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In her fifth novel, Yttrup (Flames) follows the pains and joys of love, loss, and the difficulties of a new marriage with the story of two couples. Solitary Melanie is a writer slaving over a book that increasingly eludes her. Feeling underappreciated at home, she decides to head to a writer’s retreat to regroup. Her husband, Craig, is struggling to keep business coming in because of the sputtering real estate market. Craig swallows his pride and tells Melanie how much the damaged economy is affecting them, but Melanie doesn’t hear him and only slips further into her fictional world. Jill, Melanie’s friend and editor, is also married and struggling with her own demons. When Jill’s behavior and thoughts become too erratic to ignore, her husband forces her to get help, and the two begin the tortuous journey of healing, surprised at the secrets that are ultimately uncovered. Despite what appears to be an unrelenting downward spiral of brokenness and instability, Yttrup focuses on hope and healing. These couples end up displaying the selfless love that can lead to reconciliation. Yttrup delivers an affecting tale of many different faith paths, ranging from questioning the very identity of God, to learning to trust completely in Him despite being able to see a way out. [em](Apr.) [/em]