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After Anne
Roxanne Henke
Harvest House Publishers, Inc.
Paperback. 468 pages.
ISBN: 0736909672
Review by Jill Nelson (Read Jill's bio)
How does friendship start? Slowly and gradually as a result of a series of casual encounters? Suddenly on a first meeting? Or can it be born in antagonism? Unlikely friends, Anne and Libby, do it the hard way—a combination of all three.
As Libby says, "If someone would have told me that first night I met Anne that we would end up being best friends, I would have told them they were nuts. Pure and simple crazy. What didn't I like about Anne? It's easier to say what I did like. Her scarf. That was about it. Her canary yellow scarf. If it had been tied a bit tighter I might have liked it even better."
On the other hand, Anne says, "I knew the minute I met Libby she was someone I would like."
After Anne by Roxanne Henke explores the unlikely friendship of these two opposites from its rocky beginning, to its peaks and valleys and, finally, to its earthly end. Along the heartfelt journey, Ms. Henke's tightly written conversational style evokes a firestorm of emotion from hope to despair and back again. After Anne is a "must read" for anyone who has ever had a best friend.
Hard-edged Libby and tender-hearted Anne see each other through some of life's most difficult challenges. Every member of Libby's family is suffering some kind of heartache. Her husband is having difficulties at work, her daughter feels alienated, and her son is experimenting with drugs. But Libby is largely oblivious to the needs of those closest to her because of the walls she has erected around her own wounded heart—walls that Anne's friendship are slowly tearing down. Anne's trust in God, plus her faithful Libby, help her cope with a combination of trials brought on by a workaholic husband, breast cancer, and pregnancy in the midst of chemotherapy.
Then Libby's fear of becoming vulnerable to anyone, even Anne, drives a wedge in their friendship just when Anne's cancer returns with a vengeance. Will Anne's simple faith be enough to sustain her through this dark season alone? Will Libby respond to the Holy Spirit's gentle wooing and overcome her fears in time to help Anne?
As Libby says at the beginning of the book, "After Anne…left, I thought I had two options. One. Go crazy. Two. Die of loneliness. It turned out there was a third option I hadn't imagined. But then, that's my story. Our story."
Keep a box of tissues handy and be prepared to shout "glory" as you reach the end of this richly rewarding book released in March by Harvest House. Ms. Henke is currently at work on her second book in the town of Brewster series.
Copyright 2002, Jill Nelson. All Rights reserved. Used with permission.
| About Jill Nelson: Jill Nelson writes public relations material for the health care complex where she works, as well as free lance articles and devotions. Her regular column for children's ministers appears elsewhere at this site, www.crosshome.com. She also writes much of her own material for her children's ministry at Word Fellowship Church in Appleton, MN. E-mail Jill |
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After Anne Roxanne Henke Harvest House Publishers, Inc. Buy Now! |
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Would you like your Christian book featured here? Send a copy of your book and presskit/bio to: Jason Mitchener 9155 N. 3rd St. #229-2 Phoenix, AZ 85020 Questions? Contact me |