"Now and Then and Always" by Melissa Tagg

[reviewsbyerin]

 


Melissa Tagg fans are in for a treat! Not only has one of our favorites released a new book for the first time in eighteen months, it's a book that goes deeper than any of her others have before. I'm excited to tell you about this book, but you can also check out Melissa's own words about what this story means to her in the interview I did with her earlier this month, and in her release day blog post (with a giveaway that ends June 11!).

This book's hero, Marshall Hawkins, doesn't start off looking very heroic. He's hit rock bottom. He's lost everything that matters to him, including his own self-respect. Crushing, crippling grief makes him wonder if life is worth living. When he stumbles upon an old B&B there's a particular draw to it, and he finds he can't make himself leave.

Operating the B&B is Mara Bristol, a woman who has literally been hiding from the world. The only thing she knows for sure is that The Everwood has been her haven when she desperately needed it, but now that the owner has disappeared and the bills are going unpaid everything is growing uncertain again. Does she have a right to begin making improvements to an establishment she doesn't own? As her needs become known, Mara finds herself being surrounded by the good people of Maple Valley and supported by the mysterious Marshall, who seems to be coming to life again, just as she did when she first arrived at The Everwood.

This book holds a mystery, a wonderful community, moments that made me laugh out loud, and character journeys that show God can bring hope even in our darkest days. The greater the darkness, the greater He can show Himself faithful. Our lives are not easy roads, and neither are the ones Marshall and Mara face. But He's there working, and He can bring restoration to our souls in the same manner that these characters bring restoration to this old building. I loved traveling with these two and getting to know more about the characters whose stories will fill the rest of this new Maple Valley series. I can hardly wait for the adventure to continue!

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.