Cries of Grace by Angela Beach Silverthorne is a love story set in the midst of spiritual growth and discernment. As a sequel to Cries of Innocence, the story of Brenda Sue Parrot, Bren, continues. Returning home after five years of schooling to become a nurse, Bren returns to her family home, The Haven. She is reunited with her mother and ten-year-old twin sisters and other family members. She is excited but apprehensive about seeing Joseph, the man she has loved in silence. To her astonishment and delight, Joseph has felt the same and has waited patiently for her to return. Joseph has not only waited, he has made plans for their future if she could only feel the same way about him. While the two establish their relationship, concerns about the security and safety of those living at The Haven arise. Plans are made to increase security as well as expand its function. Evil is always lurking nearby and every means is taken to protect and defend against any intruders. Everyone here knows what evil looks like and, after engaging in spiritual warfare in the previous book (Cries of Innocence), Cries of Grace allows a time of healing, peace, love and growth while always remaining watchful and aware.

Angela Beach Silverthorne provides a well-written story of Bren and Joseph's love and commitment to each other and to God. It also allows a look into the lives of the family members at The Haven as well as friends nearby. To fully enjoy the impact of Cries of Grace, I recommend reading Cries of Innocence first. Not having read the first book, I was unaware of all the back story of the characters and had to rely on reminiscences and reflections to piece it together. That said, Cries of Grace certainly holds its own as a single book. Angela Beach Silverthorne's characters are vivid and realistic, their emotions are sometimes raw and always recognizable. There are some powerful moments of spiritual wisdom and insight, moments of tenderness and hope, all mixed in with the day to day lives of these characters. Tearing up is possible, no, probable at various times. Angela Beach Silverthorne delivers a spiritually charged and full of hope love story. She demonstrates how faith, trust, and perseverance can usher you out of the dark places and into a life full of light and love and hope.

Cries of Grace is a contemporary Christian romance novel written by Angela Beach Silverthorne, and is Book 2 in the Cries series. School is finally finished and Brenda Sue (“Bren”) Parrot is heading back to The Haven, five years after the demonic attack on her family. She now has her degree in nursing and is hoping to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps as a midwife. On the one hand, Bren is anxious to get back to the family she’s missed so much, including Joseph, the man to whom she lost her heart, but on the other, going home means dealing with her dead father’s tragic legacy. Her homecoming is every bit as wonderful as Bren had hoped it would be. Her sisters, Amy and Abigail, are excited to see her, despite their constant squabbling. Her mother, Linda, is happy to have her daughter home once again and has a surprise for her that Bren hadn’t been expecting, but is excited to hear nonetheless. Most importantly, however, Bren is delighted to see that The Haven is thriving, thanks in no small part to Joseph, who has poured his heart and soul into its restoration and growth. Bren finds that her love for Joseph has become stronger and is thrilled to learn, soon after arriving home, that his feelings for her are reciprocated when he asks her to become his wife. Suddenly, it seems as though there’s much to celebrate with Bren’s homecoming, two weddings, and the imminent arrival of a baby, but as with all good things, there’s the not so good, beginning with Grandma Bunch's grave prognosis…

Cries of Grace is well-crafted and beautifully written. Silverthorne’s prose resonates with strong Christian values personified in the hope, faith, trust and redemption that is the driving force behind her characters. The relationship between Bren and her mother, Linda, is especially poignant, the bond between them strong. As the story unfolds, the reader begins to understand the pain and suffering that has molded them and the faith that has carried them through to the good place where they are now in their lives. The characters of Abigail and Amy, Bren’s younger sisters, add just the right amount of humor with their constant bickering as one tries to upstage the other, and both are the perfect foil for the more serious Bren. Like all younger sisters, they also have a schoolgirl’s crush on Joseph, Bren’s betrothed, and that also adds an element of younger sister envy which plays out well in Bren’s pained, yet loving relationship with her younger siblings. The characters of Creed, Jennybelle, Dominique, Robyn, Alicia, Skip, Marcy, Ben, Falon, Jake and Jeremiah all contribute to give Cries of Grace a wonderful sense of community and belonging. While the relationship between Bren and Joseph is touching and intimate, tension and conflict between them would have made their love story all the more compelling. For those readers seeking their Happily Ever After through the grace of God, Cries of Grace delivers on all fronts.