By Kelly Bridgewater
Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne has made a name
for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy--but her real life does
not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in
Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own.
But all that changes when she's asked to spotlight her childhood best friend's
missing person case on her podcast.
Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger
daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter
disappeared. But when her husband leaves her, and her older daughter
intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter's
belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds
light on the cold case.
As the investigation moves forward, the two women
uncover desperate secrets, and Faith and Dora must face the long-hidden truth
before they can begin to move forward.
Award-winning author Christina Suzann Nelson
masterfully leads readers on a journey of discovery, healing, and friendship in
this suspenseful and poignant tale.
My
Thoughts:
What
Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson is a
Contemporary Women's fiction novel. I really do not read a lot in this said
genre. Yes, the story will have truths for the readers to learn and grasp onto,
but it really is not for me. The suspense element of the missing Heather from
many years ago is what grabbed my attention. I grew up in the eighties and
nineties. I loved my childhood. Many found memories playing with my best
friend, Robin, and the neigborhood kids. Many hours spent outside. No
electronics. Imagination was our friend and sometimes it got us into trouble. I
feel bad for this generation because they do not do those things. The plot is
told from three different perspectives. First, Faith, the friend for the
missing girl from 1987 and the podcoster, Dora, the mother of Heather, and
Heather, the missing girl. In the plot, readers will be interested in the
movement forward and the healing process of Dora and her family. I could not
wait to see what actually happen to Heather. Of course, this happens in the
last ten percent of the novel, so readers will have to hang on for quite a
while to see the climactic moment. The story is about justice and learning to
forgive and move on. Overall, What
Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson was not a bad story. It was told
nicely and the characters were hurting because of the lost in their lives.
I received a complimentary copy of What Happens Next by Christina Suzann
Nelson from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.
My
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: What Happens Next
About
the Author:
Christina Suzann Nelson in an inspirational speaker and the award-winning author. Her first novel, If We Make It Home, was honored as one of Library Journal’s top five inspirational novels of 2017.
In 2017, Christina was named the OCW Cascade’s Writer of Promise
and received a Cascade award for her novel, Swimming in the Deep End.
Her stories have been published in the Cup of Comfort for
a Better World, Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Families, as well as other
publications.
Christina is over the top about her passions, including
the stories created somewhere in the twists and turns of her less-than-focused
brain. When she’s not writing, Christina serves on the board of the non-profit,
Every Child Linn-Benton, where she has the opportunity to influence the lives
of families and children in the foster care system.
On a typical day, she chases escaped farm animals, reads,
hikes with her dog, and enjoys her husband and six kids.
Multi-published author 
