Seldom do I review two books by the same author back to back, but Cynthia Ruchti’s beautiful words have graced my life for the past two days. Cynthia has the talent to turn the mundane aspects of life into special moments. For example, “Sometimes caring feels like spoiling. Gratitude evens things out.” or “A single, sweet, solemn tear slipped down Hope’s cheek. She smiled through it.”
As Waters Gone By will bring you many more moments and phrases like that one. And what’s not to like about a book where one of the main characters is named Boozie Unfortunate—and is that a story! The scene is Madeline Island, one of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior—the only inhabited one. The heroine is Emmalyn Ross, who has come to the Island because she has no place else to go. Her husband, Max, is in prison serving five years for an accident that cost a homeless man the use of his legs. His crime and the loss of his income cost them their home. Emmalyn, or M, as Boozie calls her, is desperately seeking herself—what she is—what she will be …
Madeline Island is small and like all small communities, everyone knows everyone else. You’ll fall in love with the characters—Boozie, Cora, Nick, Indian Joe, M, Max, Hope, and Comfort—the little dog who wanders from house to house living with whichever family needs her the most. Boozie and the others not only help M find peace, but also teach her she must seek God as well.
No more details—you’ll want to read this book and reread it over and over again. 5 Stars Plus, in my opinion.
I can’t tell you about Cynthia Ruchti any better than she can tell you herself … “tells stories hemmed in hope. She’s the award-winning author of fourteen books and a frequent speaker for women’s ministry events. She serves as the Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, where she helps retailers, libraries, and book clubs connect with the authors and books they love. Visit her online at CynthiaRuchti.com.”
The Litfuse Publicity Group and Abingdon Press graciously gave me a copy of As Waters Gone By for my candid review.
Just finished reading As Waters Gone By by Cynthia Ruchti. Loved it! Her characters draw the reader in by being unique and imperfect. They all have a distinct voice, and they teach readers without making us feel like we’ve been lectured.