When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley intrigued me from the very first page. It pulled me right in and I found myself on page two trying to figure out how it ended.
Miranda, widow and mother of six, finds herself in trouble when an accident forces her to call her estranged brother-in-law to act as guardian of her children. Once Jack arrives and takes charge, he begins to see all the strange things that go on with Miranda and the other families at her church.
I loved that this was not a simple romance but was a complex story involving love, faith, family, authority, and trust. Much of the story is centered around the extreme beliefs of some who call themselves Christians (I would call them cults) and discerning biblical truth versus the religious claims of man. Miranda relied heavily on prayer and fasting in order to hear from God, as well as conversations with godly friends. I wish there would have been a stronger focus on studying the Scriptures as she dealt with different problems. Also, there were a few bits that confused me a little. For instance, at the beginning, I got the feeling that Jack was not a Christian, but later he referred to his pastor and seemed more Christian-like. However, the copy I reviewed was an uncorrected proof, so this may be taken care of in the editing process.
Overall, this was an outstanding novel. I was thoroughly impressed with Meg Moseley's debut novel and can't wait to read more!
5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for my fair and honest review.
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About the Book
Freedom. Safety. Love. Miranda vows to reclaim them--for herself, and for her children.
A widow and mother of six, Miranda Hanford leads a quiet, private life. When the pastor of her close-knit church announces his plans to move the entire congregation to another state, Miranda jumps at the opportunity to dissolve ties with Mason Chandler and his controlling method of ruling his flock. But then Mason threatens to unearth secrets from her past, and Miranda feels trapped, terrified she’ll be unable to protect her children.
College professor Jack Hanford is more than surprised when he gets a call from his estranged sister-in-law’s oldest son, Timothy, informing him that Miranda has taken a serious fall and he has been named legal guardian of her children while she recovers. Quickly charmed by Miranda’s children, Jack brings some much-needed life into the sheltered household. But his constant challenging of the family’s conservative lifestyle makes the recovering mother uneasy and defensive—despite Jack’s unnerving appeal.
As Jack tries to make sense of the mysterious Miranda and the secrets she holds so tightly, Mason’s pressure on her increases. With her emotions stirring and freedom calling, can Miranda find a way to unshackle her family without losing everything?
About the Author
Meg Moseley is a Californian at heart although she’s lived more than half her life in other states. She formerly wrote human-interest columns for a suburban section of the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and home schooled for more than twenty years. Meg enjoys reading books, traveling, gardening, her three grown children, and motorcycle rides with her husband Jon. They make their home in northern Georgia.
