Review: Inspiring conclusion to a wonderful series
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 8, 2014
Reading a Suzanne Woods Fisher book is pure delight! Rich characterization, multilayered plots, unexpected twists, and humor - all combined with spiritual gems - are just a few ways to describe Suzanne's writing. In The Revealing, third and final book in The Inn at Eagle Hill series, we come back to the King and Schrock families - and one of my favorite characters, Jimmy Fisher - in a story that ties up most loose ends and relationships. While The Revealing could technically stand alone, I strongly recommend reading the series as a whole for a much more rewarding reading experience.Characterization is strong:  Naomi King, who always senses things that aren't visible . . . Tobe Schrock, serving out a sentence for withholding evidence about wrongdoings in Schrock Investments . . . the intelligent Mim, a collector of words  . . . Rose & Galen, who struggle with the blending of two families . . . Bethany & Jimmy, whose timing never seems right. For me, one of the greatest strengths is that rather than each book of the series focusing on specific characters, the whole series blends together this great ensemble cast. Suzanne also introduces two English women who contribute to the plot in the most surprising of twists. One character hit the proverbial nail on the head when she said that Eagle Hill was better than a reality TV show.Suzanne never fails to weave in spiritual themes that both challenge and inspire. Honesty, the importance of family, and forgiveness are all key here. But something I find most touching about the Amish is how they see a less-than-perfect baby as a special child rather than handicapped.  How true are Mammi Vera's words to Mim: "Every child the Lord sends is a gift, and even when things aren't as they should be, God can make a way out of no way."And who of us cannot relate to the theme of second chances, of seeing what someone can become in Christ? Rose believed Tobe to be a diamond in the rough, while Galen couldn't get past the lazy and selfish boy he had been as a teen. But it was Naomi who knew firsthand that Tobe was finding God in a federal prison. She "used to love what he could be, now she loved who he was becoming." And when Tobe seemed to be too focused on Naomi for direction, she was quick to remind him:  "No one can ever be another person's center. That position only belongs to God."The Inn at Eagle Hill is a wonderful series, and The Revealing a strong conclusion. While many threads were wrapped up, I felt that several characters' resolutions were left open, so I'm  hoping Suzanne brings us back to Eagle Hill in the future. Highly recommended!Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.