"Shine the Light"
By April McGowan

About the Book:

Shannon is out to save the world one caring act at a time. She’s stood by her best friend, Amber, through their whole lives especially when Amber lost her sight. She has an active outreach ministry to the homeless and disenfranchised. And she’s even let down her guard long enough to let a boyfriend, Justin, into her life.

Her life has settled into a pleasing routine of teaching, freelance photography work, quiet dinners with Justin, and taking Amber on treks to find new subjects for her visionary paintings. But when a man from her past shows up, her secure world crumbles into triggered PTSD episodes that threaten everything she relies on. Will she be able to overcome these old memories, or will her past crush any hopes she had for a future?

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My Thoughts:

This book is one that will make you think deep thoughts.... all centred on overcoming!! Overcoming what?? you may ask. Well, when the book begins , I was immediately struck by a main character overcoming the inability to see. Being blind in a seeing world would challenge me in ways that I can't even imagine!! But as the plot progressed, the theme of overcoming many serious problems became evident! Just imagine, you have to somehow strive to live a happy life while attempting to deal with many deep seated fears and memories.

April manages to use her unique talent to pull the reader into her characters' lives , travelling alongside them as they fight their inner demons. Your emotions are in high gear making your heart throb, as each fights to win and overcome. The characters are all described so vividly that one is wanting to constantly give them hope and a big hug , as well as a prayer that all will be well one day in the near future. The reader feels the brokenness and hopelessness that must be experienced before achieving healing from hurtful pasts.

The plot is detailed, moving along at a quick pace, with twists and turns jumping out at the most unexpected moments. The need for forgiveness plays an important part throughout this story. How can one forgive someone who left such a hurt in your inner being ? Can trust every be a part of your life again? Only God can truly give the healing touch that is needed. There is hope and redemption but only when one puts their whole lives in God's hands and allows Him to take control. Easier said than done, but possible.

This book is ideal for those who are hurting and need some answers to have hope for a happy future. It is also for those of us who need to appreciate what we have and what greater happiness we can feel through our faith.

This is a five star book!! Leaves you in deep thought long after the book has been read and put away!!
Eagerly awaiting this author's next book!!

This book was a gift. The thoughts and opinions expressed are honest and my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

About the Author

April McGowan loves to read and write inspirational fiction. She and her husband, two children, and her ‘mews’ (three cats!), live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. April is a member of Oregon Christian Writers, the Christian Author’s Network, and American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not writing, homeschooling her son, or playing board games, you might find her at her drum kit, imagining she’s on a world tour. Hey, it could happen.

More from April

Writing About Tough Subjects—with Hope

I began writing over twenty years ago. And technically I wrote long before that as well. But those pieces were ‘just for fun.’ However, as I look back on my short stories, blog posts, and now my published work, there’s a definite theme: overcoming. Overcoming childhood abuse, overcoming an abusive marriage, overcoming loss—physical and emotional. And those overcoming stories were not about overcoming through our own strength, which is so often flawed and lacking, but by relying on the One who can heal us from every wrong, every hurt, and every loss.

After my first novel, Jasmine, I asked my readers what they’d like me to focus on in my next books—what subjects were overlooked in fiction today? The overwhelming consensus was adoption, loss, and mental illness.

As a contemporary fiction author, I stay current on social issues, so that wasn’t a huge jump for me. My readers saw a gap, and I did, too.

Not that it’s wrong to simply read for entertainment—shoot, I do! But I’ve always loved gripping stories with people I could identify with who were overcoming obstacles I’d faced, or watched a loved one face—stories that offer real hope in the face of tragedy.

So began my journey. In book one of this series, Hold the Light, I wrote about sight loss and adoption. I wrote about best friends who were solidly there for each other in the face of great hardship and pain. And in book two, Shine the Light, I’m doing the same—with a twist.

There’s a lack of representation and writing concerning mental illness and how it affects the sufferer and those around them. There is a stigma that is significantly changing, but it’s something we’re still hesitant to discuss. Myself and many I know are deeply touched by this issue, and I think we’re long past due letting those that suffer from mental illness and their families know that they are not alone. Or if they are, that they don’t have to be.

Book two, Shine the Light, is about Shannon’s life. Her love for the downtrodden, the lost, and the injured. Her passion for the underdog. How she became the stalwart friend she is to Amber in Hold the Light, the obstacles she’s overcome, and those she has to continue to grapple through with God’s help.

As with all of my books, I’ve vetted this story with people who have faced these situations and am very careful to respect their stories as well as staying true to my characters. I hope you’ll dive in and find Shannon to be a deep and real and identifiable character. I hope you’ll discover in her a friend.

I know you’ll grow to love her as I do.

The giveaway: Many of my books are set in Portland, Oregon, and as a celebration of that, I’m offering a giveaway celebrating two of my favorite things about the city: Powell’s books and super good coffee! Also cats…but I can’t give one of those away in a contest! Well…I could try, but I’d probably fall in love with it and never send it to you…so for now, books and coffee!