My Bookshelf: A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti

Where does a relationship expert turn when his wife leaves him and he can’t explain why?

Josiah Chamberlain’s life’s work revolves around repairing people’s marriages. When his own is threatened by his wife’s unexplained distance—and then threatened further when she’s unexpectedly plunged into an unending fog—Josiah finds that his expertise, quick wit, and clever quips are no match for a relationship that is clearly broken.

Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him. Will what’s left of his faith fail him, too? Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?

 

A Fragile Hope is Cynthia Ruchti’s most recent stand-alone novel, and is a book I have been anticipating for quite some time. Last year, I read Song of Silence and absolutely LOVED it, so I have been looking forward to reading more of Cynthia’s novels. Since I haven’t had any time to really read anything, I haven’t had the chance to pick up any of Cynthia’s older works, but I got excited as soon as I got offered the opportunity to be an influencer for her latest. It was a chance I couldn’t turn down, and I am so, so, so glad that I was able to read this novel. I honestly cannot tell you how much I loved Song of Silence, yet somehow I think that I enjoyed A Fragile Hope even more!

Josiah Chamberlain is far from perfect. I’m not going to even attempt to lie to you and tell you he’s not. But I fell in love with him anyway. Even though he made mistakes—and his wife, Karin, wasn’t the only one who was distant—he has the most caring heart. Through it all, while he doesn’t know what is going to happen with Karin or the truth about their situation, he is faithful, and that says it all. The most important part about his faithfulness, however, isn’t about him. It’s that it comes straight from Christ. Even when it’s painful and that’s the last thing he wants to do, Josiah comes back to Karin. Over and over he is faithful, trusting that someday he’ll get the answers and everything will be explained. He loves his wife, because he knew that Christ demonstrated the greatest act of love, even on the night He was betrayed.

Honestly, this poignant story has taught me so much about love, loss, and what a true marriage should look like, perfectly contrasted with what actually happens all too often. One of my favorite lines—“If she has to ask, I’m doing something wrong”—has stuck with me days later, and I know that even though I have always been taught that neither men nor women are mind readers, there is so much truth to this statement. Husbands and wives should always be looking for ways that they can love each other, striving to meet their spouse’s needs without ever being asked. I know that I will never forget this wisdom, and will even one day hopefully apply it to my own marriage.

All in all, I couldn’t imagine ever saying one negative thing about this book, except…well, it’s far too short! In all seriousness, I truly shouted when I got to the last chapter, because I was nowhere near ready for the story to end, but I suppose it’s better to read a novel you don’t want to be over rather than one that never seems to end. Cynthia most definitely created a page turner with this one, and it has made me even more determined to find time for more of her books in the future. I highly recommend this heartwarming tearjerker as an absolute must-read this summer, or any time, and I promise you could never go wrong with anything written by Ms. Ruchti. I give A Fragile Hope all five bookshelves, a place on my all-time favorites list, and I’m already lending it out to one of my reader-friends. You cannot go wrong with this story!

Happy reading!

Here's a great giveaway!!!

I received a copy of this book through the Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for only my honest review.

To see where I’m linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Cynthia Ruchti and Abingdon Press.