From the highly acclaimed author of The Outcast and The Alliance, which New York Times bestselling author Lisa Wingate called “a book that begs to be savored,” comes an engrossing novel about marriage and motherhood, loss and moving on. When Ruth Neufeld’s husband and father-in-law are killed working for a relief organization overseas, she travels to Wisconsin with her young daughters and … Wisconsin with her young daughters and mother-in-law Mabel to bury her husband. She hopes the Mennonite community will be a quiet place to grieve and piece together next steps.
Ruth and her family are welcomed by Elam, her husband’s cousin, who invites them to stay at his cranberry farm through the harvest. Sifting through fields of berries and memories of a marriage that was broken long before her husband died, Ruth finds solace in the beauty of the land and healing through hard work and budding friendship. She also encounters the possibility of new love with Elam, whose gentle encouragement awakens hopes and dreams she thought she’d lost forever.
But an unexpected twist threatens to unseat the happy ending Ruth is about to write for herself. On the precipice of a fresh start and a new marriage, Ruth must make an impossible decision: which path to choose if her husband isn’t dead after all.
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Jolina is a beautiful writer. Her ability to write about faith without it being in your face is inspiring. Loved this book.
“There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
Ruth Neufield’s life has not only cracked, but there is a gaping hole where her future used to be. Travelling to Wisconsin with her two young daughters, she buries her husband’s remains alongside those of her father-in-law, after the two were tragically killed in an overseas act of terroism. Settling into a Mennonite community there, Ruth and her widowed mother-in-law try to overcome sadness and grief, while accepting the hospitality of Elam Albrecht, her husband’s cousin and a prosperous cranberry farmer.
It’s in this quiet little corner of the world that Ruth begins to walk the road of recovery, not only away from the wounds of a disappointing marriage, but towards the hope of a new kind of tomorrow . . . and then it happens. . . . the unthinkable theft of her happiness.
To say that this book bulges with emotional triggers is an understatement, for the unique plot structure leads the reader along a path that seems almost impossible to navigate, and yet too captivating to abandon. And then the light comes in, shining its brightest through all the cracks and broken places. What a stunning story!
Wow….I didn’t see that coming…..a book that knocked the wind out of me and left me awake contemplating what I had read. The writing is impeccable, the story heart rendering, the ending a twist you will never forget. This is one that will make a mark on your heart and give you a perspective into a troubled marriage and how praying may not change a situation but can change you. I won’t say more as I don’t want to add spoilers. Just know it is BEAUTIFUL! A definite must read.
I was blessed to win a copy of this book from a blog. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
With compelling realism and heart-wrenching emotional twists, Jolina Petersheim pens a unique present-day retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth. How the Light Gets In is not the typical Amish or Mennonite novel that readers are accustomed to find in this genre. How the Light Gets In is a fascinating story of loss, marital discord, redemption, and finding love, with a shocking conclusion that will generate thought-provoking discussions long after the final page. Readers will have varying thoughts on the twists and turns leading up to the conclusion of the story, but that is a true testament to the incredible writing style of Jolina Petersheim that she can evoke such strong emotional responses from the readers. Jolina Petersheim brought me to tears several times throughout the novel, and my heart broke for these characters during the painful situations they encountered, especially for Elam, who easily became a favorite character of mine. How the Light Gets In is recommended for readers of contemporary fiction who enjoy novels filled with powerful raw emotion and authenticity.
I read a copy of this book from the library and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine.
This novel had me turning the pages way past my bedtime. A riveting story with exemplary character development, How the Light Gets In is written with skill and had one of the biggest plot twists I’ve ever read. There is no way I could have guessed the ending. No wonder this book has created quite a stir–and that is all I will say without giving anything away!
This easily competes for one of my top reads of 2019, closely followed by Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner and Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate in 2018. I say competes because of the emotional depth it had me tangled up in with each page. It’s a messy honest view of one woman’s journey of grief to the beginning of wholeness in one gripping novel spanning just a few months time. It ripped me to shreds, had tears coursing down my cheeks, raging mad at circumstances, and asking my own “what-if” questions that nobody has answers for. To say it gutted me is a gross understatement. It left me feeling devastated but wanting more at the same time. The kind of story that sticks with you long after the pages have been closed and echoing through your soul with whispers of truth & light. And absolutely wondering how you will survive the aftershocks. I’ll be thinking on this, contemplating each and every heart wrenching moment, re-living every single poignant situation, and perhaps loving just a little deeper.
Beautiful story: beautifully beautifully written. Good reminder to always let God direct our paths.
How can things get so complicated? How do you make a decision on what you would do?
3.5 Stars
This book (my first read written by Jolina Petersheim) has otten some rave reviews from readers and bloggers I trust, so I decided I had to read it. And it is a well-written tome that throws some unexpected and emotional plot twists at your throughout, continually surprising you.
How the Light Gets In is not an easy book to read. It’s filled with loss, painful decisions, crushed hopes and dreams, and a marriage in disrepair. Yet, it’s a story of life. Of finding a way out of grief. Of living after devasting loss. Of finding a way to survive the pain, guilt, and daily struggles. Not every story has a happy ending. Sometimes a book or watch a movie that makes you hurt and cry is exactly what you want.
However, at the end of this one, I felt used, like Petersheim manipulated my emotions and then said, “Just kidding!” in the worst kind of way. So, my advice to readers is read the book…but skip the final chapter.
Jolina Petersheim paints a visual picture with words that immediately draws you into the story. A modern day story based on Ruth that thoroughly immerses you into all her deep emotional feelings from grief to healing. At times I had tears other times I was saying, “No…No…that can not happen”! I felt I was right there with Ruth seeing through her eyes and heart the pain, grief, the healing and making some very heart rending decisions. This book is a must read!!!! Not a book you will only read one time.
What an amazing book! From motherhood and marriage, to loss and love, this book grips you and is nearly impossible to put down. The characters are so real and the story draws you in and makes you feel….and those feelings run from grief, to happiness, to joy, to anger, only finally to be left stunned. Any incredibly powerful story, How The Light Gets In is not to be missed. Quite possibly the most emotionally charged book I will read for a long time. Thank you, Jolina Petersheim, for a truly magnificent book that touches the heart! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to leave a review.
This story will grab your heart and keep pushing and pulling you in so many directions, you may not know which way is up any longer! Your jaw will hang open again and again…
This was my first novel of Jolina Petersheim’s, but I am hoping to read more. The story flows at a good pace, the characters are well written, and the dialog and conflicts are realistic. I really enjoyed reading about not only Ruth & Chandler’s relationship, but also Ruth & Elam’s and Ruth & her mother-in-law Mable’s.
This story will leave you thinking about marriage & what it means to love another person so completely; about what if & what could’ve been….
I received an Advance Copy in exchange for an honest review
Petersheim’s gentle retelling of the story of Ruth will both stir and settle the hearts of her readers.
Emotional with many surprises and a shocking ending! How the Light Gets In will keep your attention. Ruth is an excellent female protagonist and widowed mother of two small children who is dealing with loss and regrets. Ruth’s mother-in-law has excellent advice about marriage that everyone should pay attention to! You’ll also learn about a modern day Mennonite cranberry farm! I highly recommend How the Light Gets In! I received an advance e-book from the author. This is my honest opinion.
I have such mixed feelings about How the Light Gets In. It is filled with twists and turns but it is a beautifully written story that covers so many emotions. Grief and loss. First love, lost love, second chance love and love reclaimed. There is hurt and a sense of betrayal but there is also forgiveness. Forgiving yourself, forgiving others and the forgiveness that is always available from God. How the Light Gets In is a modern retelling of the Book of Ruth from the Old Testament. Ruth and Mabel are the contemporary counterparts of Ruth and Naomi and both stories relate to the bond of a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law as they grieve for their lost husbands and work together to rebuild their lives. Ruth Neufeld, her two young daughters and her mother-in-law Mabel travel to Wisconsin to bury their dead husbands in the Mennonite community that was once Mabel’s home. Ruth’s life has been completely torn apart by not only these two deaths but also the death of her beloved father just a few months earlier. Now, she must find a way to comfort her daughters, help her mother-in-law and adapt to a lifestyle that she has never known. Her late husband’s cousin soon steps in to help and it becomes very obvious that Elam Albrecht might easily become so much more than a family member wanting to help his aunt and his cousin’s wife.
What follows is a story full of unforseen events and the development of some meaningful relationships. I think that Elam is probably my favorite character. He had never experienced a family of his own and he was immediately taken with Ruth, Sofie and Vivienne. Just as Boaz offered the biblical Ruth a chance to glean the barley fields, Elam encouraged this Ruth to work in his cranberry fields during harvest. It is during these work days that she comes to terms with the fact that she had lost her husband Chandler long before his death; she had become accustomed to living without a husband long before she became a widow. She also begins to see Elam in a different light and to even contemplate a future with him. As their relationship appears to reach another level they share a conversation that sealed my admiration for Elam Albrecht. “Oh, Ruth. I could never not want you. I could never not love you. The problem is I love God even more, and that love makes it impossible for me to compromise you like that.” (p. 251)
There are so many other beautiful passages that I highlighted while reading this book. In one passage Ruth assures Elam’s sister Laurie that she would never hurt him and this is Laurie’s reply. “You shouldn’t make promises that you can’t keep. We’re only human. We can’t love someone without also bringing them pain.” (p. 178)
And finally, Mabel tells Ruth about a time when she also felt alienated from her own husband and how she was able to regain the love that she thought she had lost by changing her perspective. “I focused on God’s love for me, and this awareness caused my heart to expand and my tongue to lose its edge. I became a kinder, gentler person who put my spouse’s needs above my own. We went from being partners to being friends again, and by becoming friends again, we became lovers.” (p. 305)
How the Light Gets In is filled with passages that enlighten and encourage but this isn’t a story that assures a happy ending. In her ‘Note from the Author’ Jolina Petersheim shares the inspiration for this book and her personal experiences that made it even more special. For some readers How the Light Gets In will have the perfect ending and others may find it disappointing but I can assure you that it will make you think and it will leave you needing to talk about it with others. I can only imagine the discussions that book clubs will be having in the months ahead!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but I voluntarily chose to share my opinions in this review.
A-MAZ-ING! This book got me—in a good way. I experienced emotions I didn’t even know I had and reminded me of important truths in the process. It’s a retelling of the story of Ruth, so I thought I knew the basic storyline… but the plot twists surprised me over and over again.
In my opinion, the ending is perfect… so when you pick it up, make sure you read until the very end, it’s worth it!
Ahhh, this book! I’m honestly more of a historical fiction reader than I am comtemporary, but the beautiful cover had me intrigued (am I right?!) so I got an advanced copy on HTLGI launch team. This book has it all- love and loss, healing and grace, tragedy and triumph. Get your hands on this fast!!
Such a beautiful well written story of love, hope, healing, courage, and forgiveness.
Many times we try to write our own story, based on the perspective of the l no we are choosing to look through. It is important we realize how that l be is being manipulated and focused. Is it with our own human mind and hands, or God’s.
We might not always be able to perceive the ending, or see the light in the darkness we may be facing; but God will always show us how to find he light, how to let it in.
Jolina Petersheim writes in a way that brings you into intimate engagement with the characters. Feeling, hoping, and experiencing right along with them. Outstanding Christian fiction novel.
Every emotion I have has been evoked, prodded, and stretched while reading this book. Jolina Petersheim’s careful, tender, yet harsh and disruptive descriptions of Ruth’s loss and recovery have made me look closely at my marriage and my relationships with my children. Am I looking to them to make me feel whole and complete? Am I sulking or becoming angry when I don’t get my way or when the outcome isn’t what I had imagined?
If you’re in a difficult season in your life, if you’re struggling to keep the fire alive in your marriage, if you’re wondering if you have anything left of yourself at the end of the day, if you’re single and dreaming of finding the love of your life, if you’re alive and breathing, you need to read How the Light Gets In.
I stayed up well past bedtime to read this book, and it was well worth the lost sleep.