This was a great book. It is a sequel to the book "Sweet By and By". It took a couple of chapters before I figured out who all the characters were but then it took off at breakneck speed.

It's the story of a woman, Jade Fitzgerald, dealing with pain from the past and desperately focused on the future. She faces her husband's ultimate betrayal of trust which brings into her life a child, the very thing that she wanted more than anything to give him.

In a girls' road trip to take her sick mother home to Iowa, the main characters go on a journey of self discovery, forgiveness, and moving forward. It's not without hiccups when Jade's first love is in the wings wanting to start over and her husband arrives to try and win her back.

This book was fun to read and I couldn't put it down. It was romantic but in a real life way. You could feel the rawness of the characters as they dealt with some big issues that we all face sometime in our lives; like addiction, losing a loved one, facing a spouse's betrayal or dealing with shame from the past.

I haven't read the first book but am looking forward to reading it to fill in some of the blanks.I hope that the author will write more to the saga because she left this reader wanting more!

A beautifully written book written family story that deals with faith, family, love, betrayal and so much more. Even when everything seems to falling apart Jade finds the strength to fight for what she wants and needs. One of those books you just can't put down!

In Softly and Tenderly, Sara and Rachel had me from the first sentence to the unexpected end! The story starts in spring in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, with Jade and her mother-in-law in a favorite old pickup along a rough road. This sets the scene for a turbulent, fast-paced novel. It seems most novels I read these days are about women and relationships, and I am not sure if it is what's out there, or what I am attracted to. Having said that, this one stands out from the rest. Many issues are covered, from barreness, to infidelity, illigemate child(ren?) to big business ethics, but all interconnected in the way life is, and through it all God's mercy is underlying and sure.

These ladies have a way of drawing in the reader with words, and I could feel the jostling of the vehicle, the anger, the pain of a loved one suffering from cancer, the hopelessness, but also the peace. The scenes came alive and when the doe and her babies jump out in front of the truck, your heart about stops together with the women in the truck. When baby Asa calls for his Mom, the heart contracts with sympathy.

The reader will be anxiously waiting for the sequel, and not all issues are resolved in this first of a series.

I received this ebook free from ThomasNelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program for the sole purpose of writing an honest review. I was not required or asked for a positive one. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love Jesus, but I have to confess that I do not always love Christian fiction. Many times while reading Christian novels I find myself thinking, "Cheesy, unauthentic and boring!" and reading about every third page. I really enjoy reading, and I don't want what little time I have available for reading for pleasure to be any of those things. But I really liked Softly and Tenderly. I felt like it was an honest portrayal of what it's like to suffer, feel real emotion and then lay those emotions, feelings and your will at the feet of Jesus. Several of the characters were funny and spirited. I actually laughed out loud a couple of times. There were a few villains as well. This book had enough twists and turns, both in the story line and in the characters' responses to them, to keep things interesting without frustrating the reader. I found myself wanting to hate one character, love another, shake the next one and applaud the next. I took away a few nuggets of truth and an appreciation for the story very nicely written by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck. It definitely gets a two thumbs of from me and I highly recommend it to you. I'll be waiting for the book that follows!

Wow! Wow! Wow! Okay, after reading the first book, "The Sweet By and By", I was hooked! I couldn't wait to begin turning the pages of, "Softly and Tenderly". Now although this book will bring you great blessings, I suggest you read, "The Sweet By and By" first. It is the backbone of this series. It brings you to the heart of Jade and her past. I love the character of Jade Fitzgerald. She is so believable. She is broken and searching. I feel so connected to her. Maybe because I was that girl once. That girl searching for real.

In Jade's world, everything is broken. She wants to escape her real and find solace for just a while. Her husband, her marriage, her in-laws and her own family are struggling. Everyone seems to have secrets, even Jade. The secrets these characters are holding are not only hurting themselves, but their relationships with one another.

Jade is devastated as her mother is dying. A mother she has had a love/hate relationship with all her life. This is one of my favorite parts of the book. I loved watching their brokenness turn to a sweet relationship. It didn't just happen over night. It took time. It took grace. It took the Lord.

Oh, the brokenness these characters feel just tugs at your heart. You want everything to work out perfect for these characters, but that just isn't real life. Things don't always turn out our way, but always and forever, God's way. He has perfect timing and a purpose for every pathway of our lives. Through our brokenness we get His healing and grace.

The character I didn't like? Jade's father-in-law, Reb. I think of him and I just get angry at his meanness. His name just sounds like pride. But I'll be, we still see God's grace and love for even a mean one like, Reb. There are so many life lessons in this book. So much to take away.

I applaud, Sara Evans, for stepping out and taking on the challenge of writing. You go girl! Job well done. I am now a huge fan. Rachel Hauck is already at the top of my favorites list. This book is filled with redemption and grace leading healing for these characters. I cannot wait to finish this series with the third book, "Love Lifted Me", in the fall of 2012.

This book is published by Thomas Nelson.