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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How The Light Gets In by Jolina drew me in from the first word with its twist, turns, and surprises. Jolina writes in such a way that she captures the readers attention and keeps it until the very end. The whole book had me falling in love with Ruth and her girls, Sofie and Vi. I found myself crying with them, laughing with them, and mourning with them. The characters are well developed and feel like friends.
You’ll find yourself rooting for Ruth and her ever changing circumstances as she discovers who she is and how strong she really is. And that surprise ending…
This story drew me in and didn’t let go until the last word. Jolina has a way of truly making characters come alive. From breaking my heart to making me rejoice, this is a must read.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
If you like books with surprises and twists you will not see coming, then this book is for you.
I personally was not fond of the twist in the plot. I do not like to be on an emotional roller coaster when I read a book. I also do not believe this book really paralleled the story of Ruth in the Bible.
That being said, I DO believe this is Jolina’s best book yet. You can tell she truly poured herself into this book. I also can appreciate when an author makes you think long after you finish the last page, and this book did that. If you want to read something different than the same type of cookie cutter Christian Fiction you will not be dissapointed.
Simply put, Jolina Petersheim is a genius!
Not only has she written a book packed full of gospel-infused wisdom, but Petersheim has also shared with readers a heartfelt and genuine story of love, struggle, and sacrifice. Her characters are relatable and I love that we got the story from each character’s perspective. Such depth here! I think I cried through the last 100 or so pages of the book. This story touched me in some of the deepest places of my heart.
With lines like, “In Elam, Ruth had found a refuge when she hadn’t realized she was in need of shelter.” and “Perhaps we mourn what we cannot have.” and “For, yes, absence did make the heart grow fonder, but then, after a while, that shield of self-preservation grew thicker, and the heart forsook fondness for survival and all-consuming love for getting by.”, Petersheim made me think and feel and offered me a clarion call to how I respond in my own relationships.
And the major twist…I didn’t see that coming from any direction! This story of hurting and healing and how sometimes our hurts bring out greatest healing absolutely left me groaning and wanting better from myself. This book is going to be a game changer for so many.
*I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions stated here are my own.
This book sucked me in from chapter 1. Love, loss, grief! With twists I wasn’t expecting. Totally recommend this book to everyone!
Jolina Petersheim paints a very vivid story in this book about love, loss, grief and redemption. While it is very loosely based on the book of Ruth and is definitely fiction, the setting is modern day living colliding with Mennonite traditional lifestyles. The storyline is told beautifully, really making you think throughout the book. There is definitely a surprise twist that I didn’t see coming towards the end!!
This is a beautifully written book that brought about so many emotions. I went from heartache and crying to pure joy just by turning the page. This story stays with you long after you’ve finished the book and touches on so many applicable topics that many of us deal with. By far one of my all time favorites! I can’t recommend it enough! Thank you, Jolina, for writing it!!
This story is heart-wrenchingly beautiful and, honestly, it completely wrecked me emotionally. Seriously, you might need a box of Kleenex, or three, while reading this, and l would also suggest that you don’t read it in a public place -ugly crying might happen- and you’ll definitely need some friend therapy afterwards!
This is the first book that I have read by Jolina Petersheim. I really wanted to take my time and savor the writing, but I couldn’t because I was immediately sucked into this story and I only looked up when I absolutely had to. I literally felt the emotions of Ruth, Elam (definitely my favorite character!) and everyone affected by the events that transpire – the pain, the grief, the choices that needed to be made – all of it. I was so invested in these characters and their story that even when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about them and the choices they made.
This story is not to be missed!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
“There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
Stunning. That is the word that perhaps most aptly describes this incredible book.
The writing was beautiful, and I was thoroughly drawn into the story. I felt the pain and heartache of the characters. I was swept up in Ruth’s struggle and my heart ached when her world fell apart and there was no “good ending.”
The characters were dynamic and multi-faceted, and I really liked them! I know that sounds a little flat, but sometimes it can really be difficult to actually “like” a book’s characters. Not a problem here!
Elam was amazing—the perfect Boaz. He was kind, quiet, and generous. His personality was endearing and though he may not be the “typical” book hero, I thought he was wonderful and fit the story to perfection!
Ruth. Dear Ruth. So much heartache and struggle. So much to overcome, but it was incredible to be able to follow her journey. The lessons she learns as this story progresses are so incredibly powerful—applicable to so very many people! Ruth is an amazing mother, she is kind and loving. And real.
The struggles in this book are real. So many of us have had to face something similar in our lives, and I whole-heartedly applaud the author for taking her own painful story and sharing it with us. Sharing hope.
Now. There is a HUGE shocker in this book! I won’t rob you of the journey by spoiling it now, but let me just echo the words of another reviewer….
Keep Reading. Follow this story through to its stunning end. Even in the difficult parts, keep reading, because I think you will be touched and maybe even changed from the journey.
How the Light Gets In, by Jolina Petersheim, tells a realistic and emotionally poignant story of one family’s journey through serious loss and grief. At times the story is heavy with extremely wounded emotions and very painful truths. Yet, this journey through and beyond despair and heartache is significantly strengthened and uplifted by meaningful moments of grace and gentle reminders that hope, restoration, and healing are made possible through God’s mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love.
This novel bravely and boldly explores the complicated effects of unmet expectations, disappointments, and loneliness that can be felt within various relationships, marriage and motherhood, and I couldn’t turn away. I found the stories and perspectives contained within this novel to be incredibly compelling, because Ms. Petersheim has skillfully crafted believable characters who are vulnerable, flawed, and achingly real. I truly empathized with each one of them in turn, seeing myself, for better or for worse, in each of their stories. I saw my own pain reflected in their eyes. I saw their truths in my own heart.
How the Light Gets In is one of the most thought-provoking novels I have ever read. The questions it raises, and the themes it explores are powerfully intense, necessary, and timely. This well-written novel is gut-wrenchingly raw and honest, yet it is not without hope, truth, and encouragement. It made my pulse race. It made me think deep, hard thoughts. It made me cry. It made me angry. It moved me and shook me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for it.
I found How the Light Gets In to be gripping and authentic. This uncommon love story surprised me, thrilled me, and held me in rapt attention page after page. It is a deeply moving and thoughtfully written novel that touched me through its skillful use of relatable characters, meaningful themes, and excellent pacing. Ms. Petersheim is a truly talented storyteller. She is unflinching when it comes to crafting relevant stories that need to be told. Once again, she has written a thoroughly unforgettable book, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. A review was not required. The review I have written contains opinions that are entirely my own.
This is a beautifully written story of loss, forgiveness, emotionally and glorious uplifting. This is a must read. I can’t recommend this highly enough
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
What a roller coaster of emotions throughout this read, rooting for one and then the other, and most you don’t see coming.
This is a book that once you have consumed it, you now want to reread and savor more slowly.
From the beginning the author has the character showing love and compassion to those less fortunate, and thus for this couple they have their first child within days of their marriage.
The love of a mother for her children abounds here, and thus the center for the story. Sacrifice, but keep on reading, surprises abound.
Make sure to read the Author’s Notes at the end, you can see how she writes with such compassion and love.
I received this book through the Publisher Tyndale, and was not required to give a positive review.
Wow! I think this will be in my top reads for this year. This is my first book by this author and I’m amazed. A very emotional, tender, heartbreaking and inspirational book! Oh my! Chandler, Elam, Ruth and the other people seem so real. The feelings of Ruth and the decisions that she had to make will break your heart. So many things happen and her trying to raise her children without her husband was hard. If you don’t fall in love with this book I would be surprised. An amazing book that you have just got to read. It will take me a while to “get over” this story. I don’t think I will forget it. There are only a few books that I say this about.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
It’s keeping me involved with the story and the characters. I’m not a old order, Amish, Menonite type reader but I am curious to see how the story unfolds I enjoy getting to know all the characters and events.
Reading How The Light Gets In by Jolina has been an adventure of twist, turns, and surprises. The way she writes captures the readers attention and keeps it until the very end. The whole book had me falling in love with Ruth and her girls, Sofie and Vi. I found myself crying with them, laughing with them, and mourning with them.
You’ll find yourself rooting for Ruth and her ever changing circumstances as she discovers who she is and how strong she really is.
Go ahead and hit that purchase button, you’ll be so glad you did!
How the Light Gets In is beautifully written, captivating, tender, painful; a page turner from start to finish. I was completely captivated by Ruth’s story, her grief, her love for her daughters, her future hopes. Ruth’s is faced with heart-wrenching, complicated, impossible choices such that no matter her decisions the people she loves most will be hurt. And life is like that. Marriage, motherhood and moving on. I received an ARC of this book and committed to providing an honest review. Here it is. To my fellow book-lovers everywhere, don’t miss How the Light Gets In.
Compelling story about a young widows journey of forgiveness and healing. You are going to love reading this book.
It is not often that I receive a book for review and finish it within less than 48 hours. However, “How The Light Gets In,” is a rare exception. This powerful contemporary retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth moved me to tears, encouraged my heart and left me breathless with a plot twist I never expected.
Ruth Neufeld has received the shock of her life: her husband Chandler and her father in law, both doctors with Physicians International, have been killed in a bombing while serving overseas. Ruth brings her two young daughters to Wisconsin to stay with Chandler’s extended family on their cranberry farm. Elam, Chandler’s cousin, encourages them to involve themselves in the community around them as they harvest the cranberries. Through the friendship and encouragement Elam and her mother in law Mabel provide, Ruth begins the process of grieving the loss of her husband and reminisces on a marriage with cracks that grew into crevasses. As she begins to move on, tentatively seeking the possibility of a romance with Elam, Ruth’s existence is flipped on its axis by an event no one could see coming.
Ruth must choose between a new, fulfilling relationship and the unexpected–a long distance call that brings another question–what if Chandler is still alive? As Ruth weighs her options and considers her family’s future, which life will she choose? I will not give away any more, just suffice to say there is a HUGE plot twist that will shift your perceptions.
Jolina Petersheim writes in a way I can only describe as lyrical. Her descriptors are lovely and the world she creates comes into stark view as the reader continues the novel. I absolutely adored the characters and their relational waltz. Please also do not miss the Author’s Note at the end of the book. Petersheim writes honestly, with a vulnerability that expresses the struggles of marriage and family in a relatable way. Life rarely ends up how we expect, and “Where The Light Gets In,” is a wonderful reminder of all the possibilities set before us. We have an active role to play in our own stories. Are we willing to do the work to make them stories worth telling?
I was thankful to be an early reader (I read it in less than 2 days, people!!) and was not required to leave a review. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Tyndale House for the ARC.
I started reading this book and had in my mind the way I wanted it to end. So many people were say you wont believe the ending, or they didnt expect that coming. When I got to the end I was sitting there wondering if I read that correct so I flipped back a few and reread. I totally did not see that ending coming or could have even imagined it. It is a book that you will read through very fast and will read again. I was very pleased with the book over all but it does make me want to see another book written to see what else happens.
I was sent an advance copy of this book to read by the Author.
After the death of her husband and father-in-law overseas, Ruth Neufeld finds herself living in Wisconsin with her daughters. Joined by her mother-in-law Mabel, the family takes refuge on the cranberry farm operated by her husband’s cousin, Elam. Ruth and her family are welcomed and allowed to grieve within the loving Mennonite community in which Mabel was raised.
Ruth finds herself working through the memories of her marriage and of the husband she loved. She finds herself working to move forward and make a life for her daughters. She struggles to know what decisions would be best for them.
I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. I hadn’t even read the book blurb. I found myself engaged from page one. The author’s words flow beautifully throughout the story. Real emotion plays out on the pages as the characters live their story.
This story evoked a range of emotion as I read. Not only could I see what was taking place, I could feel it. The characters are developed and easy to empathize with, even if you don’t care for them. The plot contains twists and turns and keep you reading.
I feel like my review doesn’t do the story justice, yet I have some many thoughts that if shared would spoil things for the next reader. I recommend this book. It is not a traditional piece of “Amish Fiction.” It is a story of heartbreak and happiness and the struggles we go through as humans.
I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.
How the Light Gets In by Jolina Petersheim is a 5 star book that sent me through a wide range of emotions, caused me to not want to put the book down, left me wishing it didnt end, and when it did end I sat reflecting on what I had just read. One of the best books I have read in a long time!
Ruth, a mother of 2, and recently widowed wife travels to Wisconsin to bury her her husbands ashes and to figure out what her next steps would be as a newly single mother. Along her journey she allows herself to reflect upon life, love, parenthood and partnership. This journey comes with many ups and downs and a few twists along the way.
I recieved a copy of this book from the author, and this is my honest opinion.