Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

Product Description

Her Rescue Might Be the Miracle They Needed

Things like this don't happen in Beck County.

Deputy Benjamin Patil is the one to find the infant girl, hours old, abandoned in a field.

As police work to identify the mother, Ben and his wife, Abbi, seem like the obvious couple to serve as foster parents. But the newborn's arrival opens old wounds for Abbi and shines a harsh light on how much Ben has changed since a devastating military tour.

Their marriage teeters on the brink and now they must choose to reclaim what they once had or lose each other forever.

My Review

This was the first book I read by Christa Parrish. Christa can tell an amazing story, and for that I will be adding her to the list of authors I will keep up with in the future.

In Watch Over Me, we follow a young married couple who are struggling, a deaf teenager who is independently defying the odds against him, all who have fallen in love with the newborn baby who was left to die in a field.

As Ben, who is struggling with the aftermaths of serving in Afghanistan, works the case of putting the few clues together, Abbi devotes her life into caring for this unwanted baby girl. It's no secret that Ben and Abbi are having marital problems. Abbi suffers from a poor self-image and struggles with her weight. Ben is so lost and mad at God for the things he did, saw and lost in the war. Their life is falling apart, is this baby the answer they need to put this marriage back together?

In comes Matt, a deaf teenage boy who have been left deaf and in kidney failure due to a rare genetic disease. In this small town, Matt is looking for odd jobs to earn some money. He begins to spend a lot of time with Abbi and the baby, mowing the lawn, babysitting while Abbi naps, showers and catches up on her hobby of pottery making.

The twist that happens as the case is cracked is somewhat predictable, still the journey was worth the ride. Parrish does an unbelievable job of capturing the heart of the character and drawing you in. Her characters are real, almost tangible. I'd love to sit down for coffee with Abbi and know more about her, what drives her, what challenges her, what helps her.

POSSIBLE SPOILER: I have one major problem with this book, I believe with all my heart that any married couple who is having the problems, both as a couple or individually, as Ben and Abbi were, they need to seek help, counseling or the like. Though being physically close to your spouse during the hard times is important, it does not solve problems. And yes, though praying together and attending church together is strengthening to any marriage, whether good or struggling; working through things, talking, even counseling are needed. I wish that Christa would have mentioned that they signed up for counseling or that either or both of them sought out professional help. To me, this would have made this book from a good one to a great one.

*This book was a gift from the publisher for me to review. The fact that I was gifted the book has not affect on my opinion of this book.