The Two of Us
by Victoria Bylin
Finding a Lasting Love
This was my first read for any Victoria Bylin book, and I
really enjoyed the way she could emphasize her theme of the "two of us" throughout the novel.
Lucy and Mia were very close as sisters, as
Mia had raised Lucy after the death of their mother. They eventually found themselves living in
the same town, Echo Falls. Lucy’s plot
line revolved around her marriage to Sam, a military man. Lucy, young and pregnant, struggled to accept
Sam’s obligations to his job, and her own trust in God’s plans for her.
Mia, a nurse practitioner, felt she had a calling from God to work on a Medical Mission team.
Having been jilted by several former boyfriends, Mia found it difficult
to trust fully in her developing love for Jake.
Jake understood her goal to work at a mission clinic because he, too,
had a goal to develop a camp, Camp Connie, for boys who have lost a parent in
the line of duty. But what about the love they had for each other? The conflicts between all of their dreams meant decisions had to be made.
The stories of Jake and Mia and Lucy and Sam were emotional,
romantic, and interesting to me. But I
think Bylin truly excelled in her description of Jake’s parents, Claire and Frank, as
they struggled to cope with Claire’s Alzheimer’s disease. The frustration of Claire’s repetitious
conversations and forgetfulness in their daily lives was so realistic, and
illustrated the agonizing path of the courageous caregivers who must watch her
so diligently and patiently. The lasting love between
Claire and Frank was very special.
I felt that some parts of the story were a bit too
coincidental, but nevertheless, the book definitely held my attention. It was a quick read because I became so
involved in the characters’ lives that I just had to find out their destinies!
This book was given to me by Bethany House/Baker Publishing
Company for my honest review. This review
reflected my own honest opinions.
