Happy Friday! For today’s First Line Friday linkup, hosted by Reading is My Superpower, I’m featuring What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson.

“Faith Byrne’s carefully laid plans took advantage of unplanned distractions and skipped town, never to be seen again.”

What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson

The Basics

Title: What Happens Next

Author: Christina Suzann Nelson

Publication Date: January 17, 2022

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

From the Back Cover:

“Everyone has a story, and maybe everyone needs a little help toward healing.”

Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy–but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. All of that changes when she’s asked to spotlight her childhood best friend’s missing person case on her podcast.

Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter’s belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.

As the long-abandoned investigation moves forward, old wounds and long-buried secrets are exposed. Will these two women, whose lives have never been the same, finally get the answers they need to reconcile the past and the future?

My Review

This is a heartfelt, emotional story, with storylines alternating between Heather’s childhood in the past and the present search for answers about her disappearance. It is a story of grief, loss, and betrayal, but also forgiveness and healing. I certainly wouldn’t call it suspense, but the element of mystery kept me turning pages for more. This is not a light-hearted story, but if you are looking for beautiful writing that deals with the depths of human emotions and faith in the face of tragedy, don’t miss What Happens Next.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.