In The Recital, Robert Elmer catches up with my friend, Gerrit Appeldoorn. I first met Gerrit in The Duet, and was pleased to learn Elmer had written a sequel. (I reviewed The Duet here.)
Gerrit summons the courage to propose to Joan. Despite their obvious differences, he realizes how much he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. They marry, and Gerrit encourages Joan to accept a wonderful job offer in Chicago. Gerrit’s sacrifice of leaving the small farming town he’s lived in all his life for Joan to pursue her dreams in the Windy City made him even more dear to me. He quickly learns that he’s a fish out of water. It’s a difficult transition, made even tougher by the demands of Joan’s job and her flirtatious boss. Yet, Gerrit takes comfort in working at the city zoo, and in his friendship with a young Chinese musician.
The Recital is a fantastic follow-up to Joan and Gerrit’s love story. Robert Elmer shows that couples of all ages face obstacles, but faith and love can triumph in the end.
Melissa has been captivated by books for as long as she can remember. She resides in Virginia and at Breath of Life.
This review is linked to Semicolon’s Saturday Review of Books.
There have been so many great suggestions from these reviews! Now I just need to find time to read them all.