Saturday, September 21, 2019

"The Words Between Us" by Erin Bartels -- Book Review

About the Book 


Robin Windsor has spent most of her life under an assumed name, running from her family's ignominious past. She thought she'd finally found sanctuary in her rather unremarkable used bookstore just up the street from the marina in River City, Michigan. But the store is struggling and the past is hot on her heels.

When she receives an eerily familiar book in the mail on the morning of her father's scheduled execution, Robin is thrown back to the long-lost summer she met Peter Flynt, the perfect boy who ruined everything. That book--a first edition Catcher in the Rye--is soon followed by the other books she shared with Peter nearly twenty years ago, with one arriving in the mail each day. But why would Peter be making contact after all these years? And why does she have a sinking feeling that she's about to be exposed all over again?


My Thoughts

This is the first book I've read by Erin Bartels but I was aware of her since I have attended the same writers conference as her. I was pulled into the story right from the startcand read it in a day. Erin Bartels' writing voice is unique which was refreshing. The story goes between "now" and "then" in such a way that you learn things about the characters as you go along. There isn't much of a spiritual thread, which disappointed me a little. It was mostly the main character questioning if there is a God, but not much else so I would call this a clean read rather than a Christian book. I felt the story was well written and it flowed well. The characters were realistic and flawed. The fact that the book takes place in Michigan, it was fun to have things that I am familiar with mentioned in the book.  I would like to read more books by Erin Bartels.

About the Author 

Erin BartelsERIN BARTELS is the author of WE HOPE FOR BETTER THINGS and THE WORDS BETWEEN US. She lives in the beautiful, water-defined state of Michigan where she is never more than a ninety minute drive from one of the Great Lakes or six miles from an inland lake, river, or stream. She grew up in the Bay City area waiting for freighters and sailboats at drawbridges and watching the best 4th of July fireworks displays in the nation. She spent her college and young married years in Grand Rapids feeling decidedly not-Dutch. She currently lives with her husband and son in Lansing, nestled somewhere between angry protesters on the Capitol lawn and couch-burning frat boys at Michigan State University. And yet, she claims it is really quite peaceful.

Erin is represented by Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency. Find her on Facebook @ErinBartelsAuthor, on Twitter @ErinLBartels, or on Instagram @erinbartelswrites.
"The Words Between Us" is available in paperback:
  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Revell (September 3, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0800734920
  • ISBN-13: 978-0800734923
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches

and in Kindle edition:
  • File Size: 9476 KB
  • Print Length: 374 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0800737113
  • Publisher: Revell (September 3, 2019)
  • Publication Date: September 3, 2019
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B07PYXNC33

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review. 

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