Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

Destiny Delivered by Rosemary Gard is a captivating tale about the lives of a group of immigrants who found their way to America, and their struggles and triumphs in an attempt to rebuild their lives. Some left home in search of a better place and a fresh start while others did so to find their loved ones who had taken the same trip before them. In this group was 16-year-old Ivanka who was running away from an arranged marriage to a man almost three times her age. She hoped that in America she would reconnect with her fiancé who had left Croatia 6 months back with promises of sending for her. Another notable member of this unique group was Barbra, who had returned to Croatia after burying her father to find her husband gone. She too followed him to America. Will Ivanka find her fiancé still waiting for her or did he move on already? And if he moved on, how will she survive in the strange country where she could not even speak the language? What will happen when Barbra finally makes it to America only to find her husband in the arms of another woman? How will their arrival shape the dynamics in the close-knit Croatian community that they now join in Indiana? Follow this incredible group of characters through their struggles and triumphs as they mourn their losses together and pick each other up every time life throws them down.

Destiny Delivered by Rosemary Gard is an epic tale with real depth to both the story and the characters. The captivating tone of the story drew me in right away and kept me there until the very end. There is something so serene and at the same time so fierce about this group and their bond. This story is very relevant, especially when the plight of immigrants is a hot topic across the globe, and it adds a more personal touch to the topic as it looks past the usual political and financial implications. It gives voice to the more personal struggles immigrants endure as families are torn apart and new bonds are formed. I was left in awe by Rosemary Gard's story and character development skill and by how genuine and relevant the story was; nothing felt pretentious or forced about the characters, their stories, and their unconditional love and support for each other. Destiny Delivered is a clear demonstration of how unplanned events, whether good or bad, sometimes bring about the change we need to truly find ourselves. It is a one of a kind story and could not have come out at a better time.