Sunday, September 20, 2009

The Renewal


Title: THE RENEWAL
Author: Terri Kraus
Publisher: David C. Cook
February 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7814-4890-1
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary

Leslie Ruskin has just purchased an historic building. She plans to use one of the apartments for her and her daughter and rent out the other two, plus the storefront downstairs so pay the mortgage. Leslie and her daughter Ava are struggling to start over after Leslie’s husband divorced her.

Jack Kenyon is also starting over. He is a carpenter, and wants to make owning his own business a go. He is thrilled when Leslie hires him to do the remodeling on her apartments and the store. But, Jack is haunted by his lost relationships and his past failures and is finding it difficult to remain sober.

Leslie struggles to manage as a single mom and a find a job. But he’s thrilled when everything seems to be coming together. But with Jack’s problems, could the whole reconstruction project derail, or will they both find the renewal they so desperately need.

THE RENEWAL is the second book is Ms. Kraus’ A Project Restoration series, but it easily stands alone. I didn’t have the opportunity to read the first book in the series, but I was not lost at all. I enjoyed getting to know Leslie and Ava, and Jack. At times, Jack managed to get on my last nerve, getting drunk, etc. But Ms. Kraus managed to make his struggle realistic so even the most conservative of readers, while not approving, will sympathize with him.

I enjoyed reading THE RENEWAL and am definitely looking forward to reading the third book in this series, The Transformation which came out September 1, 2009. This is not a book to be missed. A truly poignant story that will stay with you. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $14.99. 364 pages.

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