Book Review: When Sparrows Fall by Meg Mosley

This book was very interesting to read. I know that's a pretty vague description, but it was....interesting.

Meg Mosley tells the tale of Miranda Hanford, who is a widowed mother of 6 children, living in the country, back roads of Slades Creek, Georgia. She was wife to a controlling husband, and also belongs to a church with a controlling pastor. She is an extremely conservative, homeschooling mother, who is overly cautious and protective of her children. When her pastor, Mason Chandler, tells the congregation that it is God's will to relocate the church and its members to another state, Miranda is adamant about staying.

The problem, however, is that she feels threatened by what her pastor could do to her, because he knows her darkest secrets. She feels trapped. In her distress she has a terrible accident, and reaches out for help from her estranged, half-brother-in-law, Jack Hanford. Jack comes to her aid and assists with the children. His love and concern about Miranda and her children grows, but is it enough to protect her from the fear of her pastor?

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The story line is intriguing in many ways. For instance, I wanted to know how Miranda was managing 6 children by herself. I wanted to understand how she came to marry someone who wanted to control her. I wanted to find out why she believed the things she does, what her story is. And  of course I wanted to know why on earth she belongs to a church whose pastor is domineering. Many of these answers unfold at a steady pace. Others, however, are painfully slow in being revealed. The author does a great job of developing the characters, including all 6 of the children. I felt like I could see the characters in my mind and that I got to know them while reading this book.

What I'm not too fond of is the misperception this book may unintentionally give. It describes much about Miranda's conservative Christian views, her peculiar dress, her homeschooling practices, etc. While there is much reasoning given for her actions and even some changes in her behaviors, there are people who have such a negative view of conservative and/or homeschooling Christians. This might add fuel to the fire, so to speak. The other thing I was uncomfortable with was the love interest/relationship that develops between Miranda and Jack. There weren't really any inappropriate details given, however, I found it peculiar for a Miranda to fall in love with her brother-in-law.

At any rate, this book held my interest and I really wanted to know what happened in the end.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. All the opinions expressed were my own.