The Solace Of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts

“Younts has set herself apart with this exquisite story of friendship and redemption . . . I’ll be talking about this book for years to come.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress

In a time of grief and heartache, an unlikely friendship provides strength and solace.

After leaving her son’s grave behind in Montgomery, Alabama, Delilah Evans has little faith that moving to her husband’s hometown in Pennsylvania will bring a fresh start. Enveloped by grief and doubt, the last thing Delilah imagines is becoming friends with her reclusive Amish neighbor, Emma Mullet—yet the secrets that keep Emma isolated from her own community bond her to Delilah in delicate and unexpected ways.

Delilah’s eldest daughter, Sparrow, bears the brunt of her mother’s pain, never allowed for a moment to forget she is responsible for her brother’s death. When tensions at home become unbearable for her, she seeks peace at Emma’s house and becomes the daughter Emma has always wanted. Sparrow, however, is hiding secrets of her own—secrets that could devastate them all.

With the white, black, and Amish communities of Sinking Creek at their most divided, there seems to be little hope for reconciliation. But long-buried hurts have their way of surfacing, and Delilah and Emma find themselves facing their own self-deceptions. Together they must learn how to face the future through the healing power of forgiveness.

Eminently relevant to the beauty and struggle in America today, The Solace of Water offers a glimpse into the turbulent 1950s and reminds us that friendship rises above religion, race, and custom—and has the power to transform a broken heart.

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

This was a very interesting read set in the 1950s when segregation and racial issues were sadly very different that what they are today. A very different read that anything I’ve read before. Delilah and her pastors husband lost their 4 year old son while living in Montgomery. They were not handling this well, especially Delilah. She blamed her older daughter for her sons death, and she just couldn’t understand how her husband could move on with his life of preaching and leading their church. Deciding the relocate and start over, they moved to her husband’s hometown in Pennsylvania near an Amish community. Amish mom Emma and Delilah became friends, as well as Emma and Sparrow, Deliah’s oldest daughter. But no one wanted to tell what happened to the boy. There were secrets on every turn, with both the Evans family and the Amish family.

There is a lot going on in this book. The blended relationship between the Evans family and the Amish wasn’t suppose to happen because in that era and in some areas, blacks and whites didn’t associate with one another. But Delilah-Deedee, Emma and Sparrow needed each other, they understood each other and was able to comfort one another. Each character in each situation played their part so well. I was mesmerized by this story. I had to keep reading so I wouldn’t miss anything that was coming next. There are many twists and turns, many secrets revealed that hurt people to the core. Secrets that were to be kept that way but hurting people have a way of hurting someone else. And having everything out in the open help the healing to begin.

I don’t want to get into anything else happening in this story, I couldn’t do it justice, and it would ruin the read for someone else and I hate when that happens. But I strongly encourage you to read this book, read the difficult situations happening. And also read the love, mercy and grace of the Lord, the redemption through forgiveness that is so powerful in this book. I received this book from TLC Tours to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl and is a RITA nominated writer. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters, and a cockapoo named Fable.

Go to http://www.elizabethbyleryounts.com to learn more.

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