Quintessentially Quilly

Our dreams can never come true if we don’t pursue them, but how does one pursue a dream when responsibility gets in the way?  With prayer, diligence and a great deal of faith, of course.  But, what if that dream means disappointing the people you love?  What then?

John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.“  That certainly seems to be true for Julia Desmit, unwed mother and guardian of her little brother.  Her dreams keep getting shunted aside — college, her photography business, independence — in the reality of taking care of her son, her brother, and her grandmother.

Finally, though, Julia’s dreams are coming true.  She has fallen in love with the perfect man and he loves her, too.  Marriage is only a matter of time.  All they have to do is settle a few pesky details: Who will take care of Grandma?  What is to become of Julia’s brother, Simon?  And what is Julia supposed to do about her son’s father, who finally wants to be a dad five years too late?

Beneath the Night Tree, by Nicole Baart is an emotionally gripping story and I hung on every word.  Julia’s pains and confusions were my own.  Julia couldn’t seem to find a way to meet her needs, the needs of the man she loved, and the needs of her family as well.  What she failed to realize was, God already had a plan to meet everyone’s needs.

About the Book:

Do I have a child?

Julia DeSmit knew she would face the question eventually, but she didn’t expect it now. At twenty-four, she is finally content with the way her life has unfolded. A single mother to her son and young brother, she works at the local grocery store while chipping away at a two-year degree. All her free time is spent with her unorthodox family—her boys, her grandmother, and her boyfriend of five years. It’s not perfect, but Julia is happier than ever.

So when she receives the cryptic e-mail from her son’s father, Julia’s world is turned upside down. She hasn’t heard from Parker since he left her in a college parking lot nearly six years ago. But one look at her son—the spitting image of his father—is enough to convince her that, for better or worse, Parker is a part of their story. Faced with this new reality and an unexpected tragedy, Julia begins a tightrope walk between what was and what is, what she hopes for and what will be.

About the Author:

Nicole Baart was born and raised in a small town in Iowa, where she and husband now live with their three young sons. After the adoption of their second son, Nicole discovered a deep passion for global issues and is a founding member of a nonprofit organization that works with a church and orphanage in Liberia.

Nicole is the critically acclaimed author of three novels. After the Leaves Fall was published in 2007 and was followed by a sequel, Summer Snow, which was a Christy Award finalist. That was followed by The Moment Between, Nicole’s first stand-alone novel.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”