First things first.
While I am a fan of illustrated or art-text covers like this, I mostly see them on contemporary romance or contemporary women’s fiction, often with an element of humour. Stories that Bind Us is neither contemporary, humorous, or romantic. (If that’s what you’re looking for, check out Kara Isaac or Victoria Bylin.)
Instead, Stories that Bind Us is a typical Susie Finkbeiner novel.
It is set in the “Goldilocks-sized” town of LaFontaine, Michigan, “smack-dab between Detroit and Michigan.” It’s the story of Betty Sweet, wife of town baker Norman Sweet for twenty-three of her forty years. But what starts as a chatty story soon turns into something more serious when Betty’s pleasant life is turned upside-down.
Stories that Bind Us examines grief, mental illness, and racism through Betty’s experiences with her husband, sister, and nephew … and even her memories of her long-dead mother. There’s not an over plot with Things Happening. It’s more a story of life and living, even when life is hard.
Susie Finkbeiner doesn’t write action-packed novels that keep you turning the pages. Instead, she writes quiet novels that keep me thinking about her characters and themes long after I’ve finished the novel.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction thought-provoking historical fiction.
Thanks to Baker Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
About Susie Finkbeiner
Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of A Cup of Dust, A Trail of Crumbs, and A Song of Home. She serves on the Breathe Christian Writers Conference planning committee, volunteers her time at Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and speaks at retreats and women’s events across the state. Susie and her husband have three children and live in West Michigan.
Find Susie Finkbeiner online at:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
About Stories That Bind Us
Rediscover the power of story to open the doors of our hearts
When her estranged sister returns to town, Betty finds herself taking on the care of a five-year-old nephew she never knew she had. In 1960s small-town Michigan, they make an odd pair. Betty with her pink button nose and bouffant hair. Hugo with his light brown skin and large brown eyes. But more powerful than what makes them different is what they share: the heartache of an empty space in their lives. Slowly, they will learn to trust one another as they discover common ground and healing through the magic of storytelling.
Find Stories that Bind Us online at:
Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong
