The crises and human emotions contained in Sally John's book Heart Echoes resound within the soul. Some of the struggles her characters deal with are cancer, the death of a loved one, broken homes, and an out of wedlock pregnancy. Her main character, Teal Morgan-Adams is a confident lawyer, mother, and wife, until an earthquake shakes up her life and almost destroys her family.
Teal's struggle with workaholism has created a void between her daughter Maiya and herself. Almost 17, Maiya is rebellious, sassy, and everything Teal was at her age. When Maiya begins to question who her biological father is, Teal knows she's going to have to give an answer eventually. But with her husband dealing with his own problems, Teal questions whether or not it would do more harm than good to reveal the name of the man she had a one night fling with.
While there are topics such as unmarried pregnancy and divorce in Heart Echoes, there is nothing that should concern adult Christians. Teal and her family look at these struggles through a Christian perspective. In the end, too, Teal gives over her worries to God and trusts that God will be faithful (Matthew 21:22).
Sally John writes in a way that readers can connect on a personal level with her characters. The same plot in a less-talented author's hands might have turned out overly dramatic and cheesy, but John has crafted her story very well. The constant mother-daughter struggle, healing sister relationship, and love between Teal and her husband River, are relationships that are depicted realistically, poignantly, and powerfully.
Heart Echoes is good reading for anyone who has ever struggled with family problems and the difficulties life brings. While it is targeted mainly for Christian women readers, anyone who enjoys quality inspirational fiction will love this book. - Katelyn S. Irons, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com
