The Second Half

Snelling (To Everything a Season), author of over 50 books, offers a character-driven tale about trust in God when life has been turned upside down. Mona and Ken Sorenson have been married for 34 years; with Ken about to retire from a successful career as dean of students at the fictional Stone University in Wisconsin, they are looking forward to a relaxing second act with only themselves and their two pets to worry about. Their plans are derailed when their son, Steig, a single father, is deployed to Pakistan and leaves his two young children in their care. Ken and Mona need to adjust to life as the primary caregivers for Mellie, age 10, and Jakey, age 5. Meanwhile, Ken continues to put out fires at work, and Mona faces an ongoing battle with depression and worry as well as a physical health scare. They both will learn important lessons about themselves and what is important as they navigate this new chapter of their lives. Meanwhile, Mellie and Jakey struggle to cope with the loss of both their parents and the fear that their grandparents will abandon them as well. This quiet novel about the growing trend of grandparents raising their grandchildren and keeping one's faith amidst the challenges of life will appeal to mature Christian readers. (July)