The Sweet By and By

The Sweet By and By by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck

Leave the past in the past. That was the pact Jade, a vintage shop owner, and her fiancee Max, an attorney at his family firm, made to one another. Little did they know with their wedding rapidly approaching, and with the appearance of Jade’s estranged mother, the past was to come crashing into the present.

The Sweet By and By, written by first-time author and country singer, Sara Evans along with Rachel Hauck takes you on a journey which explains the strained relationship between Jade and her mother Beryl and how past situations can haunt you throughout your life no matter how hard you try to forget them.

The book was a relatively quick read and it kept my attention throughout the entirety of the work. The flashbacks into Jade and Beryl’s past allowed for an interesting way to learn of their history; through snippets of Jade’s childhood we are slowly introduced to the girl she once was.

Another positive aspect of the book is the wholesomeness. Along with relationships serving as the backbone of the book, another prevailing theme is the struggle Beryl and Jade have with Christianity. Jade thinks her actions are unforgivable, and Jade’s redemption serves as a central theme.