Book of the Week #65 "God's Will"

God's Will

by Meghan M. Gorecki

In 1929, The Great Depression has swept the country. Families are torn apart as they go their separate ways to earn a living, some unable to find work. The Andrews family has felt the depression keenly. Peggy Andrews has been sent to a sanatorium in Arizona to be treated for turboculosus while her family remains in Illinois, though not for long. When David Andrews leaves to be with Peggy in Arizona, he sends his middle daughter Marcia to live with her Aunt Helen and Uncle in Chicago, while his oldest daughter Kathy and young son Danny stay with family friends, the Marshalls. Kathy is none too happy to be with the Marshalls. She'd much rather be with her mother and, like many others, she simply can't understand why she and her family have to be separated during such a difficult time. Judy and Ted's nephew, Elliot, is in a similar boat. His parents died in a car crash, leaving he and his younger sister Tess orphans. Since then, the two have been living with Judy and Ted Marshall. In light of all that he and his family have been through, he finds Kathy's sulking annoying, and vice versa. The two butt heads as they try to make it through the Depression, but when tragedy strikes, things may never be the same.

When I learned of Meghan M. Gorecki's novel set during The Great Depression, I was interested in it. I've always been interested in stories about The Great Depression, and so God's Will went onto my to-be-read list. I finally got around to reading it this month, and I'm glad I did. This book was a nice and touching read. All of the characters have had to endure so much through The Great Depression, between being separated from those they love, to financial issues, and illnesses in the family. As I read the book, I kept wondering how everything would resolve; what would happen to all of these characters? I must admit, some of the paths certain characters chose surprised me, but in good ways.

All in all, God's Will is a touching story full of hope and love, set in a dark time in America's history.

I give this book a 4 out of 5.