The Way It Should Be, (Paperback)

What a beautiful, yet heart wrenching story! This book is one that once I began reading, I could not bear to put it down. The story centers around three women, Tiff and twin sisters Zara and Eve, whose paths cross and are entwined by addiction and the foster care system. The story wraps you up and pulls you in with the raw, emotional realism of the characters that are involved, including the children, Charlotte and Sammy. The surprising and satisfying conclusions for all the characters make for a stunning ending. Ms. Nelson writes with such strength and grace, never shying away from the difficult themes in her story, but instead using them to show the love of family, the support of community, and the belief that good can come from even the worst of situations. This is a book that will stay on your heart and in your mind long after the last page has been read. I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love this story! Learning to do life with someone who has an addiction, no matter what it may be, can be extremely difficult. No matter how much we love them we cannot change them, they need to make those decisions on their own. We can be there for them, but ultimately we cannot do the work for them. Thankfully God will give us His strength and peace to hold us up no matter the situation we find ourselves in. I received a copy from the publisher, all thoughts are my own.

I was hooked from the first line. "The most beautiful things are those that survive a storm and find their glory in the restoration." This heartbreaking and heartwarming story has themes of addiction and foster parenting woven throughout. Author Christina Suzann Nelson has a way of getting to the heart of the matter without sugar-coating it, yet with compassion and grace. Estranged twin sisters are brought into contact again with all the honest feelings addiction in families bring up. This story gave me a greater appreciation for what an addict can go through, and all who help them from volunteers to case managers, to people willing to hire former addicts to help them get their lives back on track, and to those who love them and their children along the way. And the children of addicts! "How did a child with such a tiny body carry around so much painful baggage?" "Addiction didn't come with an easy path. But hope still existed." The sister Zara who escaped a painful childhood truly has a prince of a husband. They are newlyweds, and together they explore foster parenting with a niece and nephew they didn't know existed. Zara has anxiety when her past comes crashing into her present, she and her sister Eve (in varying degrees) learn to lean on newfound faith. I highly recommend The Way It Should Be!

What a powerful read, one that tugs your heart and doesn't want to let go. Zara and Eve twin sisters had a difficult up bring and now we meet them when they are grown with what is now happening in their lives. One has just gotten married, she and her husband have bought a small farm and beginning their new life together. The other Eve has more or less followed in her mother's footstep, and is now clinging to life. Add to this group a spunky 5 year old girl, and a toddler boy, and a dreaded illness hanging over their heads. I loved how this story unfolded and kept giving, their was fear something would happen to these children, or one of these characters would end up dead. I loved the epilogue, and now I want more information! A phone call? I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

What an emotional roller coaster you are on once you open the first page and delve into the story of Tiff and twin sisters, Zara and Eve. The story will pull you into the lives of the characters and have you invested in their lives. I will say I struggled on who I was rooting for and how I really wanted the book to resolve. There are many facets to this storygenetics, drug abuse, heart breaking loss, love and support, insecurity, self-discovery, and redemption. I found the tears streaming down my face as I experienced life on the street with homeless drug addicts, with a wealthy couple struggling in their relationship, and individuals who are trying to do what is right through difficult situations. And when you factor in two precious children, Charlotte and Sammy, your heart is aching but full of love. I really enjoyed the diary Eve kept so that you experienced her challenges, her efforts, her hopes, and her fears. It was definitely a wonderful description of how difficult it is to struggle with drug addiction. Tiffs experiences with loss and attempting to find redemption was touching. She was a strong and determined woman and her dedication to make a difference in the lives of people on the street as well as her own home was impressive. This beautiful story is another gift by an amazing author. Christina Suzann Nelson has a gift with words and weaves a story that touches you deeply. I hope there will be a sequel because I would appreciate seeing what happens as Charlotte and Sammy grow up and discover what life with a loving family can be like. Thank you to the author and Bethany House Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This is the type of contemporary story that I love to read. While it deals with the hard topic of addiction it does so in a way to help you understand what the characters are going through. Each of the women- Zara, Eve and Tiff had something they needed to learn and realize throughout the story.

Beautifully heart wrenching story. This was a hard story to read and a harder story to put down. Ms. Nelson does a great job of conveying the effects addiction has on multiple groups of people. She tells this story from several angles. This is the story of Eve and how she tries to overcome her addiction to care for her children, Sammy and Charlotte. The struggles she goes through are documented in her journals. Her twin Zara and new husband Chad have a quick decision to make. Their story is told from the perspective of foster parents to their niece and nephew. Another part of the story is told through the eyes of Tiff, a concerned lady who chooses to help Eve personally. Having experienced a great loss, she is trying to live out her Christianity by caring for the helpless and the homeless. She is also trying to move past a tragedy and hold on to her marriage. We even glimpse the whole thing through the eyes of the children and that is very moving. Could there be any deeper connection than to be known? This story is beautifully told but it is a very hard subject to write about and Ms. Nelson does so admirably. *I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

This is a fascinating book about addiction, foster care, family and faith. A hard story written very well.