What We Found in Hallelujah by Vanessa Miller is the tale of the Reynolds women, Faith, Hope, and Ruby as they struggle to deal with the loss of Trinity amidst all the trauma of their lives.
There was a lot of brokenness in this family, most of which stemmed from secrets and an unwillingness to tell the truth. The three main characters spent so much time avoiding the hard discussions that they made their lives infinitely more difficult. But isn’t that like us, though? We perpetuate these things in our lives because we don’t want to face them. And the more we run, the more we realize that we can’t keep running forever.
As the Reynolds women work together to prepare for the storm, they begin to repair the things that had been broken, weaving a stronger foundation for them to build on. These three strong women had to learn that sometimes the best thing they could do was ask for help.
The stories of the present are interwoven with what happened the year Trinity disappeared. Ms. Miller did a great job of showing how some echoes of the past were being replayed in the present. As the Reynolds women learned to deal with the issues in the present, they got clarity on what had happened in the past.
With all the hard things this family had gone through, they struggled to trust God and to believe in His intrinsic goodness. This was one if the lessons they learned in Hallelujah: that even when life is hard and bad things happen, God is still good.
What We Found in Hallelujah was a fun read filled with lots of family drama. There were so many layers that I was surprised at some of the revelations when they came to light. Most of them made sense as I could see how the author had laid the foundation for them. However, the explanation of what happened to Trinity felt a bit implausible (I can’t explain further without spoilers, sorry!).
Readers of What We Found in Hallelujah will be reminded that we all face storms in this life but when we hold on to Jesus, we can make it through our storms.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.
About What We Found in Hallelujah
Another storm is on the horizon for the Reynolds women. And the only way out is to go through it.
Good things never happen in November—at least not for the Reynolds women. It was the month they lost their patriarch. And the month when fourteen-year-old Trinity went missing during a tropical storm. So Hope Reynolds isn’t surprised when it becomes the month she walks in on her boyfriend kissing another woman. Or when she receives a panicked call from her mother about a mistake that could cost the family their treasured beach house.
Meanwhile, Faith Reynolds-Phillips is facing her own financial struggles. She’s also looking down the barrel of divorce and raising a daughter who reminds her so much of her younger sister, Trinity, that sometimes it physically hurts. The last place Hope and Faith want to be is in Hallelujah, South Carolina, during hurricane season. Going home will force them to confront the secrets that have torn their family apart. But if they can survive another storm, they’ll have a chance to rebuild on a new foundation—the truth.
In the latest novel from prolific writer Vanessa Miller, three women must find the strength to endure the storm and the faith to believe in a miracle.
Purchase What We Found in Hallelujah on Church Source https://churchsource.com/products/what-we-found-in-hallelujah | Amazon https://www.amazon.com/What-Found-Hallelujah-Vanessa-Miller/dp/0785256830
About Vanessa Miller
Vanessa Miller is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, playwright, and motivational speaker. She started writing as a child, spending countless hours either reading or writing poetry, short stories, stage plays and novels. Vanessa’s creative endeavors took on new meaning in1994 when she became a Christian. Since then, her writing has been centered on themes of redemption, often focusing on characters facing multi-dimensional struggles.