Three Tissues Needed

Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son - who he wants her to help raise - Jade’s life is turned upside down.


She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There - while her mother’s health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger - Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn’t rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God’s tender mercies.


The old adage "you can't judge a book by it's cover" rings true for the Benson family. Jade and her husband, Max, have everything, except a baby. Max's parents have the picture perfect life, on the outside. Jade and her mother, Beryl, are just getting to know each other while Beryl battles leukemia. Then everything implodes for everyone -- infidelity, drugs, secrets, panic attacks -- and life as the Benson family knew it comes apart.

The characters were realistic -- human and flawed. The problems were believable. The pain was deep, raw, and real. Through out the book my emotions were all over the board and any book that needs three tissues is a keeper.

Softly & Tenderly was released in January of 2011. I was provided a copy to review from ThomasNelson Publishing through NetGalley and am not required to provide a positive review.