Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas

From the publisher:

It's 1954 and Perla Long's arrival in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle.

Casewell Phillips has resigned himself to life as a bachelor...until he meets Perla. She's everything he's sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. As the drought worsens, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith.

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This is Sarah Loudin Thomas's debut novel. While it is true that you cannot judge a book by its cover, it is important for a book to have a good cover design. Readers will be drawn to the soft and natural appeal of the cover. 

As a Christian I was pleased to find the theme of forgiveness woven throughout the whole story. In some Christian novels elements of faith are not emphasized, and instead, the rest of the story takes precedence. But Sarah Loudin Thomas does an excellent job of writing an engaging story that does not skimp on the elements of faith and forgiveness. 

Some readers will feel uncomfortable with Perla Long's gift with food. While this is an unrealistic gift it makes an interesting subplot in the story, and creates the needed tension and drama.

I liked that Casewell had some religious reservations about Perla which would have been realistic for a church-going man in the 1950's. Sometimes novels make the hero and heroin overcome obstacles too easily, but Perla and Casewell had to rely on God to overcome theirs.

Another aspect of the story that was well done were the secondary characters. Their stories were interesting and added to the main story without detracting from it.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.