One of my favorite series has a new installment! Always on my Mind, by Susan May Warren, is Book #4 in the Christiansen Family series. Highlighting Casper Christiansen this time around, this book brings us back to Deep Haven and places Casper and his older brother Darek together at the resort.
We find Casper returning to wintry Minnesota after a failed attempt at treasure-hunting. Casper's restless attempts to escape the conflict that triangulated his brother Owen, beautiful Raina Beaumont, and him are unsuccessful as he finds himself face to face with her...in her 9th month of pregnancy with Owen's baby. Although Owen's whereabouts have been unknown since Book #3, his presence is very much felt right in the middle of Casper and Raina, who gives the baby up for adoption. A decades-old mystery captivates them, however, just as a new flame threatens to prevent them from ever acknowledging how right they are for each other.
As always, Warren creates believable characters and weaves them into solid plot-lines. For instance, against the central story of Casper and Raina we find Darek and Ivy negotiating conflict of their own as Ivy nears term with their second baby. John and Ingrid Christiansen, the pillars of the family, return from Europe (with daughter Amelia hiding a sad secret) just in time to offer sage advice and assistance to their adult sons. The final few moments of the book leave us on a cliffhanger, anticipating Book #5. And like every book in the series, God's love and perfect direction for each family member's life thread through the pages.
Here is a delightful letter from Warren about the book series. Enjoy!
I received this book for free, in exchange for my review, from Tyndale Publishing.
