Folks are dying fast as the ash trees in the southern Indiana town ravaged by the heroin epidemic, where Jaycee Givens lives with nothing more than a thread of hope and a quirky neighbor, Sudie, who rescues injured wildlife. After a tragedy leaves her mother in prison, Jaycee is carrying grief and an unplanned pregnancy she conceals because she trusts no one, including the kind and handsome Gabe, … Gabe, who is new to town and to the local diner where she works.
Dividing her time between the diner and Sudie’s place, Jaycee nurses her broken heart among a collection of unlikely friends who are the closest thing to family that she has. Eventually, she realizes she can’t hide her pregnancy any longer—not even from the baby’s abusive father, who is furious when he finds out. The choices she must make for the safety of her unborn child threaten to derail any chance she ever had for hope and redemption. Ultimately, Jaycee must decide whether the truest form of love means hanging on or letting go.
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Oh My! This book is incredible! It’s a story of love, forgiveness, pain, identity, adoption, and the opioid crisis. I could not put this book down. I forced myself to sleep and finish the next day. It is amazingly powerful and I am so grateful I had the chance to read it! I will warn you though, I basically sobbed through the last chapter or two. It’s a moving story and well worth your time!
“It’s the folks who thought the Lord shouldn’t love them that he made a point to love on the most.”
“I just . . . I didn’t know I could love – and at the same time be afraid of – someone so much who I’ve never even met.”
Jaycee Givens is afraid, in fact she has been afraid for years now, following the kind of heartache and tragedy that no child, turned young woman, should have to bear. As if life hasn’t her handed her enough grief, she now bears the responsibility for another, someone tiny and unseen, someone who deserves better than she can give, someone who she will love forever no matter what.
As Jaycee ponders life changing decisions, those around her provide amazing support and kind, generous wisdom; in fact granting her mercy instead of pity, giving her hope; that if like the woman at the well she pleads “I am thirsty”, that the answer will be “All you have to do is reach”.
A deeply emotional read with wonderful characters and profuse amounts of inspiration.
Sometimes when I read a really impactful story, I make a note of the author and keep an eye out for any future publications. Amy K. Sorrells was added to this short list after I read her novel, Lead Me Home. Sorrells has a unique voice and I appreciate how she takes believers to task without getting preachy. This new story, Before I Saw You, takes place in a small town in Southern Indiana caught up in the hope-crushing, life-shattering grip of the opioid crisis. While grieving over the destruction of her family, Jaycee becomes pregnant and questions whether adoption would provide the best chance for her baby’s future.
Sorrells attends to every detail of this story. She draws upon her experience as a nurse to add credibility and gravity to scenes, adds interesting details about Sudie’s hobby of animal rehabilitation, gives each secondary character a purpose, and carefully balances her main character’s head voice (thoughts and prayers) with her interpersonal dialogue. By far, however, my favorite detail is the growth and maturity of Jaycee’s faith. This comes by a variety of means—the Word preached, personal prayer, and godly counsel.
The other aspect of the story I thoroughly enjoyed was what I believe to be a call to action (much like I saw in the author’s previous book). Through Jaycee’s story, readers get a glimpse of how the church can have a positive impact on our communities. As a body, we should be extending grace to repentant sinners and welcoming them into or back into the fold. Additionally, we are reminded to heed the Great Commission and “go” out to rescue the lost instead of retreating into the safety and comfort of our Christian communities. As individuals, committing to disciple and encourage one, two, or many people. While the congregation in this story seems to be on the right track, these principles were best lived out through Jaycee’s neighbor, Sudie. It was this older woman to whom Jaycee could speak about her mother’s addiction, how her boyfriend mistreated her, and the new life growing inside her. This story tugged at my heart and stirred me to action. It’s impossible to read it and walk away unmoved.