Review: When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley

Title:		When Sparrows Fall
Author:		Meg Moseley
Publisher:		Random House
Imprint:		Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers
Pub. Date:		05/03/2011
ISBN:		1601423551 (ISBN13: 9781601423559)
Pages:		352

Freedom. Safety. Love. Miranda vows to reclaim them--for herself, and for her children.
 
A widow and mother of six, Miranda Hanford leads a quiet, private life. When the pastor of her close-knit church announces his plans to move the entire congregation to another state, Miranda jumps at the opportunity to dissolve ties with Mason Chandler and his controlling method of ruling his flock. But then Mason threatens to unearth secrets from her past, and Miranda feels trapped, terrified she’ll be unable to protect her children.

College professor Jack Hanford is more than surprised when he gets a call from his estranged sister-in-law’s oldest son, Timothy, informing him that Miranda has taken a serious fall and he has been named legal guardian of her children while she recovers. Quickly charmed by Miranda’s children, Jack brings some much-needed life into the sheltered household. But his constant challenging of the family’s conservative lifestyle makes the recovering mother uneasy and defensive—despite Jack’s unnerving appeal.

As Jack tries to make sense of the mysterious Miranda and the secrets she holds so tightly, Mason’s pressure on her increases. With her emotions stirring and freedom calling, can Miranda find a way to unshackle her family without losing everything?


(Summary and cover via Goodreads)

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Miranda is a widowed mother of 6, and a member of a very strict Christian sect. When her minister says that God has told him the entire congregation must move, Miranda begins to have second thoughts about his ability to communicate with the heavens. However, her minister Mason holds a secret over Miranda's head that threatens everything she holds dear. After Miranda has an accident, her brother-in-law Jack finds out that he was named guardian of the children. Jack becomes determined to bring Miranda and her children into a more modern way of living, but he finds himself at odds with Miranda herself. Miranda will do whatever it takes to save her family, and she'll need all the support that she can get.

I found myself totally drawn into this book from the beginning. Being fairly familiar with some of the very conservative Christian sects in this country, I recognized some of the things that Miranda's group believed in. Miranda is a woman who feels smothered by the mere memory of her husband. He found a vulnerable young girl and made her feel important and wanted. Unfortunately this also meant taking part in very restrictive lifestyle. Miranda is slowly starting to realize that this may not be the exact lifestyle she wants her children growing up in. Of course, there's also the matter of a secret that Miranda has been harboring, and it's a doozy. Miranda forces herself to find strength beyond herself to be able to deal with all this.

Then there is Jack Hanford. He's thrown into this situation as guardian of six very sheltered children with no advance warning. Jack is forced to confront his prejudices and his past when dealing with this family. This book does an amazing job of walking the line and showing the difference between extremism and just different beliefs. The author makes a very definite point in the differences between bad homeschooling and good homeschooling or the good and bad religion can do. This book was so interesting, and you get pulled into the story. Miranda is working toward finding the truth that works for her, and that's why this book is so fascinating.

Book provided for review.