Beneath the Night Tree

Everything seems to be coming together in Julia's life. She enjoys her job, likes her college courses, is in love with a wonderful man, and is learning how to be a good mom to her son and her younger brother. When she receives an email from her son's father, her entire world is tilted upside-down. One thing after the other continues to upset the perfect life Julia has always dreamed of and thought she finally had in her reach.

Beneath the Night Tree by Nicole Baart was surprisingly refreshing as far as Christian fiction goes. Much more than just a simple romance, readers will feel the depth of emotion of Julia and her "dysfunctional" but well-loved family. Themes of trust and hope were prevalent throughout. I especially loved the relationship between Julia and her grandmother. I enjoyed the style of writing as well, and Nicole Baart has earned a spot on my list of new favorite authors.

This is the third book in a series about Julia. However, it also stands alone. I highly recommend this novel and will be reading others by Nicole Baart in the (hopefully near) future.

5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Book
Do I have a child? Julia DeSmit knew she would face the question eventually, but she didn’t expect it now. At twenty-four, she is finally content with the way her life has unfolded. A single mother to her son and young brother, she works at the local grocery store while chipping away at a two-year degree. All her free time is spent with her unorthodox family—her boys, her grandmother, and her boyfriend of five years. It’s not perfect, but Julia is happier than ever.

So when she receives the cryptic e-mail from her son’s father, Julia’s world is turned upside down. She hasn’t heard from Parker since he left her in a college parking lot nearly six years ago. But one look at her son—the spitting image of his father—is enough to convince her that, for better or worse, Parker is a part of their story. Faced with this new reality and an unexpected tragedy, Julia begins a tightrope walk between what was and what is, what she hopes for and what will be.

About the Author
Nicole Baart was born and raised in a small town in Iowa, where she and husband now live with their three young sons. After the adoption of their second son, Nicole discovered a deep passion for global issues and is a founding member of a nonprofit organization that works with a church and orphanage in Liberia.

Nicole is the critically acclaimed author of three novels. After the Leaves Fall was published in 2007 and was followed by a sequel, Summer Snow, which was a Christy Award finalist. That was followed by The Moment Between, Nicole's first stand-alone novel.

She also has one of the best author blogs I've ever read. Reading her blog moved this book up in my "to-read" stack. Visit her Web site at www.nicolebaart.com.