A slow and gentle stretch toward the light, displaying the power of God’s Word on the journey from heartache to hope.
My rating: ★★★★★
’Tis the season for romance (doesn’t it seem like it’s always the season for romance?). But with this book review, I want to remind you of the gentle pursuit of the Lover of our souls. A novel about grief might seem an unexpected way to focus on that. Yet you may have found, as I have, that the love of Christ often shines brightest in the dark.
I first read and reviewed Tender Grace almost two years ago. I’ve decided to update and repost my review, because I think it’s time I reread this book. Perhaps, after reading this review, you’ll join me?
Not my normal fare
I don’t often pick up diary-style fiction, but this book drew me in right away through Audrey’s real, heartfelt voice. Her grief and “stuckness” were so real, but so was her longing to change. This was a gentle, beautiful, real-life story of moving on, growing in grace, and letting the Word of God do its life-changing work.
The strength of the story, for me, lay in the very relatable and realistic feel of the narrative. We may not have all lost a husband early, but we’ve all experienced grief or loss in some way. It was so encouraging to see the way Audrey turned toward the light and strived to return to a spirit of gratitude.
We may not all have set out alone on a road trip with no destination in mind. But we’ve all met people we wished we could help. We’ve all seen moments of God’s goodness and splendor, tried to do the right thing and failed, and faced challenges that required a choice between grace and anger. And we all need friends who use too many exclamation points but never stop supporting us.
Hearing our Beloved’s voice
But my very favorite element of this story was Audrey’s faith journey. I had qualms about her love for a sculpture of a Native American appealing to the Great Spirit; God and the Great Spirit are not the same. But it served as a challenge to her own walk with God, a challenge I have often needed as well.
While this is not specifically a story about God’s pursuit of us, that’s the feeling I remember from this novel. Like the bridegroom in the Song of Solomon calling his beloved away, God desires to call us to himself. Yet so often we try to hear him in ways other than his own perfect Word.
Not that God can’t interact with us in many, many ways. He does, and I’m thankful for it. But may we never forget that his chosen method of communication is through his Word, made alive to us by his Spirit.
Because of this, I loved that Audrey turned to the Word of God and that it undeniably changed her. I’ve read some Christian fiction where little to no Scripture is included in the characters’ growth. Not so with this book! The Word of God has the power to change us from the inside out. It was beautiful to see that so integrally woven into Audrey’s growth. God drew her to himself through his Word, and she in turn wanted more of it, and it in turn changed her even more. Beautiful.
Where human romance was concerned, I feared the book would veer into rekindling-the-old-flame territory but was pleased to find it did not. The few light remembrances of married intimacy were appropriate to the story, and what other romantic threads existed were very natural and gentle, in keeping with the rest of the story.
Will you enjoy Tender Grace?
If you are currently in a season of grief, I encourage you to tread carefully where this book is concerned. It may bless and encourage you, or it may not be what you need right now. For the most part, though, I would recommend this to any reader who loves contemporary fiction with clear, beautiful biblical themes.
Although it’s not a fast-paced plot due to the diary style and real-life feel of the narrative, Audrey’s emotional and spiritual quest kept me turning pages. All in all, this is a lovely and gentle read, a story of a slow stretch toward the light and a journey from grief to gratitude, from loss to life, from heartache to hope.
And if you enjoy songs to go with your stories, this acoustic rendition of “Hear the Voice of My Beloved” is just as beautiful as this book.
Buy Tender Grace on Amazon (affiliate link)
If you enjoyed this book review of Tender Grace by Jackina Stark, you might also enjoy my book review of Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes. Read the review here on Goodreads or join my newsletter list for book recommendations, a free short story, author updates, and more.
Do you love stories of true faith?
Christian historical fiction series For Liberty & Conscience brings you faith-filled adventures bursting with courageous characters and biblical truth amid the danger of America’s founding. Click a cover for details or see all books here.
Happy reading!
Jayna Baas is the author of Preacher on the Run and director of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network. Learn more about Jayna here or join her email list for more recommendations.