In Search of Eden

I was compelled to write a review on this story because I purchased it based on the 5 star reviews. I seriously wonder if all of these people were friends of the author. The author's writing style is very sophomoric. (ie. She sat down. She was happy. She got up then.) There was hardly any dialog in the book that went past 2 sentences. It's very simplistically written. I felt like this was a book you'd be required to read in high school, as it's at that maturity level. There is a good deal of prayer in the book, but I didn't find that bothersome, as it fit in with the story - others may have a problem with this. (ie. Instead of saying, "she prayed to God that everything would be better", they actually go into the verbiage of what she is praying.) I listened to the audio version and the narrator was not the best either. I could actually hear her taking deep breaths and swallowing. I was able to finish it, so I will give it 2 stars, but I probably wouldn't have if I hadn't spent so much money on the audio version. I'm sorry I did.

Miranda was 16 when her child was given up for adoption eleven years ago. Her relationship with her own mother is not the greatest. She finds a letter giving clues that her child may be in Abingdon, VA so she travels there in search of her. When she reaches the small town, she's noticed by the sheriff who's past rivals that of Miranda's. Together the two form a shaky relationship that strengthens with the friendship of Joseph's 11 year old niece who just happens to be adopted....

So I had seen this book in the bookstore and online for a while and didn't pay much attention to it because I hadn't read anything by the author before. Then one day I decided to finally read the blurb on the back and saw that the story was based in Abingdon, VA. I was shocked! My boyfriend lives there and I have been there several times. I had to read the book now. I wasn't disappointed. What I thought was pretty cool was that lots of places that were mentioned I've either visited or have seen. I could also ask the BF to see if the other places really existed (sorry folks there's no Hasty Taste) and he said that his church is mentioned in the book (under a different name). I really liked the story. I liked Miranda's character and I felt sorry for her and her mother. They did not have a good relationship at all and that can be blamed on Miranda's grandfather. It's sad how abuse has a domino effect and keeps hurting generations later. Eden seemed like a really cool kid and it would be cool to get to know her. I didn't like Joseph at first. He seemed to keep picking on Miranda for no reason especially when he does the extensive background checks on her. But then you read his back story and you understand why he acts this way. It's a wonderful character study.

There were some minor qualms I found with the book, mainly with just the cover. Eden is described as an 11 year old kid who dresses sort of punkish. The girl on the cover looks like she is 5 and dressed for Sunday School. I kept picturing Anna Sophia Robb in Bridge to Terabithia instead (who I think if they made this movie into a book would be a good Eden). Also I was informed by my boyfriend that Abingdon does not have its own postmark. All mail from that area either says Bristol or Washington Country. Other than those quirks, i enjoyed this book and am glad to have found a new author. It's always fun to read about places you've been to (which by the way Abingdon is a charming town that everyone should visit)

I found this book to be a fairly captivating quick read. A bit predictable toward the end, but interesting. I was drawn into the characters and found them to be believable.
All in all, this is a good weekend book, designed to pique your religious interests, but not to preach at you.

I had the most incredible time reading of the journey to finding a full life. I was sad as it came to an end, because of how much I enjoyed reading this well developed story.

Flawed characters looking for redemption and learning forgiveness populate the novels of Linda Nichols. IN SEARCH OF EDEN continues her favorite themes.

Miranda Isabella DeSpain regrets giving up her baby for adoption under pressure from her tyrannical mother. She drifts from town to town, never willing to commit to anything for long and always wondering what could have been. When she begins a search for her child in earnest, she ends up in Abingdon, Virginia, where romance sparks between her and Joseph, a local policeman. Joseph is suspicious of Miranda, especially when a fraud ring begins bilking the locals. Could Miranda be involved? He's not sure, but although his head tells him to move slowly, his heart tells him otherwise. Which will he listen to?

Nichols has put together a cast of characters haunted by ghosts from their pasts. Joseph still carries wounds from his brother, who betrayed him by getting his girlfriend pregnant and marrying her. Miranda desperately looks for the child she gave up under duress. Her perfectionist mother, who caused Miranda so much pain in her childhood and teen years, was stalked by her own dark past, as Miranda discovers once she goes in search of her heritage. David, Joseph's brother, carries tremendous guilt over the wrong he's done to his Joseph.

More angst from the past: David's wife and Joseph's former girlfriend, Sarah, is blocked from loving her daughter, Eden, because of her own fears and old failures. In one particularly beautiful passage, we read:

"She stood in the hallway and listened, and it was almost as if she could hear the old house breathe, and she fancied a what if.... What if she could stop time, could turn back all their breaths until things were at the beginning place again. She could undo all this, but even as she thought it, she knew that would mean no sweet years as well as no bitter ones.... Even as she had named their daughter Eden, she had given voice to that wish. She had been searching all her life for the way back to that place. But she knew the truth now.... There was no going back."

Family secrets, the backbone of many a good novel, serve as the axis around which the story revolves. As Miranda muses, "Everyone had a right to know their roots, no matter how unpleasant an experience it was for the guardians of the secrets."

There are a few trouble spots, including the reliance of clichés (a drunk driving accident, which is a staple in Christian fiction), the overuse of the word "she" beginning consecutive sentences, and a problem with consistency (Miranda's mother has breast cancer in the beginning, referred to as lung cancer later in the book). The reader must also suspend disbelief as the book comes to a close, and several characters separated by the passage of years are thrown together.

However, as she did in IF I GAINED THE WORLD and AT THE SCENT OF WATER, Nichols admirably shows how even the most seemingly unforgivable sins can be redeemed, and how understanding a person's past can illuminate their actions and lead to forgiveness. Readers will especially enjoy the delightful character of Eden, an unusually self-aware 11-year-old who steals the novel. There are also some enjoyable scenes, such as Miranda trying to hold down a job at Mice B Gone Exterminators, which ensures some good laughs for anyone who has ever worked a distasteful job because they were out of other options.

Most of all, readers in search of reminders of grace for their own brokenness and mistakes will find comfort within these pages.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

I enjoyed this book. It is a little slow in places. But overall, a very good book. Miranda was forced to give up her child for adoption when she was 15 years old. Afterwards, she never really settles down. In time, she begins looking for the child.

I can't really say much more, because I don't want to give the story away. This was a Christian book. It had some good messages.

By page 58 I was tired of having Jesus and God shoved down my throat. These people need to have a sevious internal conversation and start having a little more faith in themselves. Very hard to focus on the story when half of the book is bible thumping propaganda.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. 11-year-old Eden was my favorite character. I especially appreciated how the story was resolved and the growth and development of the main characters throughout.

Makes the characters come to life.

Book matched description perfectly!