Have you ever come across a book that makes you late? You know, the one you simply cannot put down until you know what happens next? Well, Becky Wade’s ‘Then Came You’ is one of those books.

I have read Christian Fiction in many different genres for about 25 years. Just recently I’ve been studying pretty hard and not had the time or headspace for fiction. Then something strange happened: I lost my appetite for it. Disaster.

Becky Wade is one of my favorite authors. She is a master at the craft of weaving vivid characters into a compelling storyline while making you chuckle and also pointing you to God. So when I noticed she had written a novella as prequel to her new series ‘The Bradford Sisters,’ I was intrigued and grabbed it for my Kindle. I was especially curious as the book was described as an ‘epistolary,’ a story told through written communication.

An epistolary novella

Initially I wasn’t overly sure about the concept, but this is one of my favorite writers and her Porter Family series accompanied me through some of the toughest nights of my life. No kidding there. So I pressed on and then it happened – the rolling snowball effect. All of a sudden, I couldn’t put the book down.

It’s the story of one man and how he has three daughters. I won’t say more about the plot except that it made me laugh, gasp, wince and tear up. I’m not sure how the characters are so real when only shown through letters, cards and transcripts of phone conversations. But even with all that going on we see a story of love, loss and redemption. Unlike many novellas, I didn’t feel rushed or short changed. I was actually pretty upset when I finished it – several weeks to wait until the first full book in the series releases. Fiddlesticks! Then I saw the time and saw my hair – no time to fix it – frizzy day, and it was well worth it!

If you want a great breath of fresh air in your TBR (to be read) pile, need a smile or a good reason for a bad hair day, then I’d highly recommend Then Came You.

And to read my review of the first in the full Bradford Sisters series, Sweet on You, click here…