The Second Half: A Novel by Lauraine Snelling has an intriguing storyline: as Mona and Ken near retirement, they find out that their son (a single parent) is being deployed to Pakistan, and they must take over guardianship of their grandchildren. Mona and Ken’s grandchildren are endearing, and the book has a very sweet and heartwarming quality to it. The book even has a little suspense. In fact, The Second Half is the best novel that I have read this summer.

Snelling’s book sends a good message about trusting God during times of uncertainty. As I read it, I thought of the old proverb, “Man makes plans and God laughs,” as well as The Beatles’ lyric, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” The book realistically reflects the complicated living situations that many people must learn to adapt to. I also like how the end of the book has a reading group guide containing discussion questions.

The Second Half will be released on July 5, 2016, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon.