★ 07/01/2020
DEBUT Gerrit Laninga has never known anything but dawn-'til-dusk labor on the family dairy farm and is at loose ends in retirement. His wife and children barely speak to him, his body is giving out, and old grudges seem to have new vigor, so he begins watching late-night cooking shows to fill the emptiness. Rae Walters is a type A overachiever teenager, destined for a big-time law firm and reluctant to deviate from "The Plan." When her fear of failing driver's ed becomes overwhelming, she hides in a dilapidated barn near her house. As the driven teenager and the crusty old man take the first tentative steps toward friendship, nothing seems to be going the way either of them planned. Their volunteer work for underprivileged youth helps both to understand how blessings often come to those who give of themselves. VERDICT Packed with poignancy and meaning, Powner's debut novel delivers life lessons that cross generations and will linger long after the last page is turned. If Powner has more stories like this, she will be the next big star in Christian fiction.—Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA
