Review and Giveaway: Jilted by Varina Denman

About the book:

Jilted (David C. Cook, June 2016)

Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago.

Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.

Jilted tells of a woman who has lost the joy of living, a man determined to draw her back toward happiness, and a town that must---once and for all---leave the past where it belongs. It is a gentle reminder that all things can work together for good.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/237iWMF

My Review:

Jilted is the third and my first read by author Varina Denman and let me tell you that I have been missing out on some really great storytelling.  This can be read as a standalone but I think there is more of a depth to the story as you follow these characters and town.  This story is about Lynda Turner who is Ruthie’s mother and her continual battle with depression.  She has had a lot happen to her, especially as a young woman then as a married woman when her husband leaves her after believing lies about their marriage.  However, she and Ruthie expected him to come back.  He never did and 15 years later Clyde an old high school friend (recently released from prison) wants to begin a new life with her.  After being abandoned by two men in her life already and being burned by her church family, Lynda hesitates and understandably wonders if she is still married and can even move on.

There is so much that happens in this book.  All of it making for a riveting read that I was unable to put down.  There is so much family drama, serious sickness, and a town and church that are just beginning to learn truths that were long buried.  Varina Denman did an excellent job at showing Lynda’s depression: the triggers that put her in such slumps and the destructive nature that the depression had on Lynda.  The romance was something else too; a slow burn that could not be ignored even as their lives and what they thought they knew was crashing down around them.

I will be backtracking and reading the previous two novels in this series and I will definitely be looking forward to her future works.  I was provided with a copy for an honest review through Litfuse Publicity and the opinions are my own.

About the author:

Varina Denman is author of the Mended Hearts series and a native Texan. She spent her high school years in a rural town and now writes stories about the struggles women face in similar small town settings. She and her husband live near Fort Worth, where they enjoy spending time with their five mostly grown children.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

What others are saying: http://litfusegroup.com/author/vdenman

Giveaway:  Can all things really work together for good, and can the joy of living be found once again? Don't miss one woman's story in book three, Jilted, of Varina Denman's Mended Hearts series. Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago. Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.


Celebrate the release of Varina's Jilted by entering to win a $50 gift card.



 



One grand prize winner will receive:



A copy of Jilted to kick off a summer of reading

A $50 Kohl's gift card to make your summertime sweet

The giveaway ends on July 1st. The winner will be announced July 5th on Varina's website.