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Title: It Happens Every Spring (The Four Seasons of a Marriage Series #1)
ISBN: 1414311656
Author:
Catherine Palmer
Gary Chapman
Publicate Date: 2007-01-03
Publish: 2007-01-03
List Price: $12.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $3.39
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $1.05
Amazon Merchant Price: $10.39
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Uneven portraits
I've read and enjoyed many Inspirational/Christian novels that fall into the romance category. But this one is not the most enjoyable I've ever read. I did read it all, to see where it was going, but found it to be very repetitious and preachy.
On the other hand, there were several important life lessons to be learned here, some of which the characters never did seem to get a really firm grasp. Cody is treated well by the authors and the characters, as is Patsy Pringle. Brenda, however, gets lambasted no matter what she does. She wasn't the only one who contributed to the bad and good of her marriage, but her husband Steven is whitewashed to the point of thinking he's the poor, put-upon long-suffering man who just wants a good wife. He doesn't seem to realize he can't expect that without reciprocating, and spending time with his wife.
Depression comes in many guises, and Brenda was fortunate to have good friends and neighbors to help her out of hers; Steve's friends weren't given the opportunity to help him see the errors of his ways. I suspect men who read this book will agree with Steve, while women will tend to see Brenda's side of things more clearly.
I think this is an interesting concept--pairing a non-fiction author with one more well-known for fiction--and using the former's self-help books as a basis for this series. Having not read any of the others--yet--I can't speak to how well they succeed in future volumes. I suspect I'll try at least one more of the series, as the characters and the setting are very appealing. I can't help but hope the women develop a bit more backbone, however. Women are not subservient, and I think it's harmful when they're presented as such. Equal partnerships are much better, and way more fun, especially in a loving relationship.
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2: Can This Marriage Be Saved?
First in a series of four novels, It Happens Every Spring by Gary Chapman and Catherine Palmer does a great job at illustrating the two sides of a marriage in trouble.
Brenda feels lost, now that the children are gone and Steve has immersed himself in his new job. She needs to feel a part of something and she needs attention and support from Steve.
Steve needs physical affection and attention from Brenda, to believe that she appreciates his efforts as breadwinner.
But somehow their timing is all off, their needs no longer mesh, and the longer things go, the farther apart they grow. There was an old magazine series called "Can This Marriage Be Saved?"; we find ourselves wondering the same thing.
A little preachy in a place or two but altogether a good story. Bits and pieces of other marriages in Tranquility peek through and we hope they'll be further developed in the other volumes.
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3: Can't Put It Down
This book caught my attention from the very first line I read, and it just got better and better. The characters were unique; the plot was very suspenseful and it kept building and building. Wonderful story teller, and based on the works of Dr. Gary Chapman. Great combination!!!!
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4: Entertainment That Teaches
I love Christian fiction because you can learn while being entertained. Based on concepts from his non-fiction book The Four Seasons of Marriage, Dr. Gary Chapman joins forces with CBA best-selling author Catherine Palmer to launch The Four Seasons series.
Anyone who's been married or contemplates marriage will enjoy this first book. A page-turner, I read it in It Happens Every Spring in two sittings. An explosion of trouble in the opening sentence sets the stage in this fast-paced novel. Be ready for an emotional rollercoaster ride. You'll chew your nails, laugh out loud one minute and cry the next.
You may also see your own marriage through new eyes. Chapman and Palmer hold nothing back in presenting a gut-wrenching story filled with all the temptations and problems of marriage. Be ready for some unexpected twists in this honest portrayal. Novel Reviews gives It Happens Every Spring a high recommendation.
Reviewed by Ane Mulligan
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5: A NOVEL VIEW OF LONG-TERM MARRIAGE
Fans of Gary Chapman's perennial bestseller, The Five Love Languages, will appreciate this new fictional series, which offers readers an opportunity to see how Christ's love can transform marriages.
It Happens Every Spring is the first of four books, co-authored with award-winning romance novelist, Catherine Palmer. The cozy neighborhood of Deepwater Cove on Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks offers the perfect setting for exploring the various seasons of marriage.
Like the movie, Steel Magnolias, the hub of this quiet community is Patsy Pringle's "Just As I Am" hair salon and tearoom. Here we meet our cast of characters: five women who form "The Tea Ladies Club" (TLC).
Brenda Hanson has seen her last child off to college and faces her empty nest alone, while her husband of 25 years spends every minute on his new, fast-paced real estate job. Lonely, she resents his time away and wonders if their marriage will survive.
A couple of dramatic events lead the TLC women to rally together, with plenty of laughter and tears along the way. Not only is the novel entertaining, I came away with new insight into what makes a beautiful, long-lasting marriage.
-- Christian Women Online Book Buzz
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