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The Space Between Words
"There were seconds, when I woke, when the world felt unshrouded. Then memory returned."
When Jessica regains consciousness in a French hospital on the day after the Paris attacks, all she can think of is fleeing the site of the horror she survived. But Patrick, the steadfast friend who hasn’t left her side, urges her to reconsider her decision. Worn down by his insistence, she reluctantly agrees to follow through with the trip they’d planned before the tragedy.
“The pages found you,” Patrick whispered.
“Now you need to figure out what they’re trying to say.”
During a stop at a country flea market, Jessica finds a faded document concealed in an antique. As new friends help her to translate the archaic French, they uncover the story of Adeline Baillard, a young woman who lived centuries before—her faith condemned, her life endangered, her community decimated by the Huguenot persecution.
“I write for our descendants, for those who will not understand the cost of our survival.”
Determined to learn the Baillard family’s fate, Jessica retraces their flight from France to England, spurred on by a need she doesn’t understand.
Could this stranger who lived three hundred years before hold the key to Jessica’s survival?
When Jessica regains consciousness in a French hospital on the day after the Paris attacks, all she can think of is fleeing the site of the horror she survived. But Patrick, the steadfast friend who hasn’t left her side, urges her to reconsider her decision. Worn down by his insistence, she reluctantly agrees to follow through with the trip they’d planned before the tragedy.
“The pages found you,” Patrick whispered.
“Now you need to figure out what they’re trying to say.”
During a stop at a country flea market, Jessica finds a faded document concealed in an antique. As new friends help her to translate the archaic French, they uncover the story of Adeline Baillard, a young woman who lived centuries before—her faith condemned, her life endangered, her community decimated by the Huguenot persecution.
“I write for our descendants, for those who will not understand the cost of our survival.”
Determined to learn the Baillard family’s fate, Jessica retraces their flight from France to England, spurred on by a need she doesn’t understand.
Could this stranger who lived three hundred years before hold the key to Jessica’s survival?
312 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2017
About the author
Michèle Phoenix
7 books285 followersRaised in France by a Canadian father and an American mother, Michèle is an educator, writer and speaker. After teaching at an international school in Germany for twenty years, she launched her own global work advocating for the children of missionaries. Michèle writes novels in the margins of her life. They've been published in the United States, Canada, Norway and Poland. She loves good conversations, French pastries, mischievous students and paths to healing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
September 12, 2017
Unfortunately, this book sounded better in the summary to me than it really was but I'm glad there are people out there who love it.
This is about Jessica, Patrick and Vonda all living together in France for a bit. They are happy and having the time of their life until the horrible tragedy.
In the summary it tells you this is about the Paris attacks which was actually the attacks in 2015. Jessica and her friends are not the same again, but who would be?
There is a point where Jessica makes it out of the hospital and Patrick talks her into staying in France to do this little scavenger hunt type thing they had planned. She does decide to stay and she found some things about some people in the past. It goes into a little of their story in the book as well. But, things were not what they seemed and I found that really sad.
The book still didn't do it for me personally even though I really liked the character, Patrick.
*Thank you to BookLookBloggers for a print copy of this book.*
This is about Jessica, Patrick and Vonda all living together in France for a bit. They are happy and having the time of their life until the horrible tragedy.
In the summary it tells you this is about the Paris attacks which was actually the attacks in 2015. Jessica and her friends are not the same again, but who would be?
Images flashed across my memory like a gruesome montage, slamming me with the horror again and again. The gunfire following me to the bloody exit door. The bodies I jumped over as I fled into the alley. The woman screaming, hanging by her fingertips from a second-floor window ledge. Cell phones shining through closed windows, capturing my flight.
There is a point where Jessica makes it out of the hospital and Patrick talks her into staying in France to do this little scavenger hunt type thing they had planned. She does decide to stay and she found some things about some people in the past. It goes into a little of their story in the book as well. But, things were not what they seemed and I found that really sad.
The book still didn't do it for me personally even though I really liked the character, Patrick.
*Thank you to BookLookBloggers for a print copy of this book.*
September 8, 2017
Jessica was talked into going to a concert at The Bataclan Concert Hall in Paris with her friend, Vonda, instead of to an art show with Patrick, and it proved to be the wrong choice.
Jessica and her friend were caught in the terrorist attack at the 2015 Concert Hall, but thankfully Jessica and Vonda were only harmed.
After Jessica was released from the hospital, her parents insisted she return home to the United States, but Patrick insisted more heavily that she stay in France and go on their planned trip.
While staying at a bed and breakfast and as she was antique hunting, a sewing box caught Jessica's eye.
As Jessica pried the bottom of the sewing box off, she noticed a piece of red yarn sticking out from under the box's bottom and found pages torn from a Bible that triggered something in Jessica’s mind that she couldn't understand.
The Bible pages turned out to be a marvelous treasure with secrets of their own and also something that brought Jessica to a reality she hadn't been aware of.
I was intrigued when Jessica found the sewing box and the pages of handwritten notes. I love finding out origins of things and especially diaries or notes from a real person.
The pages from the Bible spurred the characters to do research and find family members who fled France during the time in history when The Huguenots were forced out because of their religious beliefs.
THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS moved from present to past telling the story of the Huguenot persecution and their flight out of France. This is another part of history I had heard about but never studied.
I didn't know what to expect when I first started to read THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS, but the story line quickly went from an OK read to a WOW read as the characters uncovered more history of the handwritten notes in the Bible pages.
THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS also addressed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
If you enjoy historical fiction, finding treasures at flea markets, a marvelous story line, and detailed character description, you will not want to miss THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS.
Ms. Phoenix paired two horrific historical events and created a marvelous book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.
4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author, the publisher, and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Jessica and her friend were caught in the terrorist attack at the 2015 Concert Hall, but thankfully Jessica and Vonda were only harmed.
After Jessica was released from the hospital, her parents insisted she return home to the United States, but Patrick insisted more heavily that she stay in France and go on their planned trip.
While staying at a bed and breakfast and as she was antique hunting, a sewing box caught Jessica's eye.
As Jessica pried the bottom of the sewing box off, she noticed a piece of red yarn sticking out from under the box's bottom and found pages torn from a Bible that triggered something in Jessica’s mind that she couldn't understand.
The Bible pages turned out to be a marvelous treasure with secrets of their own and also something that brought Jessica to a reality she hadn't been aware of.
I was intrigued when Jessica found the sewing box and the pages of handwritten notes. I love finding out origins of things and especially diaries or notes from a real person.
The pages from the Bible spurred the characters to do research and find family members who fled France during the time in history when The Huguenots were forced out because of their religious beliefs.
THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS moved from present to past telling the story of the Huguenot persecution and their flight out of France. This is another part of history I had heard about but never studied.
I didn't know what to expect when I first started to read THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS, but the story line quickly went from an OK read to a WOW read as the characters uncovered more history of the handwritten notes in the Bible pages.
THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS also addressed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
If you enjoy historical fiction, finding treasures at flea markets, a marvelous story line, and detailed character description, you will not want to miss THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS.
Ms. Phoenix paired two horrific historical events and created a marvelous book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.
4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author, the publisher, and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
June 13, 2021
The plot of this novel revolves around the ISIS attacks on Paris in 2015 and the historic persecution of the French Huguenots in the 1600s.
*****
Thirtysomethings Jessica and Patrick become acquainted in Denver, Colorado when Jess responds to Patrick's ad for a roommate. The duo get along famously, but not in a romantic way, and consider themselves PMFEO (platonically made for each other). Vonda moves in later, and - though the three friends have different interests - they get along well. So it's natural that, when Patrick goes to France for a lengthy stay, the women visit him there.
On the evening of November 13, 2015 Jess and Vonda go to a concert at Paris's 'Bataclan Theatre', while Patrick is off doing his own thing. That night ISIS terrorists attack many Paris sites, including the Bataclan.
Amid the vast carnage, Jess is shot and seriously injured. Patrick stays at Jess's side while she recuperates in a Paris hospital, while Vonda - who's unhurt but badly frightened - goes back to the United States.
Jess plans to return to Denver when her health permits, but Patrick convinces her to join him on a trip through southern France, where he plans to scour antique stores and flea markets for 'treasures' to sell back home.
While Patrick is visiting an antique shop, Jess checks them into a small lodge that's run by a brother and sister - Grant and Mona - who provide directions to an excellent vintage store. There, Jess becomes entranced by a sewing box from the late 17th century, and Patrick urges her to buy it.....because 'it's calling out to her.'
Soon afterwards, Jess discovers that the sewing box has a secret compartment that contains part of a diary and pages from an old Bible.
Grant offers to help Jess translate the diary pages she found in the sewing box, and Jess happily accepts. It turns out that the journal was written in 1695 by Adeline Baillard - a young woman who lived in Gatingy, France. Adeline and her family were French Huguenots, a group that suffered severe religious persecution in their country.
Adeline's diary reveals that some members of her family planned to flee to England - and Jess becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Adeline and her relatives. Thus Jess embarks on a quest through France and Britain, to learn about the Baillards and their descendants. Along the way Jess learns about the torture and murder of the French Huguenots by France's Catholic rulers, and these tales are shocking and horrifying.
The book alternates between the present and past. In the present, Jess fearfully recalls the terrorist shootings; makes new friends; and researches the fates of the French Huguenots. In the past, Adeline enjoys time with her family in Gatingy; teaches religion to children; and remains behind with her charges when her relatives try to escape. i
The book has twists, a budding romance, and a wide array of interesting characters, including: concert goers at the Bataclan; hospital personnel; shop owners; a Priest; civil servants; and more. I especially like Mona's five-year-old son Connor - a sweet, perceptive child who helps Jessica heal.
The book - which includes elements of chick lit, romance, historical fiction, and Christian fiction - isn't preachy and the religious ideology isn't pounded home. Nevertheless, the characters DO engage in philosophical conversations about God, and whether there's a larger meaning to the terrorist attacks - which sometimes lead people (like Jessica) in new directions. This doesn't sit right with me, as there's no way to find a positive aspect to the destruction and pain that terrorists cause....even if some survivors are propelled to learn new things and develop new relationships. 😏
The author also draws parallels between Jess's journey to 'enlightenment' and the travails of the Huguenots, but it's a rough fit (at best)…..and doesn't really come together.
I do think the chapters about the Bataclan attack and the French Huguenots are compelling and instructive....though very sad and disturbing. 😥
I think people who like historical Christian fiction with a touch of romance would enjoy this book, and I'd recommend it to them.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
September 2, 2017
I really enjoyed this story! Two remarkable things happened to me while reading--the author stunned me with a plot twist that I never saw coming and she was able to bring me near to tears on occasion. Yes, that's remarkable indeed for this cynical and jaded old reader. So I recommend you ignore a few flaws in the plot and suspend your disbelief and sit back to enjoy a good piece of historical fiction.
Two horrific historical events make up the backdrop for this story: the persecution of the Huguenots in France in the late sixteen hundreds and the coordinated terrorist attack on Paris on November 13, 2015.
The narrator of the story is Jessica, a thirty-four-year-old woman who lives with her two roommates, Patrick and Vonda, in a townhouse in Denver. Patrick is into 'picking' and has a vintage store called Tresor, stocked with Old World treasures he has found. In the fall of 2015, he is attending a semester of art classes at the American University of Paris and the two young woman join him there for a vacation. On their last night in the city, Vonda is given free tickets for a heavy metal concert at the Bataclan Theatre and talks Jessica into joining her. Patrick says he would prefer to go to an art gallery opening by himself so he waves them off.
That of course is the fateful night of the terrorist attack on the Bataclan which leaves nearly 100 people dead and many more wounded, and in this story, Jessica is one of the victims and needs emergency surgery. When she awakens in the hospital, Patrick is by her side and stays with her till she is able to leave the hospital. Vonda is uninjured but flies home as soon as she knows Jessica is safe, claiming she is just too traumatized to remain in Paris.
Jessica's parents urge her to return home as soon as she is able but Patrick talks her into going on the picking trip they had planned to the south of France--an idea he hopes will help her recover. Jessica rents a cottage at a B&B owned by an American named Mona, who tells Jessica about the best place in the area to begin the hunt for 'treasure.'
At the shop, Jessica finds an old sewing chest and inside, in a hidden compartment, she finds a few handwritten pages in archaic French. Grant, Mona's brother, is fluent in French and begins helping Jessica translate the pages which they find date back to 1695 and Louis XIV's persecution of the Huguenots. They learn the pages are written by Adeline Baillard, the elder daughter of the family, who writes, "Story is sacred, and I will tell mine." The two become fascinated with the Baillard family history and attempt to learn their fate by searches online and in person. I just love that kind of hunt!
Jessica learns many lessons as she recovers from her emotional and physical wounds--most especially about the kindness of strangers. The strong faith of the Huguenots is showcased in this account of their persecution, when they refuse to convert to the King's religion, even to save their lives. "Endure with courage, resist with wisdom, persist in faith."
Lovely, touching story! There is a light touch of magical realism in the story that I also appreciated. I will look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting access to an arc of this book for an honest review.
Two horrific historical events make up the backdrop for this story: the persecution of the Huguenots in France in the late sixteen hundreds and the coordinated terrorist attack on Paris on November 13, 2015.
The narrator of the story is Jessica, a thirty-four-year-old woman who lives with her two roommates, Patrick and Vonda, in a townhouse in Denver. Patrick is into 'picking' and has a vintage store called Tresor, stocked with Old World treasures he has found. In the fall of 2015, he is attending a semester of art classes at the American University of Paris and the two young woman join him there for a vacation. On their last night in the city, Vonda is given free tickets for a heavy metal concert at the Bataclan Theatre and talks Jessica into joining her. Patrick says he would prefer to go to an art gallery opening by himself so he waves them off.
That of course is the fateful night of the terrorist attack on the Bataclan which leaves nearly 100 people dead and many more wounded, and in this story, Jessica is one of the victims and needs emergency surgery. When she awakens in the hospital, Patrick is by her side and stays with her till she is able to leave the hospital. Vonda is uninjured but flies home as soon as she knows Jessica is safe, claiming she is just too traumatized to remain in Paris.
Jessica's parents urge her to return home as soon as she is able but Patrick talks her into going on the picking trip they had planned to the south of France--an idea he hopes will help her recover. Jessica rents a cottage at a B&B owned by an American named Mona, who tells Jessica about the best place in the area to begin the hunt for 'treasure.'
At the shop, Jessica finds an old sewing chest and inside, in a hidden compartment, she finds a few handwritten pages in archaic French. Grant, Mona's brother, is fluent in French and begins helping Jessica translate the pages which they find date back to 1695 and Louis XIV's persecution of the Huguenots. They learn the pages are written by Adeline Baillard, the elder daughter of the family, who writes, "Story is sacred, and I will tell mine." The two become fascinated with the Baillard family history and attempt to learn their fate by searches online and in person. I just love that kind of hunt!
Jessica learns many lessons as she recovers from her emotional and physical wounds--most especially about the kindness of strangers. The strong faith of the Huguenots is showcased in this account of their persecution, when they refuse to convert to the King's religion, even to save their lives. "Endure with courage, resist with wisdom, persist in faith."
Lovely, touching story! There is a light touch of magical realism in the story that I also appreciated. I will look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting access to an arc of this book for an honest review.
September 14, 2017
The Space Between Words is a hauntingly beautiful, well-written novel that I couldn't put down. This compelling story is full of history, loss, heartache, and hope. Michele Phoenix definitely has a gift and I look forward to reading more of her books!
*I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
*I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 4, 2017
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
This book turned out to be a bit different from what I expected it would be, though not necessarily in a bad way. Originally, when I had read the synopsis of the book (which is what had prompted me to request it from NetGalley in the first place), I was expecting a dual timeline historical fiction novel with equal (or near equal) emphasis on both the historical and contemporary storyline, as this type of narrative structure seems to be the norm nowadays with this genre. Michele Phoenix’s The Space Between Words turned out to be a “different” type of book in that the story is actually a contemporary one, albeit with some historical elements woven in. The main narrative revolves around events that took place not too long ago (in 2015), with a small portion of the book jumping briefly back to a historical event that took place back in the 17th century.
The story takes place at the end of 2015, right after the horrific terrorist attacks on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, France. The main character is thirty-four-year-old Jessica, who was in attendance at the concert along with one of her friends when gunfire erupted in the main chamber of the concert hall. Jessica endured injuries during the shooting and even though she survived and was physically on the path to recovery, the emotional wounds were far from healed. Wrestling with the emotional trauma from her ordeal and haunted by memories from that fateful day that she wanted desperately to forget, Jessica’s first instinct was to flee France as soon as possible. However, after some persuasive encouragement from her roommate and best friend Patrick, who had been steadfastly by her side the entire time, Jessica decides to take his advice and continue on with the treasure-hunting trip that the two of them had planned prior to the attack, in the hopes that it will help Jessica with her healing process. During the trip, Jessica discovers an antique sewing box with old documents inside, which she finds out upon having them translated that they date back to 1695 – pages written by a young French woman named Adeline during a time when the Huguenots in Catholic France were being persecuted for their religious beliefs. Seeking emotional healing from her own ordeal, Jessica is drawn to Adeline’s narrative and, along with the new friends she meets during her trip, she sets out on a journey to find out the rest of Adeline and her family’s story as they attempted to flee religious persecution in 17th century France.
I struggled a bit with how to rate this book, as I definitely enjoyed the story overall: the writing was excellent, the characters were likable, and the author did a good job weaving past and present events into the narrative. I especially liked how the history of the Huguenot persecution from the 17th century was presented in the form of Adeline’s story – this was a time period and event that I knew next to nothing about so I appreciated getting some exposure to that part of history in a way that was accessible but also heartfelt. The timeliness of the novel in taking on the Paris terrorist attacks and its aftermath also makes this a book that is necessary and should be read given the current situation not just in the U.S. but also around the world. With all that said however, there were definitely some issues with the plot – mainly the contemporary part about Jessica and her experience – that I found difficult to ignore and detracted from the story. Some parts of the plot felt a bit too “contrived” and at times, I found myself questioning the plausibility of some of the things that occurred. I also felt that some parts of the book came across a bit “preachy,” which I guess wasn’t too surprising given the religious context with the main events in the book (I found out later that this book is being marketed as Christian fiction, which, while it has no bearing on whether I would’ve read this book or not, since I read across genres and base my decision to read on the book’s synopsis as well as recommendations from friends, it did explain where the “preachiness” came from). Fortunately, the religious aspect wasn’t too overdone so I think those who aren’t interested in the religious part can still read and enjoy the story. On the positive side, there was a “twist” at some point in the narrative that was totally unexpected and I felt was done well. The “mystery” element with Jessica discovering bit by bit what eventually happened to Adeline’s family was also done well and for me, the history part was a huge redeeming factor for the flaws in the main narrative.
In the end, I decided on a rating of 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, as I felt the positives outweighed the negatives for the most part and the writing was truly very good, plus the story was engaging. I would definitely recommend this one for those who like contemporary stories with a historical element as well as a little mystery and romance thrown in. I would also recommend reading the final published version of the book rather than an advance copy, as the ARC I received was missing the Author’s Notes section. I’m a huge fan of Author’s Notes and actually feel this section is necessary (perhaps should even be mandatory) when the book deals with real life historical events. I will admit to being a little disappointed with the lack of Author’s Notes in my version, though not really a deal-breaker since I can borrow a final version later on and read the notes at that time.
Received ARC from Thomas Nelson / Harper Collins publishing via NetGalley
This book turned out to be a bit different from what I expected it would be, though not necessarily in a bad way. Originally, when I had read the synopsis of the book (which is what had prompted me to request it from NetGalley in the first place), I was expecting a dual timeline historical fiction novel with equal (or near equal) emphasis on both the historical and contemporary storyline, as this type of narrative structure seems to be the norm nowadays with this genre. Michele Phoenix’s The Space Between Words turned out to be a “different” type of book in that the story is actually a contemporary one, albeit with some historical elements woven in. The main narrative revolves around events that took place not too long ago (in 2015), with a small portion of the book jumping briefly back to a historical event that took place back in the 17th century.
The story takes place at the end of 2015, right after the horrific terrorist attacks on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, France. The main character is thirty-four-year-old Jessica, who was in attendance at the concert along with one of her friends when gunfire erupted in the main chamber of the concert hall. Jessica endured injuries during the shooting and even though she survived and was physically on the path to recovery, the emotional wounds were far from healed. Wrestling with the emotional trauma from her ordeal and haunted by memories from that fateful day that she wanted desperately to forget, Jessica’s first instinct was to flee France as soon as possible. However, after some persuasive encouragement from her roommate and best friend Patrick, who had been steadfastly by her side the entire time, Jessica decides to take his advice and continue on with the treasure-hunting trip that the two of them had planned prior to the attack, in the hopes that it will help Jessica with her healing process. During the trip, Jessica discovers an antique sewing box with old documents inside, which she finds out upon having them translated that they date back to 1695 – pages written by a young French woman named Adeline during a time when the Huguenots in Catholic France were being persecuted for their religious beliefs. Seeking emotional healing from her own ordeal, Jessica is drawn to Adeline’s narrative and, along with the new friends she meets during her trip, she sets out on a journey to find out the rest of Adeline and her family’s story as they attempted to flee religious persecution in 17th century France.
I struggled a bit with how to rate this book, as I definitely enjoyed the story overall: the writing was excellent, the characters were likable, and the author did a good job weaving past and present events into the narrative. I especially liked how the history of the Huguenot persecution from the 17th century was presented in the form of Adeline’s story – this was a time period and event that I knew next to nothing about so I appreciated getting some exposure to that part of history in a way that was accessible but also heartfelt. The timeliness of the novel in taking on the Paris terrorist attacks and its aftermath also makes this a book that is necessary and should be read given the current situation not just in the U.S. but also around the world. With all that said however, there were definitely some issues with the plot – mainly the contemporary part about Jessica and her experience – that I found difficult to ignore and detracted from the story. Some parts of the plot felt a bit too “contrived” and at times, I found myself questioning the plausibility of some of the things that occurred. I also felt that some parts of the book came across a bit “preachy,” which I guess wasn’t too surprising given the religious context with the main events in the book (I found out later that this book is being marketed as Christian fiction, which, while it has no bearing on whether I would’ve read this book or not, since I read across genres and base my decision to read on the book’s synopsis as well as recommendations from friends, it did explain where the “preachiness” came from). Fortunately, the religious aspect wasn’t too overdone so I think those who aren’t interested in the religious part can still read and enjoy the story. On the positive side, there was a “twist” at some point in the narrative that was totally unexpected and I felt was done well. The “mystery” element with Jessica discovering bit by bit what eventually happened to Adeline’s family was also done well and for me, the history part was a huge redeeming factor for the flaws in the main narrative.
In the end, I decided on a rating of 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4, as I felt the positives outweighed the negatives for the most part and the writing was truly very good, plus the story was engaging. I would definitely recommend this one for those who like contemporary stories with a historical element as well as a little mystery and romance thrown in. I would also recommend reading the final published version of the book rather than an advance copy, as the ARC I received was missing the Author’s Notes section. I’m a huge fan of Author’s Notes and actually feel this section is necessary (perhaps should even be mandatory) when the book deals with real life historical events. I will admit to being a little disappointed with the lack of Author’s Notes in my version, though not really a deal-breaker since I can borrow a final version later on and read the notes at that time.
Received ARC from Thomas Nelson / Harper Collins publishing via NetGalley
July 18, 2017
The Space Between Words was not at all what I expected, it surpassed my expectations by a mile. It brings to light some unexpected things that will leave you stunned. Author Michele Phoenix deals with the themes of terror, grief, loss, fear and overcoming immense obstacles. It's a journey through the unimaginable, where one asks, "why?"
Jessica's journey to healing and to trust again is hard won. This book will leave you thinking about your priorities, and examine the value of the relationships of those close to you.
Michele Phoenix effortlessly had me glued to the pages, devouring each word. What a masterpiece.
Jessica's journey to healing and to trust again is hard won. This book will leave you thinking about your priorities, and examine the value of the relationships of those close to you.
Michele Phoenix effortlessly had me glued to the pages, devouring each word. What a masterpiece.
September 1, 2018
The Space Between Words is utterly compelling, characterized by gorgeous prose and a layered story line. Jessica, an American traveling with friends in France, is a survivor of the November 2015 terror attacks in France. Her path to recovery is physical, but more long-lasting are the emotional and mental injury of having experienced such a horrific thing.
Though this story does deal with tragedy, I never felt the tone to be hopeless. The author speaks eloquently about tragedy, more in a way to honor those who lost their lives to senseless violence and those who survived, having to make sense of their life a world that no longer felt secure or safe.
Along with the contemporary story, there is also the story of Adeline Baillard, a young woman living in France during the time that the Huguenots were brutally persecuted for their faith. Jessica can't help but feeling she was supposed to discover Adeline's letters and to figure out what happened to her and her family. This desperate desire to know Adeline's fate becomes irrevocably tied to Jessica's mental and emotional health as she struggles to find good in a world like hers and a world like Adeline's.
It's the way of certain stories that move me deeply to give me the most trouble describing, and that is certainly the case here. Through prose that is simple yet full of depth and a keen understanding of emotion, The Space Between Words is a beautiful reminder of finding goodness and beauty and hope when there appears to be none:
Loss will never go away, and it makes it extra hard to see the good, but it's there, all the more precious because it's been fought for at great cost. And in the world of 1695, the world 2015, the world of 2018, the world of whatever is to come, is there any more important reminder that we can carry with us?
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a review, positive or otherwise, and the opinions expressed here are my own.
Though this story does deal with tragedy, I never felt the tone to be hopeless. The author speaks eloquently about tragedy, more in a way to honor those who lost their lives to senseless violence and those who survived, having to make sense of their life a world that no longer felt secure or safe.
Along with the contemporary story, there is also the story of Adeline Baillard, a young woman living in France during the time that the Huguenots were brutally persecuted for their faith. Jessica can't help but feeling she was supposed to discover Adeline's letters and to figure out what happened to her and her family. This desperate desire to know Adeline's fate becomes irrevocably tied to Jessica's mental and emotional health as she struggles to find good in a world like hers and a world like Adeline's.
It's the way of certain stories that move me deeply to give me the most trouble describing, and that is certainly the case here. Through prose that is simple yet full of depth and a keen understanding of emotion, The Space Between Words is a beautiful reminder of finding goodness and beauty and hope when there appears to be none:
"For all its scars and strife, this world still speaks the beauty of its Maker. I rise each morning seeking glimpses of his heart...He is our hope and refuge still. Though our lives have been dismantled by the cruelty of man, God in his faithfulness has scattered flecks of gold amid the debris of our loss."
Loss will never go away, and it makes it extra hard to see the good, but it's there, all the more precious because it's been fought for at great cost. And in the world of 1695, the world 2015, the world of 2018, the world of whatever is to come, is there any more important reminder that we can carry with us?
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a review, positive or otherwise, and the opinions expressed here are my own.
October 30, 2017
I’d like to thank Michèle Phoenix, Thomas Nelson, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Phoenix is a speaker and writer for an outreach program, so I have to keep that in mind while I write my review. That changes my perspective regarding her audience. If she is trying to speak to young adult readers then she’s right on target.
The protagonist of our story is directly involved in the Bataclan shooting, a victim. We follow her as she heals both physically and emotionally. Part of this healing process involves the mystery of a sewing kit from the 1600s and its owner. She makes friends with the proprietors of the bread and breakfast where she is staying and they encourage her to seek the ghost.
I enjoyed the historical elements of the story, but I would rather my historical fiction be more telling and accurate,not a fictionalized portrayal. The tale did have me researching on Google though, both the Bataclan and the Huegonots. (Someone correct my spelling) so that was positive. I like when a book lures me into learning more. Phoenix kept my interest throughout the narrative. It just seemed a bit elementary in composition. Again I hope this book reaches its intended audience.
Phoenix is a speaker and writer for an outreach program, so I have to keep that in mind while I write my review. That changes my perspective regarding her audience. If she is trying to speak to young adult readers then she’s right on target.
The protagonist of our story is directly involved in the Bataclan shooting, a victim. We follow her as she heals both physically and emotionally. Part of this healing process involves the mystery of a sewing kit from the 1600s and its owner. She makes friends with the proprietors of the bread and breakfast where she is staying and they encourage her to seek the ghost.
I enjoyed the historical elements of the story, but I would rather my historical fiction be more telling and accurate,not a fictionalized portrayal. The tale did have me researching on Google though, both the Bataclan and the Huegonots. (Someone correct my spelling) so that was positive. I like when a book lures me into learning more. Phoenix kept my interest throughout the narrative. It just seemed a bit elementary in composition. Again I hope this book reaches its intended audience.
September 18, 2017
OK, this gave me goosebumps. I received the ARC, but I didn't read the blurb about it so had no idea what it was about...just loved the title. Turned out it was (what I call) a "God thing" that led me to it. 😊Something put in your way at a specific time and place in your life by God because He knows you needed it. I laughed, I cried, I was horrified but ultimately I was indelibly touched by this story. A blend of an historical story (a French Huguenot family's persecution and perseverance in the late 1600s) and a modern tale that I won't go into detail about to spoil the surprises. However dissimilar they may first appear, the stories end up being connected in a myriad of ways. Highly recommend. Out September 5.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC.
October 12, 2017
It's been a long time since I read a book in a few days let alone found myself awake at 3am, unable to get back to sleep until I finish a book but that was what happened last night (well, more like this morning). The Space Between Words is a clever, enthralling, spellbinding story that starts with a terrorist attack in Paris and seamlessly intertwines the present with a family of Huguenots persecuted in 17th century France. It's not an easy read but it is a great one.
This was the first time I'd read a book by this author but it won't be the last!
***Contains realistic depictions of violence that may be unsuitable for younger readers***
This was the first time I'd read a book by this author but it won't be the last!
***Contains realistic depictions of violence that may be unsuitable for younger readers***
August 13, 2017
For those who believe in an almighty being, there never is an end to life. The spirit goes on and lives within words, sounds, and breaths. For Jessica, a young woman living for a time in France, with her very good friend Patrick, life is good. She has friends, she is living in The City of Lights, and she has her independence. However, that is taken away from her by a horrific terrorist attack at a concert she attends with a friend. She is left devastated, fearful, shot, and suffering from PTSD.
Life changes and as Jessica awakens in a hospital, she begins a torturous recovery process. She is urged by the ever constant friend Patrick, to go on a trip that they had planned looking for "treasures" in old barns, antique venues, and towns. She with Patrick's aid, finds an old sewing box dating back to the sixteenth century. Concealed within the box are old papers which are written in old French which are in need of translation.
These papers turn out to have belonged to a young girl named Adeline Baillard. Adeline and her family, being Huguenots in Catholic France in the sixteen hundreds, are condemned because of their beliefs. They and others suffer religious persecution but refuse to deny their faith. What happened to Adeline and her family? Did any of them survive and if they did where did they go? These questions plague Jessica and she resolves to search out answers.
Jessica with the help of a family she meets and stays with on her trip, decide to find what she can about the Baillards and this quest helps Jessica heal from the horrible events she witnessed and was a part of. They travel from France to England in search of answers.
This book offered historical insight into the Huguenots and I learned about a group that although I had heard of, really knew nothing about. It was also a step back into a time where religion formed the basis of all lives and when religious freedom was not a guarantee.
It was sad that lives were crushed because of a religious choice. Just as Jessica feels her life was crushed when the terrorists attacked and wantonly murdered innocents, the Huguenots were also attacked because of their belief in God.
While the book has many positives, it did have a few holes within it. Jessica, for one although likable, at times seemed not as convincing as she could have been, Also somewhat awkward was the romantic element that seemed to have been thrown in as an aside and frankly did not work within the confines of the story. Another point that bothered me was after Jessica was hurt and suffering she seemed to ignore her parents who offered her help and solace. She tells them not to come to her bedside and they acquiesce. As a parent, though nothing would have sopped me from coming to my child at a time like this.
So, although this was a well written book which I liked, I did find some things that just did not help with the flow of this novel.
Thank you for NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of this book for an unbiased review.
Life changes and as Jessica awakens in a hospital, she begins a torturous recovery process. She is urged by the ever constant friend Patrick, to go on a trip that they had planned looking for "treasures" in old barns, antique venues, and towns. She with Patrick's aid, finds an old sewing box dating back to the sixteenth century. Concealed within the box are old papers which are written in old French which are in need of translation.
These papers turn out to have belonged to a young girl named Adeline Baillard. Adeline and her family, being Huguenots in Catholic France in the sixteen hundreds, are condemned because of their beliefs. They and others suffer religious persecution but refuse to deny their faith. What happened to Adeline and her family? Did any of them survive and if they did where did they go? These questions plague Jessica and she resolves to search out answers.
Jessica with the help of a family she meets and stays with on her trip, decide to find what she can about the Baillards and this quest helps Jessica heal from the horrible events she witnessed and was a part of. They travel from France to England in search of answers.
This book offered historical insight into the Huguenots and I learned about a group that although I had heard of, really knew nothing about. It was also a step back into a time where religion formed the basis of all lives and when religious freedom was not a guarantee.
It was sad that lives were crushed because of a religious choice. Just as Jessica feels her life was crushed when the terrorists attacked and wantonly murdered innocents, the Huguenots were also attacked because of their belief in God.
While the book has many positives, it did have a few holes within it. Jessica, for one although likable, at times seemed not as convincing as she could have been, Also somewhat awkward was the romantic element that seemed to have been thrown in as an aside and frankly did not work within the confines of the story. Another point that bothered me was after Jessica was hurt and suffering she seemed to ignore her parents who offered her help and solace. She tells them not to come to her bedside and they acquiesce. As a parent, though nothing would have sopped me from coming to my child at a time like this.
So, although this was a well written book which I liked, I did find some things that just did not help with the flow of this novel.
Thank you for NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of this book for an unbiased review.
July 17, 2017
4 1/2 stars TOP PICK
October 1, 2017
A novel that captured me from the first few pages, intertwining history with present day events in an intriguing way that kept me turning pages until I reached the end! The author's skill and research is evident, but her gift of story is clear, and this is one to be savored and thoroughly enjoyed! Brava!
August 8, 2017
This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, but that ended up being good. Set amidst two historic events, the Huguenot Persecution and the much more recent Paris Terrorist attacks, Phoenix delves into the PTSD and survivoring such horrific trauma. Both stories took twists I wasn't expecting, and I was very invested in all the characters. My only complaint is I wish we had more of the Huguenot story. But it wasn't needed for the book. I sat down and read this book in one setting. It is that good.
Thanks to Netgalley and Publishers for a copy of the book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Publishers for a copy of the book.
October 15, 2017
Beautifully written and powerful. Many times I was moved to tears by the strength of the story, and the truth that shone through the characters' experiences. This author's writing possesses that rare quality of being eloquent without being superfluous, and being profound in its simplicity. I loved this book, and listening to it on Audible gave it an extra dimension with the narrator's accents for the characters. What a treasure this novel is.
January 10, 2018
A fascinating split-time featuring a formidable story that intertwines the lives of two women centuries apart amidst devastating tragedy.
The modern frame is wound around the all-too-recent terrorist attacks in Paris, while the historical piece weaves Huguenots history in a deftly researched way.
Literary fiction at its finest--- the strong narrative (for both pieces of the tale) places it above your run-of-the-mill women's fiction
The modern frame is wound around the all-too-recent terrorist attacks in Paris, while the historical piece weaves Huguenots history in a deftly researched way.
Literary fiction at its finest--- the strong narrative (for both pieces of the tale) places it above your run-of-the-mill women's fiction
August 31, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jessica and her good friend Patrick are in France on an antique-hunting trip. In an unimaginable turn of events, Jessica and Patrick are involved in the horrific terrorist attack that took place at a nightclub in Paris in November 2015.
The antique-hunting trip happens anyway, and this is where the other story comes in. Jessica discovers an old sewing box with a secret compartment, concealing parts of a journal written by a young woman whose Huguenot family is suffering at the hands of Louis XIV. Jessica feels compelled to follow the story of this young woman, leading her to contemplate much larger issues, such as why God allows terrible things to happen.
Like other reviewers, I was surprised by the prominent role religion and faith play in this novel. And, like others, I may not have requested this book had it been identified as a Christian novel. That said, I found the story to be compelling, the characters well-drawn, and I appreciate the thoughtful discussion of faith and why bad things happen to good people.
Jessica and her good friend Patrick are in France on an antique-hunting trip. In an unimaginable turn of events, Jessica and Patrick are involved in the horrific terrorist attack that took place at a nightclub in Paris in November 2015.
The antique-hunting trip happens anyway, and this is where the other story comes in. Jessica discovers an old sewing box with a secret compartment, concealing parts of a journal written by a young woman whose Huguenot family is suffering at the hands of Louis XIV. Jessica feels compelled to follow the story of this young woman, leading her to contemplate much larger issues, such as why God allows terrible things to happen.
Like other reviewers, I was surprised by the prominent role religion and faith play in this novel. And, like others, I may not have requested this book had it been identified as a Christian novel. That said, I found the story to be compelling, the characters well-drawn, and I appreciate the thoughtful discussion of faith and why bad things happen to good people.
September 18, 2017
A. Maz. Ing. Go read this!
December 14, 2022
The aching beauty of heroic, steadfast faith combines with the haunting ugliness of hate and sin in one unforgettable story. If I'd known how unbelievably beautiful this book is, I couldn't have stared at it on my shelf all year, waiting for this month's "book of the month." I'd have devoured it the moment it arrived in my mailbox.
Having earned a permanent place on my bookshelves (few books can), this novel inspires, encourages, and deepens your faith even as it tears at your heart and leaves you gasping from the pain of the horrors perpetrated in the name of God. It shows in every character, every disappointment, every moment how we must grieve God with our doubts and our actions.
You'll want to hold Jess, comfort Grant, support Mona, and laugh with Connor page after page after page. In the end, a story that seems so hopeless will leave you clinging to true Hope Himself.
Recommended... for everyone.
Having earned a permanent place on my bookshelves (few books can), this novel inspires, encourages, and deepens your faith even as it tears at your heart and leaves you gasping from the pain of the horrors perpetrated in the name of God. It shows in every character, every disappointment, every moment how we must grieve God with our doubts and our actions.
You'll want to hold Jess, comfort Grant, support Mona, and laugh with Connor page after page after page. In the end, a story that seems so hopeless will leave you clinging to true Hope Himself.
Recommended... for everyone.
October 8, 2017
The Space Between Words is about one survivor's reaction and journey to less pain following the November 1995 terrorist attack in Paris.
Jessica is an American spending three weeks in France with two American friends Patrick and Vonda. Very little of the novel is about the attack itself. The novel is more about the emotional and mental stages that Jessica goes through afterward.
A part of Jessica's healing is researching the fate of a family that was persecuted for their Protestant faith in the late 1600s.
The novel was well written and I especially loved how the author tied the two story lines together.
My gratitude to the publisher Thomas Nelson for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to write a review and the opinions expressed are my own.
Jessica is an American spending three weeks in France with two American friends Patrick and Vonda. Very little of the novel is about the attack itself. The novel is more about the emotional and mental stages that Jessica goes through afterward.
A part of Jessica's healing is researching the fate of a family that was persecuted for their Protestant faith in the late 1600s.
The novel was well written and I especially loved how the author tied the two story lines together.
My gratitude to the publisher Thomas Nelson for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to write a review and the opinions expressed are my own.
August 13, 2017
This book is a story within a story, a book of resilience, a look at friendships, tragedies and the ability to continue on.
The book starts out in 1695 where Adeline Baillard, is telling the story of her families struggle of being protestants and being persecuted in France for their religion. A risky place to live and where, they could only meet in secret to pray and express their faith. Some would escape the country, but others had to live with the consequences of being caught.
Then we come into the present day, where Jessica and Patrick, close friends, who had finally made it to Paris on vacation, but where on their last night in the city, Tragedy strikes. Jessica and another friend, chose to go to a concert, and Patrick decided to go to an art opening. Horror breaks out at the concert, where a terrorist group has started killing innocent people and a terrifying night is shown to us through Jessica's eyes.
Waking up the next day in the hospital, Jessica wants nothing more than to leave the country as soon as she heals some from her wounds, but Patrick finally convinces her to continue the trip they had planned through France in search of treasures, meaning great finds in antique stores, something he loved to do., and hoping that this will be a way for Jessica to start her recovery.
When reaching one of their destinations they come upon a wonderful place full of treasures and where she finds a beautiful old sewing box, and some hidden pages from a rare bible, under one of the drawers, with part of a personal story written on its pages. With the help of new friends at the B&B where she is staying they all go on a trip of discovery, searching for more about the life of the Baillard family.
A theme throughout this book is :
Endure with courage
Resist with wisdom and
Persist in faith
This is a really good story, with some interesting twists.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC of this book.
The book starts out in 1695 where Adeline Baillard, is telling the story of her families struggle of being protestants and being persecuted in France for their religion. A risky place to live and where, they could only meet in secret to pray and express their faith. Some would escape the country, but others had to live with the consequences of being caught.
Then we come into the present day, where Jessica and Patrick, close friends, who had finally made it to Paris on vacation, but where on their last night in the city, Tragedy strikes. Jessica and another friend, chose to go to a concert, and Patrick decided to go to an art opening. Horror breaks out at the concert, where a terrorist group has started killing innocent people and a terrifying night is shown to us through Jessica's eyes.
Waking up the next day in the hospital, Jessica wants nothing more than to leave the country as soon as she heals some from her wounds, but Patrick finally convinces her to continue the trip they had planned through France in search of treasures, meaning great finds in antique stores, something he loved to do., and hoping that this will be a way for Jessica to start her recovery.
When reaching one of their destinations they come upon a wonderful place full of treasures and where she finds a beautiful old sewing box, and some hidden pages from a rare bible, under one of the drawers, with part of a personal story written on its pages. With the help of new friends at the B&B where she is staying they all go on a trip of discovery, searching for more about the life of the Baillard family.
A theme throughout this book is :
Endure with courage
Resist with wisdom and
Persist in faith
This is a really good story, with some interesting twists.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC of this book.
August 9, 2017
(Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book)
The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix is a wonderful read!
I will not post spoilers but there is a bit of a twist I just did not see coming. Jessica has suffered a gunshot to the abdomen during the Paris Attack and wakes up in a hospital. Her only comfort is her friend Patrick, who is with her to encourage her to stay in France and not rush home to Denver. Her best friend Vonda who was at the club with her during the attack is leaving to return to the states. Jessica is in a turmoil as she is trying to heal and seems to have lost her faith. She wants to forget the horrors she experienced and saw during the attack.
Later she decides to accompany Patrick on the trip through the country hoping it will ease her sense of loss. Patrick loves to pick through flea markets looking for hidden treasures in old items others would never notice. During one shopping and picking trip Jessica finds a very old wooden sewing box with the letters CSF on the bottom. She is drawn to this 17th century box and is about to embark on a quest which will help her to heal.
The search for answers about the secrets in the sewing box will lead Jessica to learn about the persecuted French Huguenots. As she is drawn further into the story of a family and a particular young woman fleeing her country, Jessica learns about having courage, wisdom, and faith.
An excellent book!
The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix is a wonderful read!
I will not post spoilers but there is a bit of a twist I just did not see coming. Jessica has suffered a gunshot to the abdomen during the Paris Attack and wakes up in a hospital. Her only comfort is her friend Patrick, who is with her to encourage her to stay in France and not rush home to Denver. Her best friend Vonda who was at the club with her during the attack is leaving to return to the states. Jessica is in a turmoil as she is trying to heal and seems to have lost her faith. She wants to forget the horrors she experienced and saw during the attack.
Later she decides to accompany Patrick on the trip through the country hoping it will ease her sense of loss. Patrick loves to pick through flea markets looking for hidden treasures in old items others would never notice. During one shopping and picking trip Jessica finds a very old wooden sewing box with the letters CSF on the bottom. She is drawn to this 17th century box and is about to embark on a quest which will help her to heal.
The search for answers about the secrets in the sewing box will lead Jessica to learn about the persecuted French Huguenots. As she is drawn further into the story of a family and a particular young woman fleeing her country, Jessica learns about having courage, wisdom, and faith.
An excellent book!
September 5, 2017
I don't really read many Christian fiction books, but will do so if the synopsis grabs my attention. Nor do i really enjoy stories that has dual timelines. 'The Space Between Words' is one of those novels whereby not only did it grab my attention from start to finish, but the timelines didn't put me off. A very touching novel, with plenty of twists and turns. It is the first time that i have read any novels by this author and shall be looking forward to more. Recommended.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review.
October 21, 2017
The Space Between Words starts in Gatingy, France, with Adeline Baillard as the narrator.
It’s 1695, the time of the persecution of the Huguenots, those Protestants who refused the King’s orders to convert to Catholicism. The story then skips forward to 2015, to a first-person account from thirty-four year-old Jessica. Jessica is living in Paris with her friends Patrick and Vonda.
They are about to leave Paris to go touring around Southern France. First, they decide to celebrate with one last night of fun. Vonda suggests a concert at the Bataclan nightclub.
On 14 November 2015, the night of the real-life massacre. I read The Space Between Words in June 2017, in the week after the London Bridge attack and the benefit concert for the victims of the Manchester attack. That brought home all the more the horror and confusion of the Bataclan bloodbath.
I don’t’ want to say any more about the plot because *spoilers*. Instead I’ll say this is Jessica’s story. It’s about searching for what has been lost. About finding hope in the midst of loss. It’s also a story of struggle and courage and faith, especially Adeline’s faith and that of her fellow Huguenots. It’s inspiring.
The story has a strong spiritual thread. This is mostly in the past words of Adeline Baillard, but also in the present conversations between Jessica and her companions. It’s not a “traditional” Christian novel in that the main characters aren’t Christians
But there is a definite faith journey. It reminds me of The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck, The Long Highway Home by Elizabeth Musser, and The Five Times I Met Myself by James L Rubart. The writing was strong, and the story unpredictable (in a good way).
I recommend The Space Between Words for those looking for a novel with depth. Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
It’s 1695, the time of the persecution of the Huguenots, those Protestants who refused the King’s orders to convert to Catholicism. The story then skips forward to 2015, to a first-person account from thirty-four year-old Jessica. Jessica is living in Paris with her friends Patrick and Vonda.
They are about to leave Paris to go touring around Southern France. First, they decide to celebrate with one last night of fun. Vonda suggests a concert at the Bataclan nightclub.
On 14 November 2015, the night of the real-life massacre. I read The Space Between Words in June 2017, in the week after the London Bridge attack and the benefit concert for the victims of the Manchester attack. That brought home all the more the horror and confusion of the Bataclan bloodbath.
I don’t’ want to say any more about the plot because *spoilers*. Instead I’ll say this is Jessica’s story. It’s about searching for what has been lost. About finding hope in the midst of loss. It’s also a story of struggle and courage and faith, especially Adeline’s faith and that of her fellow Huguenots. It’s inspiring.
The story has a strong spiritual thread. This is mostly in the past words of Adeline Baillard, but also in the present conversations between Jessica and her companions. It’s not a “traditional” Christian novel in that the main characters aren’t Christians
But there is a definite faith journey. It reminds me of The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck, The Long Highway Home by Elizabeth Musser, and The Five Times I Met Myself by James L Rubart. The writing was strong, and the story unpredictable (in a good way).
I recommend The Space Between Words for those looking for a novel with depth. Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
October 19, 2018
"Endure with courage, resist with wisdom, persist in faith."
Jessica's life takes an horrific turn when she is reduced from tourist to victim; suffering a gunshot wound in the historic terrorist attack on a defenseless heavy metal concert audience in Paris, France. Separated from her friends, she is desperate to remember, and to forget. The one person who remains at her side is Patrick, incessantly optimistic and insistent on Jessica remaining in France to complete their already planned countryside tour. While they scour an old barn for antique treasure, Jessica is drawn to a lovely old sewing box, which interesting enough may hold the answers to questions that she never knew to ask.
Adeline Baillard knows that her days are numbered, a staunch Hugenot during one of France's darkest hours, she is eyewitness to professing Christians being brutally purged from within every city and town. As her family's faith becomes more and more dangerous to profess, they make a heart breaking decision; Adeline's brother and wife, along with a younger sister, will flee to England, while Adeline and her parents remain in the small village of Gatigny.
As the darkness of despair invades the hearts of these two young women, separated by the centuries yet inextricably drawn together by the "light", can they possibly understand how "God layers good over the bad", for Michelle Phoenix has written a beautifully blended story with rich history and promising hope!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
Jessica's life takes an horrific turn when she is reduced from tourist to victim; suffering a gunshot wound in the historic terrorist attack on a defenseless heavy metal concert audience in Paris, France. Separated from her friends, she is desperate to remember, and to forget. The one person who remains at her side is Patrick, incessantly optimistic and insistent on Jessica remaining in France to complete their already planned countryside tour. While they scour an old barn for antique treasure, Jessica is drawn to a lovely old sewing box, which interesting enough may hold the answers to questions that she never knew to ask.
Adeline Baillard knows that her days are numbered, a staunch Hugenot during one of France's darkest hours, she is eyewitness to professing Christians being brutally purged from within every city and town. As her family's faith becomes more and more dangerous to profess, they make a heart breaking decision; Adeline's brother and wife, along with a younger sister, will flee to England, while Adeline and her parents remain in the small village of Gatigny.
As the darkness of despair invades the hearts of these two young women, separated by the centuries yet inextricably drawn together by the "light", can they possibly understand how "God layers good over the bad", for Michelle Phoenix has written a beautifully blended story with rich history and promising hope!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
June 5, 2017
5 plus stars
Our book opens in 1695 with a woman named Adeline Baillard who is recounting the history of her family in the Protestant movement in France. The Edict of Nantes allowing for the tolerance of religion in France is overturned. This leads to the ongoing persecution, torture and killing of the Huguenots (Protestants.) The remainder of her family has escaped to make a life in another region of France.
We then meet Jessica in the present day as she narrates her story. She and her roommates are going to Paris at last! One their last night there, Jessica and Vonda go to a concert. What Jessica really wanted to do was to go to the art show with their other roommate Patrick. Jessica and Vonda’s world explodes as terrorists begin shooting into the crowd at the concert.
The description of what happened to Jessica the night of the terrorist shooting was very real and horrifying. The reader is there with Jessica as she both hides and crawls along the floor trying to escape the shooters. I almost cannot take in what the poor woman suffered.
Patrick tries to convince Jessica to stay in France with him while Vonda has gone home to the States. She agrees and off they go on a “treasure” hunting trip to Southern France. In an old barn/shop Jessica finds a small wooden box that appears to have been a 17th Century sewing box. It speaks to her and she wants to have it badly. After she buys it, she examines it more closely and finds a very old notebook and some documents.
Jessica learns through the translation of the document that it was written by Adeline Baillard who was introduced at the start of this novel. She goes on a quest to learn what happened to the Baillard family following the persecution of their relatives and friends in 17th Century France. Indeed, she is almost driven to learn what happened to them.
Accompanied by her new friends, Mona and Grant, brother and sister and Connor, Mona’s 5-year old son they journey around France and to England looking for clues and seeking what happened to Charles and his family after they fled France.
This is a remarkable novel. I absolutely loved it! It is both very well written and plotted. There is not one wasted word. The desire to find out what happens is such that the reader wants to ignore all else in the world. The suspense is built slowly and one almost doesn’t realize it. This is my first Michele Phoenix novel, but it won’t be my last. Upon finishing it, I immediately went to Amazon and checked out her other books. I am going to heartily recommend this to all my friends.
I want to thank Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful book to read.
Our book opens in 1695 with a woman named Adeline Baillard who is recounting the history of her family in the Protestant movement in France. The Edict of Nantes allowing for the tolerance of religion in France is overturned. This leads to the ongoing persecution, torture and killing of the Huguenots (Protestants.) The remainder of her family has escaped to make a life in another region of France.
We then meet Jessica in the present day as she narrates her story. She and her roommates are going to Paris at last! One their last night there, Jessica and Vonda go to a concert. What Jessica really wanted to do was to go to the art show with their other roommate Patrick. Jessica and Vonda’s world explodes as terrorists begin shooting into the crowd at the concert.
The description of what happened to Jessica the night of the terrorist shooting was very real and horrifying. The reader is there with Jessica as she both hides and crawls along the floor trying to escape the shooters. I almost cannot take in what the poor woman suffered.
Patrick tries to convince Jessica to stay in France with him while Vonda has gone home to the States. She agrees and off they go on a “treasure” hunting trip to Southern France. In an old barn/shop Jessica finds a small wooden box that appears to have been a 17th Century sewing box. It speaks to her and she wants to have it badly. After she buys it, she examines it more closely and finds a very old notebook and some documents.
Jessica learns through the translation of the document that it was written by Adeline Baillard who was introduced at the start of this novel. She goes on a quest to learn what happened to the Baillard family following the persecution of their relatives and friends in 17th Century France. Indeed, she is almost driven to learn what happened to them.
Accompanied by her new friends, Mona and Grant, brother and sister and Connor, Mona’s 5-year old son they journey around France and to England looking for clues and seeking what happened to Charles and his family after they fled France.
This is a remarkable novel. I absolutely loved it! It is both very well written and plotted. There is not one wasted word. The desire to find out what happens is such that the reader wants to ignore all else in the world. The suspense is built slowly and one almost doesn’t realize it. This is my first Michele Phoenix novel, but it won’t be my last. Upon finishing it, I immediately went to Amazon and checked out her other books. I am going to heartily recommend this to all my friends.
I want to thank Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful book to read.
February 26, 2019
“Endure with courage, resist with wisdom, and persist in faith.” A heartfelt, touching story of reaching for hope from the depths of loss. Beautiful & inspiring.
Favorite Quotes . . .
“For all its scars and strife, this world still speaks the beauty of its Maker. I rise each morning seeking glimpses of his heart. In simple ways, I see him moving in Creation with serenity and grace. He looks kindly on the good that still reflects his loving purposes and binds the wounds inflicted by the wicked and depraved. He is our hope and refuge still. Though our lives have been dismantled by the cruelty of man, God in his faithfulness has scattered flecks of gold amid the debris of our loss.”
“My mother taught us every day a reverence for the written word, imprinting on our minds the call to tell God’s story well. And Father taught us honesty, nobility, and strength, repeating and embodying the principles we live by to this day: endure with courage, resist with wisdom, and persist in faith.”
“I’ve spent the last few days fulfilling my promise to my sister—chronicling the events that brought our family to this point. I write for Julie and for Charles, for a community oppressed, for loved ones hung, for slaughtered innocents. I write for our descendants, for those who will not understand the cost of our survival. Though we’ve been bowed, the Huguenot people have not been broken. Our faith breathes on in the bravery of belief and in the insurgency of prayer. Sobered by the danger threatening our future, trusting in the sureness of God’s unfailing promises, we will live out the vows embodied by my father: enduring with courage, resisting with wisdom, persisting in faith.”
“God layers good over the bad. It’s what he does. And the more of the bad life dishes out, the more good God dishes out too. We just get so blinded—legitimately—by what hurts that we can’t see the good brightening the darkness.”
”From the dungeons of our shock, wrapped in the chains of all our losses, we, the hounded Huguenots, may have doubted for a time, but we knew God in our core to be unshakable and real. My grandmother’s survival is a tribute to that faith, a sturdy kind of certainty forged in the flames of man’s worst deeds. She died believing still. It is to honor her and those who went before us that my family and progeny will strive to live the truth we learned from her.”
“I want to believe that there’s a force for good in this world and that that force won’t let the bad have the final word. It doesn’t explain or undo the darkness, but . . . I think somehow it covers it with light.”
Favorite Quotes . . .
“For all its scars and strife, this world still speaks the beauty of its Maker. I rise each morning seeking glimpses of his heart. In simple ways, I see him moving in Creation with serenity and grace. He looks kindly on the good that still reflects his loving purposes and binds the wounds inflicted by the wicked and depraved. He is our hope and refuge still. Though our lives have been dismantled by the cruelty of man, God in his faithfulness has scattered flecks of gold amid the debris of our loss.”
“My mother taught us every day a reverence for the written word, imprinting on our minds the call to tell God’s story well. And Father taught us honesty, nobility, and strength, repeating and embodying the principles we live by to this day: endure with courage, resist with wisdom, and persist in faith.”
“I’ve spent the last few days fulfilling my promise to my sister—chronicling the events that brought our family to this point. I write for Julie and for Charles, for a community oppressed, for loved ones hung, for slaughtered innocents. I write for our descendants, for those who will not understand the cost of our survival. Though we’ve been bowed, the Huguenot people have not been broken. Our faith breathes on in the bravery of belief and in the insurgency of prayer. Sobered by the danger threatening our future, trusting in the sureness of God’s unfailing promises, we will live out the vows embodied by my father: enduring with courage, resisting with wisdom, persisting in faith.”
“God layers good over the bad. It’s what he does. And the more of the bad life dishes out, the more good God dishes out too. We just get so blinded—legitimately—by what hurts that we can’t see the good brightening the darkness.”
”From the dungeons of our shock, wrapped in the chains of all our losses, we, the hounded Huguenots, may have doubted for a time, but we knew God in our core to be unshakable and real. My grandmother’s survival is a tribute to that faith, a sturdy kind of certainty forged in the flames of man’s worst deeds. She died believing still. It is to honor her and those who went before us that my family and progeny will strive to live the truth we learned from her.”
“I want to believe that there’s a force for good in this world and that that force won’t let the bad have the final word. It doesn’t explain or undo the darkness, but . . . I think somehow it covers it with light.”
September 18, 2017
As I've said before, contemporary fiction isn't usually my cup of tea. But there was something about the cover that drew me, and of course, I can never say no to a good historical mystery. I was especially interested in it because of the Huguenot aspect- a sizable Huguenot population fled to Charleston and established a church there, and I've actually been inside that very church for their annual French service.
I was almost immediately captivated by this story, and I read through it faster than I thought I would. Jessica's story was interesting, but I was pulled in by wondering about Adeline. Like Jessica, I eagerly followed the rabbit trails of evidence leading towards the Baillard's ultimate fate.
However, the book wasn't faultless. I wasn't enthralled by the child character (I don't mind children in novels, I just agree that they are tricky to pull off well) and some of the plot didn't quite pull together. While I thought the first half of the book was well-written and absorbing, the latter half stretched my credibility, and I didn't always completely buy the novel's presentation of a few of the relationships.
In the end, though, while this novel stumbled in a few areas, it had much to offer as well, and I thought the author showed sensitivity and talent in portraying a tragedy so recent yet already fading from the public's memory.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I was almost immediately captivated by this story, and I read through it faster than I thought I would. Jessica's story was interesting, but I was pulled in by wondering about Adeline. Like Jessica, I eagerly followed the rabbit trails of evidence leading towards the Baillard's ultimate fate.
However, the book wasn't faultless. I wasn't enthralled by the child character (I don't mind children in novels, I just agree that they are tricky to pull off well) and some of the plot didn't quite pull together. While I thought the first half of the book was well-written and absorbing, the latter half stretched my credibility, and I didn't always completely buy the novel's presentation of a few of the relationships.
In the end, though, while this novel stumbled in a few areas, it had much to offer as well, and I thought the author showed sensitivity and talent in portraying a tragedy so recent yet already fading from the public's memory.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
August 8, 2017
Michele Phoenix has written a beautiful new novel. It is heart-warming story of courage, survival, grief, loss, fear, hope, healing and forgiveness. The ‘Space Between Words’ was not at all what I expected. The window into the main characters life is unexpected and at times will leave you absolutely stunned. It allows you to journey through the unimaginable. It reaffirms that life requires courage, and resilience. That ‘God layers the good over the bad’.
Michele Phoenix had me so glued to this book that I finished it in two sittings. Every so often you will find a book that entwines your mind and heart so deeply that you cannot walk away from the ending unchanged. The ‘Space Between Words’ will leave you re-examining your life and priorities as well as looking at the relationships of those close to you.
What an endearing, well written piece of literature. If you love historical fiction this book will not disappoint. A must read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Michele Phoenix, and Thomas Nelson for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review
Michele Phoenix had me so glued to this book that I finished it in two sittings. Every so often you will find a book that entwines your mind and heart so deeply that you cannot walk away from the ending unchanged. The ‘Space Between Words’ will leave you re-examining your life and priorities as well as looking at the relationships of those close to you.
What an endearing, well written piece of literature. If you love historical fiction this book will not disappoint. A must read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Michele Phoenix, and Thomas Nelson for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review
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