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Summary: Christian Book Previews
Review: A moving and powerful portrait of alcoholism and redemption. I could not put the book down and will probably read it over and over. As the product of an alcoholic family growing up in the 50s and 60s, I emphathize with the signs, denial, guilt and despair. The actions and reactions depicted in the novel are truly true to life. Ms. Hatcher has once again presented us with another moving slice of real life Americana by tackling a subject that has long been hidden by the stigma of shame and embarrassment. This novel powerfully points out the ultimate fact: God is in control.
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Summary: Excellent read and a GREAT choice for book clubs
Review: Beautifully written and so timely a topic, Robin Lee Hatcher has again woven a story with characters so vibrant and real that you'll find yourself wondering about them long after the last page is read. Alcoholism is an addiction I've not personally dealt with in my life, but I've struggled with other addictions. In the pages of Beyond the Shadows, I found comfort and a much needed challenge to draw closer to the only source of lasting peace and to the One who can fill the emptiness inside that an addiction never will. Beyond the Shadows is also a great choice for book clubs, as it has an excellent discussion guide included in the back.
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Summary: Beyond the Shadows, a story of hope
Review: Beyond the Shadows is an honest, hard look at the effects of alcoholism on the spouse and family of an alcoholic. Through the eyes and heart of Deborah, I experienced the pain, the roller-coaster rise of hope and plunge of despair over and over as she watched her husband battle his addiction. I cried. I felt her anger. I wondered how much more she could endure. And then I saw God's healing hand work in Deborah's life and faithfully waiting for Gideon when he finally reached for help. This is truly a book of hope and God's grace for anyone dealing with this destructive condition. Robin Lee Hatcher has delivered another beautiful and moving story that typifies her writing.
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Summary: A real tear-jerker...
Review: Beyond the Shadows was an excellent book. I found myself having to stop from time to time just to wipe my eyes. Such an emotional tale! Hatcher did a great job of exploring the myriad of emotions and spiritual complexities that afflict alcoholics (and their loved-ones). This is a must-read for people for whom this is an everyday struggle. Other readers will find the novel enlightening and thought-provoking. A HUGE round of applause for Robin Lee Hatcher's poignant treatment of such a difficult subject!!!
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Summary: Awesome. This is a grabber.
Review: Deborah Haskins is devastated at the death of her young husband of only eighteen months. They had just bought a small farm that was Andy's life-long dream, and now he was gone. Deb felt she had to stay on the farm. It was what Andy would have wanted and she was determined to hang on, to keep his dream alive, despite pressure from her mother to 'move back home.' "This is my home. It was Andy's dream."
When a young man appears at the farm a few months after the funeral, she remembers meeting him briefly at the graveside. An uneasy feeling creeps over her as he approaches. His name is Gideon Clermont, a man who served with Andy in Korea. Deborah learns that, in fact, Andy had saved Gideon's life, and Andy had asked Gideon to come to the farm to help with renovations.
Gideon's quiet demeanor lulls Deborah's caution as he steadfastly sets about fixing things on the farm, working Saturdays. As time goes on, Deborah can no longer fight her attraction. Their romance blossoms and Deborah heals as her grief fades and she looks forward to a new, happy life.
But she discovers her new husband has kept a terrible secret from her, and as it emerges Deborah learns that her healing came with a price. She turns to Christ for strength and guidance as she tries to cope with this new sorrow. When Gideon nearly kills their young son, Deborah knows it is time to make a decision. Has it come too late?
Working through her own painful experiences, Robin Lee Hatcher tells a story of hope and heartbreak, faith and second chances. She has bravely tackled a subject that all too often gets covered up and swept under the carpet. We live through the agony of the non-violent form of alcoholism in the story of Deborah and Gideon. It is hard to know which way you want Deborah to behave as you feel her anger and pain, love, hate and despair. I fell in love with Gideon and I felt myself just as angry, hurt, disgusted and hopeless as Deborah. And sometimes I wanted to shake her for putting up with it as long as she did.
This is Deborah's story, but Beyond The Shadows is told in a unique style, with vignettes as seen through the eyes of her neighbors, parents and her pastor. It reveals how ill-equipped the Christian family is to deal with alcoholism, or any addiction. The truth is, as Deborah discovers, we can only handle it through faith in Jesus and leaning on Him for the strength to cope. Beyond the Shadows is a gripping story, difficult to read at times as Hatcher pulls you right into Deborah's heart, head and life. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Thumbs down
Review: How can anyone say this book is beautifully written?It is A-V-E-R-A-G-E. I did not get involved in this story.
The drama is bland. I did not feel anything hardly, I did not feel a connection or really care about the characters at all.
I did not feel Deb's heartbreak or G.'s struggle. Probably part of my problem is I am also reading GONE WITH THE WIND. Now, THAT is writing. People settle for such mediocrity in their reading nowadays. I give the author 2 stars because it started out promising enough but as soon as G. (can't even remember the guy's name!) said "I like playing the knight in shining armor" or some such dribble, I knew the author was taking me down the doomed path of typical Christian fiction. Plus, I don't know why the author bothered to make it in the 1950's. They could have been "soldier buddies" at any ole time. There is no time period atmosphere AT ALL. It's silly. I don't know how I got sucked into buying it from the Christian bookstore. Henceforth I shall resist EXCEPT JAMIE LANGSTON TURNER'S books. She deserves to be called a "beautiful writer" and she also tackles some difficult issues. Try WILDFLOWER IN MY HEART by JAMIE LANGSTON TURNER
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Summary: Beyond the Shadows by Robin Lee Hatcher
Review: I have read several of Robin Lee Hatcher's books and this one certainly didn't disappoint! I felt like a part of Deborah as she went through the difficulties associated with loving an alcoholic. Having a loved one going through this same thing, I couldn't believe how real everything was to me. This book was beautifully written and as always shows how much we need Jesus to help us deal with the difficulties of life. A MUST READ!
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Summary: Not just about alcoholism
Review: I worried before reading this book, as I have read only Robin's "Coming to America Series." I wondered if the book might feel preachy or have too much Scripture to wade through. I finished the book so quickly, my worries were forgotten! Deborah Haskin's trials and emotions belong to us all. So, too, do the observations and opinions of family and friends, as Robin Lee Hatcher interjects throughout "Beyond the Shadows." It was easy to identify with Deborah as she found new love, making her way through the grief of losing her husband. Her pain and disillusion were very real as she came to grips with Gideon's alcoholism. And there is something universal about the temptation to pull away from one's faith. Robin Lee Hatcher's books take me to a place of peace and contemplation. "Beyond the Shadows" lives up to that expectation, and I'll never again worry before reading one of her books.
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Summary: Hatcher keeps it real!
Review: My hat's off to Robin Lee Hatcher. She did a phenomenal job on this book. A problem I have with reading "Christian" authors writing Christian romances is that sometimes, things are too perfect. The authors try deal with real life issues such as alcoholism, but sugar-coat them to make it look like one simple prayer is all that's required, then life will be perfect. The Christian walk is not that way, regardless of the problem faced. Ms. Hatcher certainly conveys that in this book. I felt Deborah's pain at losing her first husband, and her hope at finding another love of a lifetime. I felt Gideon's struggle with trying to keep his problem hid, then his rebellion after being found out. Ms. Hatcher made me care about these people, which not all authors can do. There are no simple answers in this book, no scene where everything is made "all better", but the reader is left with a sense that with God's help, these two people are going to give it all they've got, and try to salvage a life together. This is a book that will make you think. Don't try to fly through it, but take your time and savor what most definitely has been a labor of love from Ms. Hatcher. And if you like Ms. Hatcher's books and are looking for another great read, try "Forever Rose".
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Summary: Christian Book Previews
Review: Robin Lee Hatcher tackles a tough subject with great honesty in Beyond the Shadows. A widow, still grieving, finds comfort with her husband's friend. Comfort turns to love. The early part of the story concerns a couple who are together for the wrong reasons, and is enough of a subject to explore. Now that they are married, they must go forward, but are they outside the will of God? How do they heal from their grief when guilt is laced through the new relationship? How can a new husband fight the ghost of a perfect first love? Hatcher is delving into a darker subject, though. Deborah discovers that she's married to an alcoholic. Her new husband Gideon, a sweet, sensitive charmer, turns to drinking when life gets unpleasant. Eventually he begins to drink all the time. Through Deborah, we watch the phases of living with an alcoholic: the denial, the lies, the bitterness, the anger and blame. Hatcher doesn't let her characters off with easy answers, but she does offer hope in the end. As always, her writing is compelling and her characters have depth. She doesn't flinch from hard truths and she never forgets to entertain. Beyond the Shadows is an excellent, intense study of alcoholism and the price people sometimes have to pay for love. - Mary Connealy, Christian Book Previews.com
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