This is a very good book. I liked it so much that I read it twice. It is a beautifully painted story of love on two fronts. One front is the love a couple has to adopt a child. They go to Russia to seek the child. After tremendous disappointment in going through the process one time, Jared and Vanessa Williams wonder if they'll ever be able to adopt. And Vanessa wonders if she'll be able to bring herself to want to.
The other love story is about a David Valensky, a man from Colorado who is a missionary in Russia. He was a one-time successful businessman who lost his family but not his faith. In Russia, he crosses paths with a beautiful but mysterious orphanage director. She is also not a Christian, and that presents a challenge for David's ministry. The board of the mission David serves under becomes very concerned about his involvement with her. Will that end his ministry?
This book may come across as feel good and predictible to some. And in some ways it is those. But Els Van Hierden weaves a beautiful story that makes all of this of no consequence. She and her husband have adopted a child from Russia, so she knows what she's writing about. Even more, she knows how to communicate the message of the gospel in story form. I look forward to reading more from this wonderful writer!
