Emma's Gift (The Wortham Family Series #2) - Softcover

Kelly, Leisha

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0800758579 ISBN 13: 9780800758578

Publisher: Revell, 2003

Synopsis

In Leisha Kelly's well-received novel, Julia's Hope, Samuel and Julia Wortham and their two children charmed readers as they found shelter in the home-and heart-of a grandmotherly woman named Emma Graham.
Now, in Emma's Gift, the Wortham family is struck down by the deaths of two close friends, including their neighbor Wilametta Hammond, just days before Christmas 1931. Wila is the mother of ten children and the glue that holds the family together. In his grief, her husband, George, ignores the children and has no will to live. Sam and Julia step in to help, but how can they manage ten extra children when they barely have enough for themselves? Can George overcome his grief and become the father his children need? And if Emma's nephew takes ownership of her land, will the Worthams be allowed to stay?
Masterfully told from the perspective of both Samuel and Julia, Emma's Gift is an unforgettable story of God's faithfulness and peace and of the seasons of life that shape each of us.

About this title

About the Author

Leisha Kelly is a native of Illinois and grew up around gardens and hardworking families. She and her husband, K.J., have two children, eighteen peaceful acres, and several pets. The author of Julia's Hope, Kelly lives in Clayton, Illinois.

From the Back Cover

"Kelly's smooth voice and well-crafted writing keep the pages turning."--Publishers Weekly, praise for Kelly's first book, Julia's Hope

In a time of confusion,
in the midst of grief,
they discovered something beautiful.

Julia Wortham is a strong woman with a strong faith to match. She and her husband, Samuel, rely on God, their creativity, and the love of their friend Emma Graham to provide for their family in the impoverished conditions of 1931.

But just days before Christmas, the Wortham family is faced with a terrible loss-the death of their neighbor Wilametta Hammond, who is the mother of ten and the glue that holds her family together. In his grief over her death, her husband, George, ignores the children and has no will to live. Sam and Julia step in to help, but how can they manage ten extra children when they barely have enough for themselves?

In the web of emotions and fear, Julia's faith begins to tangle. Why would God take away someone who was needed so much? How can the void of lost friends be filled? But amidst their sorrow, the grieving families discover the unexpected-a gift of hope that will shape them all

Reviews

In her sequel to Julia's Hope, Kelly once again offers a compellingly simple tale of faith, hardship and community during the Great Depression. Using two points of view-those of Julia Wortham and her husband, Samuel-Kelly unfolds a series of events that will leave Julia with more questions about her faith than answers. As her neighbor Wilametta Hammond draws her last breaths, Julia despairs of understanding how a God of love could allow Wilametta to die. More unexpected chaos follows. With Wilametta's 10 children motherless and George Hammond deranged with grief, Julia and Samuel try to pick up the pieces, caring for the children as best they can. But, "We were all broken. Beyond repair, it seemed," muses Julia. "And about to face God's own Christmas without a reason to rejoice." God is in the details in Kelly's novel-from the depictions of how a Depression-era rural Illinois community handles death to her competent regional dialogue. Her characters are multifaceted, including a non-Christian who is particularly endearing (although an expected conversion scene promptly follows). A few didactic passages at the end of the book summarize the message for readers, rather than letting them draw their own conclusions ("I found it's not so hard to love the unlovable..."). However, Kelly's warm descriptions of how friends prop each other up in the midst of devastating circumstances strike just the right note of redemption and hope, which should endear this novel to CBA fiction fans.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Revell
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0800758579
• ISBN 13: 9780800758578
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320