Wednesday, November 6, 2019

About the Book

Book: Choices

Author: Jacquelyn Lynn

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Release Date: April, 2019

In a horrifying moment of inattention on a dark morning, lives change forever.

When college student Samantha Lawrence takes her eyes off the road for just a few seconds to send a text, she swerves out of her lane and hits Kevin Wyland as he rides his bicycle. In a panic, she drives away.

After the crash, Samantha tries to find out who the rider is and the status of his injuries. She is shocked to discover that she knows him. Not only does she shop at the pet supply store he and his wife own, they are both regular customers of Joyful Cup, a popular neighborhood coffee shop, and friends with the owner, Joy Shepherd.

Consumed with overwhelming guilt and fear of criminal charges, Samantha decides to do whatever it takes to avoid being identified as the hit-and-run driver. Kevin struggles with anger, bitterness, and a crisis of faith as he embarks on the slow process of recovering from his serious injuries.

As their lives intertwine with increasing frequency, Samantha and Kevin both turn to Joy for advice and guidance. Can she help them find the forgiveness and peace they need?

This is a heartwarming story with a powerful message of forgiveness that will make you smile even as it brings tears to your eyes.

Click here to get your copy.

About the Author

Jacquelyn Lynn finds joy in her faith, family, and friends, and in the knowledge that she is living God’s purpose for her life. In addition to Choices, she is the author of more than 30 non-fiction books including Finding Joy in the Morning and Words to Work By, as well as the meditations in the Christian Meditations and Faith Words Adult Coloring Books.

More from Jacquelyn

The idea for Choices first came to me more than five years ago. Though I’ve written (or ghostwritten) more than 30 non-fiction books, the process of writing a novel was both intriguing and intimidating. Once I voiced my desire, my wonderful husband Jerry Clement became my biggest champion, encouraging and even nagging me along the way as I talked but didn’t write. And when I finally began to write, he listened, offered suggestions, and proofread. Every time I voiced a doubt, he shot it down. As the manuscript neared completion, he designed the cover and supported me through the myriad of details that are essential to finishing and publishing a book. Had it not been for him, Choices would not be in readers’ hands today.

As Choices began to take shape, I realized that Joyful Cup, the coffee shop where much of the story takes place, had many more stories to tell. The next book in the Joyful Cup Story series will be released in 2020.

Have you ever made a choice and it turned out bad? I think we can all say we have made choices that later came back on us. In this story their are several people whose lives interact with each other in a way that will change them forever.

One of the things I did like was the relationship between Kevin and Heather. They have a great marriage and relate to each other very well. They run a pet store which is profitable enough for them to live comfortably. Everyone seems to know them and enjoys the extra care they give each customer. In a blink of an eye everything changes for them one early morning. The accident that almost kills Kevin is devastating and emotions run high. I did like that Heather seemed to be calm during his recovery and was a great support for him.

The two main themes in the book is about forgiveness and guilt. Samantha deals with both of those when she is distracted that fateful morning. It just takes one glance away from the road to cause a person to find themselves in a chain of events that have consequences. I would hope that if I ever hit someone with my car that I would stop and help them. Samantha makes the choice to flee the scene and from there her life is out of control. Her sleepless nights and guilt were taking over and she knew she had to do something. I did find it a bit odd that after she found out who she hit, she would go to Kevin's store and volunteer. Maybe it made her feel less guilty, but I'm not sure most people in her situation would have done that.

The story does a good job of exploring guilt and how it can take over your life. A decision Samantha makes to hide the evidence was a bit much for me. Again I know this is a fictional story but the author may have taken it to the extreme . I do have to counter my statement by saying people do unexpected things when they are overwhelmed with guilt.

I did like how the author introduces Joy and her coffee shop. It is the focal point where several characters go for great coffee and free advice from a woman of faith. I especially liked the interaction between her and Samantha. She also is helpful in directing a few of the characters to God and helping them understand forgiveness.

It is not a surprise in the book who caused the wreck which allows the author to let readers see different reactions from the characters as it affected their lives. Living with guilt or anger is a big problem for Samantha and Kevin. I was anxious to see how the author would tie the story up and felt the ending was rushed and abrupt. The story is a good example of forgiving others and yourself.

"We make the choice to forgive and then we work on it."

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.