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BOOK REVIEW: Concessions
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by: Laura V. Hilton Dancing Word Reviewer
Title: Concessions Author: Debbie DiGiovanni Publisher: River Oak ISBN: 1-58919-022-X Genre: Inspirational/Contemporary/Fiction
Karan LaRue’s picture-perfect life in Alaska is shattered when her husband, Jack, decides that he’s tired of the seemingly endless cold days and hard work that their Alaskan life demands. At Karan’s insistence, he goes to California to visit his cousin, Bradford, and comes back with a job offer. Karan tries to talk Jack about this rash decision, but Jack refuses to listen, instead he sells his business and his car and rents out their house.
Once in California, Karan tries to adjust. But how does a woman understand a man who thought that his own business was hard work when he only worked normal hours—and now works fourteen hour days for someone else? And what about when this same man comes home with not one, but two new cars, a mountain bike, and other expensive equipment that are only used once or twice then stuck in a closet?
With her husband’s character changing from the loveable man she married to a rude stranger who barely remembers her name, Karan isn’t sure how to cope. Especially when Jack starts questioning her about every little thing she buys—when he continues to spend money impulsively. Is Karen’s faith strong enough to believe that her husband will come through this crisis? Will she adjust to California—or will God let her return home to Alaska?
Concessions is an interesting book about a married couple when the man starts experiencing a sudden mid-life crisis. I think Karan is more understanding of her husband than I would have been in the same situation. I found it hard to believe she wasn’t even tempted to pack her bags and leave him. Instead, Karan demonstrates true Christian love in an effort to win her husband back to God and reality.
The story is more telling than showing, and I think it would have been easier to relate to the characters if we weren’t told so much. As a result, the book, while good, didn’t hold my interest the way it could have if it would have been written with more showing. Still, Concessions is a good book for married couples to read to help them over the rough parts of their marital journey. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book.
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