When I Come Home Again by Jennifer Rodewald

Posted by abakersp in Contemporary, Reviews / Spotlights / 2 Comments

Happy Sunday reader friends! I am delighted to share Jennifer Rodewald’s latest release today, When I Come Home Again. Talk about a book that will get to you! I am still thinking about the impact of these characters 🙂

When a family crisis calls him back to Big Prairie, will Craig Erikson be able to work through past mistakes and a tragedy that had sent him searching for a new place to call home?

Brenna Blaum had been sure of three things in her life—her brother, her running, and her dad’s star receiver. But in a matter of a year’s time, everything she’d counted on fell apart, leaving her devastated. Seven years later, she’s stable again. She has a supportive boyfriend, fulfilling career, and close friends. She keeps her past heartache where it belongs—in her rearview mirror. Until the man who broke her heart finds his way back to Big Prairie.

Craig Erikson had it all—popularity, success, and the love of his high school coach’s daughter. But after a year of mistakes that ended in a tragic accident, he’d left Big Prairie—the place he’d thought to always call home—hoping that without his antagonizing presence, Brenna would be able to heal. Now his mother desperately needs him, as do two young boys in her care. Craig has little choice but to return for good.

Unsure that she can forgive him, Brenna does her best to avoid him. Irritated that she ignores him as if they’d never meant anything to each other, Craig becomes determined not to allow it.

Life in a small town forces their interaction, making them confront their unresolved issues and igniting emotions that have smoldered for seven years. As Craig and Brenna are pushed together, can they endure the hard places still littering their lives? If so, is it possible to find their way back to love and home again?

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Jennifer Rodewald sure knows how to write a book that will not only touch your heart, but pierce it at the same time! The thing that I like most about her stories, including When I come Home Again, is they make you think. Think about your life, your relationship with God, and your relationship with everyone. As the characters go through life, you kind of go through it with them. You grow together, if that makes any kind of sense at all.

Brenna and Craig are characters that I easily could connect with. Me and Brenna, well we have that whole resentfulness going on. Or lack of forgiveness maybe is the correct term. I can hold a grudge with the best of them, and it seems that perhaps Brenna could to. But boy did we both learn about the importance of letting go. Have I mentioned that I love Rodewald’s books because they speak to me!? Yeah, I think I’ll find myself rereading this one a few times in my future.

And Craig? Well he had his own demons to move past. But the bravest thing I think he did was return home – something I’m not sure I could do if I were him. So in that respect, Craig taught me a lot. His life dealt him some poor hands during this story, and he had to learn to really make the best of those situations. Again, this was such an inspiration to me. It wasn’t easy for Craig, and nor is life for us. But Craig showed me how important it is to move forward.

A lot of readers just read for entertainment, and I totally get that. But when a book can just speak to your heart in ways that you weren’t looking for, well that is a book that will stay with you for a long time. I highly recommend this book to all readers out there – whether you are looking for pure entertainment (because there are some great moments in this one), or a book that will uplift you, this one has it all.

Jennifer Rodewald

Jennifer Rodewald/J. Rodes lives on the wide plains somewhere near the middle of Nowhere. A coffee addict, pickleball enthusiast, and storyteller, she also wears the hats of mom, teacher, and friend. Mostly, she loves Jesus and wants to see others fall in love with Him too.

She would love to hear from you! Please visit her at authorjenrodewald.com or at www.facebook.com/authorjenrodewald

Have you ever read a book that just touched your heart so deeply?

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