It’s
hard to understand love, especially God’s love, when your parents have none for
you. That was the case for Margaret
Hoffman. She just didn’t get it because
she had never seen it. So she was doing
her best to make a way for herself and take care of her younger sister. She held a job, cleaning for Emily Phillips,
and was able to move into a little house on her employer’s property.
Henry
Phillips was more than halfway through college when tragedy hit his family. It left him confused about his purpose and
direction in life, and he made some poor decisions in the wake of that loss.
Through
Emily, Margaret and Henry end up spending time together, and are able to
witness real love between people, both in marriage and in the community. As Margaret accepts the love and care of
those around her, walls are broken down and she embraces them as family. Henry must do a lot of soul-searching to
decide what is most important to him.
From the examples of those closest to him, he is able to turn his life
around, make good decisions, and finish college.
A
character who adds spark to this book is Mayfair, Margaret’s younger
sister. She is a sweet, loving girl,
with a gift of getting into people’s hearts.
She is shy, with diabetes that must be closely monitored, and parents
who don’t understand her. The dedication
that the sisters have to each other is inspiring.
I
loved the author’s debut novel, Miracle in a Dry Season, and as I was
reading Until the Harvest, I experienced the same oohs and aahhs of
unexpected plot twists. It was a treat
to return to Wise, West Virginia, and renew acquaintances with the folks there.
I
received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review,
which I have given.
Sarah
Loudin Thomas is a fundraiser for a children’s ministry, who has also written
for Mountain Homes Southern Style and
Now & Then magazines, as well as The Asheville Citizen-Times. Her debut novel was Miracle in a Dry Season. She
holds a BA in English from Coastal Carolina University. She and her husband reside in Asheville,
North Carolina. She can be found online
at www.sarahloudinthomas.com.
