By Kelly Bridgewater
It’s been ten years since Payton
Thatcher’s twin sister died in an accident, leaving the entire family to cope
in whatever ways they could. No longer half of a pair, Payton reinvents herself
as a partner in a successful party-planning business and is doing just fine―as
long as she manages to hold her memories and her family at arm’s length.
But with her middle sister Jillian’s engagement, Payton’s party-planning skills
are called into action. Which means working alongside her opinionated oldest
sister, Johanna, who always seems ready for a fight. They can only hope that a
wedding might be just the occasion to heal the resentment and jealousy that
divides them . . . until a frightening diagnosis threatens Jillian’s plans and
her future. As old wounds are reopened and the family faces the possibility of
another tragedy, the Thatchers must decide if they will pull together or be
driven further apart.
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| From Amazon |
My Thoughts:
I have read the Destination Wedding series by Beth K. Vogt,
not her other contemporary women's fiction, even though I do own them. With a
contemporary women's fiction story, I expect to be taken for a heartfelt
journey through something difficult. It could be difficult for me and for the
characters. With Vogt's newest book and first in the Thatcher Sisters series, Things I Never Told You, I was taken for
an emotional journey.
I have a little sister, and we aren't as close as I want to
be. I don't really argue with her, but our lives don't intersect as much as I
would like. She hangs out with her husband, kids, and friends more than me. I'm
a last resort. I understand the dynamics of a working relationship with your
parents and siblings after you move out and move on.
I sympathize with Payton the most. No, I have not lost a
twin sister, nor am a part of twin set. But my mother is a twin, and 2.5 years
ago, I lost my Daddy unexpectedly. I understood her pain. It gripped my heart
at certain moments. My favorite line that smack me upside the head was,
"Nothing's worked since you died, Pepper. I don't know how to do me without
you . . . Don't you get it" (238)? I had to stop and put the book down.
Tears started to flow. I have felt that way every since my Daddy died. I'm not
the same person I was before he passed away. The ultimate question is how do
you move on with your life without that person? Honestly, you don't. I have
learned to numb my emotions toward my Daddy and learn to live without him being
just a phone call away.
As for the plot, I really enjoyed how Vogt dove into two of
the sisters and showed how their hurt and struggles. I really can't wait to see
more internally of why Johanna acts the way she does. There had to have been
something in her past to make her such a control freak. I really enjoyed the
story and finished it one day. I eagerly await the next installment to see what
will continue with these Thatcher sisters. The spiritual element is there, but
Payton is flirting with the idea of God, not a full devotion, which I was
grateful Vogt didn't make her believe in God right away. It is a leap of faith.
Overall, Beth K. Vogt's Things
I Never Told You is a great story of forgiveness and learning to handle
grief. I liked my introduction to the Thatcher sisters, and I can't wait to
learn more about them. I believe fans of Catherine West or Katie Ganshert
should pick up this book and be prepared to have tissues handy.
I received a complimentary copy of Things I Never Told You by Beth K. Vogt from Tyndale Publishing,
but the opinions stated are all my own.
My Rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Where to connect
with Beth K. Vogt:
Where to purchase Things I Never Told You:
Beth K. Vogt's Author Bio:
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| From Amazon |
Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she’d
never write fiction. She’s the wife of an Air Force family physician
(now in solo practice) who said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in
the military. She’s a mom of four who said she’d never have kids. Now
Beth believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” As
a contemporary romance novelist, Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, a
2015 RITA® Finalist and a three-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. Her
2014 novel, Somebody Like You, was one of Publisher’s Weekly’s Best
Books of 2014. In 2015, Beth introduced her destination wedding series
with both an e-novella, Can’t Buy Me Love, and a novel, Crazy Little
Thing Called Love. She continues the series in 2016 with the e-novella
You Can’t Hurry Love (May) and the novel Almost Like Being in
Love(June). A November Bride, was part of the Year of Wedding Series by
Zondervan. Beth enjoys writing contemporary romance because she believes
there’s more to happily-ever-after than the fairy tales tell us. Find
out more about her books at bethvogt.com. An established magazine writer
and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS
International, Beth is also part of the leadership team for My Book
Therapy, the writing community founded by best-selling author Susan May
Warren. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to
discussing the lives of imaginary people, and their youngest daughter,
Christa, who loves to play volleyball and enjoys writing her own
stories.
