza M. Schane, Christian Book Previews.com
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars(5 out of 5 stars)
8 of 23 Reviews Showing:(View All Reviews)
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Linda Pimley (Lyle, WA), November 03, 2009
This author's first book had me emotionally attached from page 1 and wiping tears throughout the rest of the story. The spiritual struggles depicted by the characters could only have been written by someone who understands the process. Writing about timely moral and spiritual issues can be a daunting task but Miralee's background of teaching, speaking and counseling as well as her personal dedication to God has made her a vessel effectively used by her Lord to bless and encourage her readers. Bless you, Miralee, and keep writing!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Jennifer Light (Panama City, FL), April 26, 2009
This one ran all the emotions possible! "I laughed, I cried, it moved me, Bob!" (Larry the Cucumber, VeggieTales) LOL I did, I laughed, cried, got upset with how things weren't going the right way.
This is a great book on looking at how the Lord takes any circumstance and uses it for good. A great example of gentle witnessing, forgiveness and unconditional love.
I truly enjoyed this one.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Linda Rondeau (Malone, New York), February 20, 2009
A knock at the door sends a family into turmoil. What is Susanne supposed to think when she discovers her husband has not been honest with her? If he lied about his chastity before they were married, what else is he hiding from her? If he fathered an illegitimate child, how can she believe his proclamations of Christianity?
As for David, his past has come back to haunt him. Has a youthful indiscretion brought all this? Although his marriage had its rocky moments, things seemed to be going okay until this teenage girl steps on his porch and claims he is her father. Now what? The girl’s mother is dead. How can he prove or deny her claims.
At first, Brianna’s presence is seen as a threat. Could her intrusion possibly bring about a blessing? Miralee Ferrell has penned a wonderful story of how God weaves even our mistakes into a tapestry that only He can design. A good and worthwhile read.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Judy Vandiver (Pearland, TX), February 11, 2009
Wonderful book on a theme that will touch much of today's society. A story of love and forgiveness in a marriage that is threatened by the discovery of the existence of an innocent child. Great insights for parents of step-children as well as all families wanted to exhibit true love. The real story is not about the child, but centers around the very heart of forgiveness. This will always be a favorite for me.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Sharon A. Lavy (New Carlisle, OH), July 27, 2008
A Story With Take-Away Value. I won't repeat what others have said. I saw Susanne grow as a Christian, as a wife, and then as a mother. This is a book I would read over again. It touched my heart. I will read more books by this author.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Mary Cron (Troy, OH), July 01, 2008
This is one of those books you don't want to put down. The story is one that, in some cases, could really be true, and the ending is one that you won't soon forget. My copy will soon be added to our church's library.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Bonnie McKinzie (Garden Grove, CA), June 06, 2008
When a happily married couple with two kids suddenly is suddenly slammed in the face with a 14 year old reality, can their sanity and marriage survive the trauma?
Susanne Carson and her husband David have a marriage that is starting to falter just a bit due to their religious differences. David is so patient, and the reader cannot help but love this guy. Susanne is pretty headstrong, and sometimes I wanted to smack her.
A screech of tires and a knock on the door changes their lives forever when 13 year old Brianna announces her Mother is dead and she is there to stay with her father, David. Suffice it to say that shock and terror were only two of the emotions felt by this family, along with anger, hurt, panic and fear.
David never tries to deny the existance of a one night stand with the child's mother, but he fails when trying to explain to this wife. They both feel he was less than truthful when he kept this little secret to himself.
This is a story so possibly true, with feelings laid out for all to see through reading, that nothing is spared to the reader. One sees the emotional, physical and spiritual side to all the characters who are involved. Accepting and loving describe the children and Grandpa. Confusion seems to dominate their future when Brianna's uncle reappears in their lives. A horrible horse accident throws yet another burr into the already mixed up feelings of the family.
This first of the series is an excellent look at marriage, religion, children, sex outside of marriage and the influence of several family and friends. It also features, plainly, that old saying from the Bible "you reap what you sow"....eventually the cows come home.
I am happy to become acquainted with this new author, and will put her books right up there in my special group of authors on my "must read" list. Thank you Miralee, for this first book, and hopefully a second is on the way.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Shirley Priscilla Johnson (Palatka,Florida), May 17, 2008
This was an awesome read, one that will stay with me for a long time to come, for it truly stirred my emotions right to the core of my existence.
This story was about a couple enduring trials through the unexpected arrival of a young girl at the front door. This young girl would change all their lives as the story unravels of who she is, and where she has come from. Their reactions and interactions as well as their inter most thoughts play out in a emotional drama that will make it hard for you set this book down as the story unfolds.
I felt it was the first book that I have read that really showed life from a Christian perspective.
How, you ask? It showed the difficulties that people not only face in real life situations but also what we struggle with inwardly in our Christian walk. It clearly shows the different mind set between a believer and a non-believer and how that effects our relationships.
I highly recommend this book! It certainly sets a new stage for writers of Christian novels to attain. Excellent!
Shirley Johnson/Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review
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Write a review of The Other Daughter
Author: Miralee Ferrell
Located in: White Salmon, WAj
Submitted: April 26, 2007
Tell us a little about yourself. I'm over 50, married for 35 years this July, and
have two wonderful children, Marnee and Steven.
I'm active at our small church, serving on staff
with my miisterial license and working with
women in a counseling/ministering capacity. My
husband and I are looking forward to full
retirement soon and taking off for a few months
at a time on our 51' sailboat, where my writing
will take on an entirely new creativity. We have
a horse, a dog and three cats that my daughter
and her husband will inherit while we're gone.
Thankfully, they live on the adjoining property
and are animals lovers.
What was your motivation behind this project? A little known fact about our family is that we
lived a situation similar to my story line. We
too had a teen-aged girl, 18 yrs old at the
time, contact us claiming to be my husband's
daughter that we didn't know existed. Unlike
Susanne, I was willing to accept her and take
her into my heart. None of the details of my
story are true, but the story line was birthed
from our finding Tricia and her becoming a part
of our life and family.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I hope my readers will get a sense of the need
for family unity and forgiveness from reading my
book. The story of David and Susanne and their
struggle with accepting Brianna, the young teen
who's dropped on their doorstep should cause all
of us to examine our own motives and responses
to the unexpected 'opportunities' that God
places in our path from time to time.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? The Lord placed a number of wonderful people in
my path during the writing of this book but
there are two that stand out in my mind. The
first is my husband, who encouraged me and urged
me on in my writing journey. The second is my
dear friend Elizabeth, also an author and an
editor, who convinced me I COULD write Christian
fiction when I hesitated to try. Her belief in
my abilities pushed me to open new doors and
explore areas of creativity in myself I didn't
know existed. Thank you Allen and Elisabeth, for
your love and support. Thank you also to the
members of the American Christian Fiction
Writers where I belong...a wonderful group of
Christian writers with many published authors
among their ranks. They've been an inspiration
to many, and to my agent who believed in me from
the first reading of my book, and never gave up.
Thank you Tamela!
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: I have two more books in the works, a sequel to
The Other Daughter that's nearly complete and
hopefully won't be much more than a year behind
in publication, and a romance. It's set in 1885
in Washington Territory and takes place on a
horse ranch...I can't tell you more than that,
but it's going to be a great story and I hope
you'll enjoy my books enough to watch for more
in the future. Feel free to contact me or visit
my web site...
http://w3.gorge.net/miralee/Author.html The
opening scene of The Other Daughter is posted
there so you can get a sense of the story line
and my writing style, then drop me a note or
sign my guest book. I'd love to hear from you!
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