Cynthia Ruchti

Dear Readers,

I do not make a practice of reading a lot of Christmas novellas.  But every once and a while one really captures my attention and I end up spending a snowy (or rainy this year) Sunday afternoon reading it.  This year Cynthia Ruchti's book, An Endless Christmas, kept popping up from different people I know that read it.  Each one said how much they enjoyed it. So I figured what could it hurt? Right?

Christmas is a special time in the Binder family.  Dodie and Wilson celebrate each one as if there will never be another one.  It brings a little something special to each celebration. Their family has gathered together once again and Grandson Micah has a special plan for his girlfriend.  He is going to ask her to marry him.

For Katie there is just too much of everything snow and Binders with no room to get away from anyone.  She wants to talk to Micah and explain, but there is just no room for privacy.  As the time together seems to just continue to stretch, Katie can hardly wait to make her escape.  But will she learn about what it is like to not only love someone, but to also allow herself to be loved?

A beautifully told tale, An Endless Christmas is one of those books that will awaken the Holiday spirit in all of us.  I recommend it even if you only read one Christmas book this year.

Happy Reading,

Cynthia Ruchti

Dear Readers,

All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti is a very good book.  I was first thinking that it was a book about having a family member that committed a crime and how that affects everyone, even well after the person is caught and put in prison.   But it is about so much more than that.  It has two very strong story lines and they blend together beautifully which makes the story all the richer.

The one I mentioned deals with family members who are criminals.  What is that like?  How do people react to you when they recognize you or you tell them who you are?  How do you forgive that family member?  All questions and issues that are dealt with and yet very few of us will ever have to deal with a murderer in the family.

The other story line was harder for me because it was about a mother with dementia.  I have mentioned before that my mother was diagnosed a year ago with it.  It is not an easy thing to watch, a parent slowly losing everything that makes them your parent. 

Neither topic is an easy one to read about, they each carry their own baggage, but they are also things that families deal with every day.   

Becca is moving half way across the country to get away from her family, especially her father.  What he did and her part in it is something she would like to never think of again.  She is hoping a new name and start will put that all behind her.  She wants to return to college and finish her nursing degree.  She dreams of being just another face in the crowd, but is California far enough away?

Isaac is drawn to Becca the moment he meets her.  He knows she is the one to take of his mother, who is suffering from Dementia.  He doesn’t have enough time in his schedule to take care of his mother and the temps he keeps hiring are not doing a good enough job, so when his Aunt recommends Becca, he jumps at the chance.  He knows she is hiding something, but how bad can it be?

I am not sure how else to describe a book like this.  It is one that I think is important to read to understand what families go through when they are in these situations, but it doesn’t always make for an easy read.  Sometimes it makes you uncomfortable, sometimes it hits too close to home.  But it also offers encouragement, there are others who are in the same place in life and they are ready to support you as you walk this journey also. 

Not a light summer read, but one that is a good read for anytime of the year.

Happy Reading,

Cynthia Ruchti

Dear Readers,

I had a review almost completely written about this book.  I didn't like it because it didn't seem to do the book justice.  Cynthia Ruchti writes an interesting story in They Almost Always Come Home.  It isn't your normal story of a husband that goes missing and the wife is moving heaven and earth to find him.  It isn't even a typical storyline of a husband who had a second life that his wife and family didn't know about. 

Libby is waiting for Greg to return home after his first solo trek into the wilderness.  He has gone many time with others, but he wanted to go by himself this time.  Libby isn't sure how she feels about his not being home on time.  She wonders if it is normal for a wife to start planning a funeral as soon as he doesn't come home.  She would never dream that he was having an affair, but maybe he didn't want to come home. 

To say that they are having problems with their marriage is a understatement.  They lost touch with each other years ago when tragedy struck their family.  They can't seem to find each other back and neither one seems to want to make the effort.  So when Greg is listed as missing Libby just isn't sure how she feels about it.

This was such a different look at this storyline.  So often this type of story is about a wife's grief and loss, but this time, what if a wife isn't grieving that he is gone?  What is she was going to leave him and just hadn't gotten around to it yet?  What if she was more upset that he beat her to the punch than she is about his going missing?  

This book isn't the regular story of a husband and wife deciding to work through their differences and (happily) refocusing on their marriage.  This is a couple who have taken a couple of huge blows to their relationship and have no idea how to find their way back.  They are tired of struggling and are just done with it all.  

It is a good reminder to us all that the biggest casualty in a stressful family situation is actually marriages.  People survive things, but marriages don't always.  We need to remember that so we are willing to walk alongside the couples and help them and their marriages.  

Happy Reading