Thanks NetGalley and Bethany House publishing for the ARC of What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson
I love a happy ending! My exact thought when I finished this novel. I really enjoyed reading this book, it is a first of this author's books, but not the last, I really like her writing style.
The characters were well introduced and likeable. The story is told in the present and past by three different characters, Faith, Dora and Heather. Good story line and plot.
Main character Faith has 2 lovely daughters, it's almost the last day of school, and then they will be wisked away for the summer by her ex husband. She's not sure how she will fill her time until she receives a letter requesting her help. A childhood friend, Heather, has been missing for more than 30 yrs. Her sister is asking for help.Would she consider helping to make the public aware again? Help her to try and figure out what happened to her sister all those years ago.
This is a great story, about friendship, family, love and acceptance. It is an easy read as the author has a way of making the story flow. Will be adding more books by Christina on my kindle.

"...people don't want to get too close to a family that's experienced this kind of tragedy. It makes it too real, like it could happen to them." Dora, mother of a missing child.

This to me is a powerful story. First and foremost, on an emotional level, this is a story about grief. I recognize it. I'm living in it, grief, that is. The author has captured grief in this work. There are as many kinds of grief as there are many types of reaction to it. Agony, fear, anger, ruined lives, deep encompassing sadness for the loss of love, hope, marriage, life, family, career, etc. I'm still thinking about this, days after finishing the story.

In 1987 Faith found a wonderful friend in Heather. She never forgot that summer when she stayed at her grandmother's home. She is shocked to learn that her friend has been missing for all those years. The story is told in her voice as well as the words of Dora, the missing child's mother. The third narrator is the missing child, Heather. (I love this 'kid'.) We slowly learn from her thirty-six-year-old story. I usually can't stand multiple storytellers, but this is written so very well that the telling blends together smoothly. The three voices are kept distinctly their own.

I want to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this book. This is my own unsolicited opinion of it. As a mystery it is excellent. It also has a cathartic feel as the subject of grief is handled with knowledge and empathy. For me, this is such a good read and I recommend it to anyone that enjoys a solid mystery. You may want to have a box of tissues.

God understands and gives us permission to grieve as Jesus did with Mary and Martha as they mourned Lazarus.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for a gifted copy of What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson. All opinions are my own.

Faith and Heather spent one fun summer together when they were ten years old. Faith had no idea the reason she never heard from Heather was because Heather disappeared shortly after she moved. Heather has been missing for thirty-six years. Faith has two daughters of her own now and runs a very popular podcast called What Happens Next. Can Faith help to solve the mystery of what happened to her friend?

The story is told from three perspectives and covers two summers. Heather's story is told in the past before she disappears. Faith tells her story in the present. Dora, Heather's mother, also tells her story in the present even though Dora is still living in the past.

This is a book that I had trouble putting down. I'm looking forward to reading more book from Christina Suzann Nelson in the future.

Christian Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Women's Fiction
Release Date: January 17, 2023

One of the best novels I've read in 2023 is What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson. Set primarily in present day Oregon, a considerable portion of the novel is written in flashbacks. The story is told by three characters: Faith, our main character and a popular true crime podcast host; Heather, her best friend in the summer of 1987; and Dora/Mrs. Crane, Heather's mother.

Ten-year-old Heather disappeared on a summer day in 1987 with no trace of her in the past 36 years. Dora has been devastated since that horrible day, and the Crane family bond is badly damaged. Desperate to help her mother, Heather's sister/Dora's daughter asks Faith to use her true crime connections in a last attempt to find answers.

I was quickly drawn into the story and appreciated its pacing, all the way to the conclusion. The novel is suspense rather than a thriller, and I cared as much about the characters in the present time as I did about learning the truth about the details of Heather's disappearance. From the first chapter, readers know what happened so how and why are the questions to be answered. My heart ached for Dora who was captive to her overwhelming grief for decades. She believed that moving on with her life would cause her to forget Heather, and she resented her husband and daughter who processed their grief differently.

The chapters from Heather's 1987 perspective were lighthearted, dealing with first crushes, sibling fights, sneaking out past curfew, etc. Since I was a teen in the 1980s, I loved (and related to) the many pop culture references to the decade. There's also a 'second chance romance' storyline that was of secondary interest to me but tied well into the story.

After loving this and her 2022 novel Shaped by the Waves, Christian Suzann Nelson is an auto-read author and I'm eager to read her earlier titles so I can be a completist of her books.

Thank you to the author, Bethany House Publishing, and NetGalley for the print and digital review copies of this compelling novel.

What happened to Heather Crane? Her old childhood friend is determined to find out.
It was an amazing experience to read this book. I didn't care too much about the youthful thoughts of Heather, but I guess it was needed for the reader to get to know this 10-year old who suddenly disappeared without a trace. What happens in the "now" was deep and had me wiping away tears from time to time. A powerful read for sure!

Faith Bryne's life has certainly changed. She was a reporter. Now, a podcaster. She was married with two beautiful daughters she shared with her husband. Now, she's a single mom sharing those beautiful daughters with her ex-husband and his soon-to-be bride. AND...her children will be spending the entire summer in Hawaii with their dad and their new stepmother. She certainly never saw her life like this. Whatever will she do with herself the entire summer?
Faith will never forget the summer spent at her grandmother's when she was 10. There, she met her very best friend, Heather. Letters to Heather were never answered, yet Faith always remembered that summer and her best friend.
Now, 36 years later, Heather's sister, Brooke, contacts Faith asking her to do a story on Heather's disappearance in hopes of creating interest in a cold case and hopefully, finally giving closure to the family.
Faith had no idea until then that Heather had disappeared shortly after Faith's summer visit. Her parents, not wanting to scare or worry her, never told her about Heather.
Dora, Heather's mother, believes her daughter to be alive. Somewhere. She has lost faith in God. She has stayed in the same house all these years in hopes Heather will, one day, return. She has even kept her daughter's bedroom exactly the same. This has taken a terrible toll on Dora and her marriage. Her husband has recently moved out.
Faith agrees to do the story and moves to her grandmother's house for the summer.
Wonderful characters! This was a most gripping and emotional well written story. It was hard to put down.
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Bethany House through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read a lot of Christian fiction but really enjoyed this mystery. The story focuses on a cold case of a missing girl that is 36 years old. Faith is a podcaster who focuses on true crime and is currently going through a divorce. So while her kids are in Hawaii with dad, she spends the summer in her home town and focuses on the cold case of her best friend, Heather, from 37 years earlier. Dora, Heather's mother, is still there in the same home abandoned by Heather and the rest of her family as they have moved on but she cannot. As the story unfolds, the reader sees how we deal with grief and loss differently.

I found the story to be a suspenseful and realistic tale. The characters are well developed, very likeable and memorable. I will be checking out other works by this author!

Highly recommend!!!

Christina Suzann Nelson is becoming a go-to author of mine for multi-narrator mystery and suspense, with a little hint of romance. It's nice to have the latter not be at the forefront--present, but not the main point of the story! And the '80s references brought back a lot of memories!

Set in Oregon (as most, if not all, of her books are), this read takes the reader down a rabbit hole of cold cases, true-crime-but-not, family, closure, and honoring our loved ones yet living well in the midst of life's biggest unknowns. It took me a bit to get into the swing of each narrator's voice and back story, but once I did, there was no going back; I had to keep reading to find out what happened!

Readers of Irene Hannon and Colleen Coble will particularly enjoy this book. It is a standalone, as are all Nelson's books to date, and can be read at any point.

5/5 stars.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Such a good, but sad story! The whodunit kept me guessing for a while, even though I had my suspicions... They might have changed a few times. Not a lighthearted book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House, Bethany House Publishers for accepting my request to read and review What Happens Next.

Published: 01/17/23

I liked this story. It is the first book by this author for me, and I'm looking forward to reading more.

The podcast aspect dates the book, making it current. The character has a successful podcast, and thus experience. I liked that part of the writing; it gave her a level of maturity. In addition, she was divorced and had two teens. I thought the author wrote these characters well. There was the ex who was argumentative, and again the author did justice to me the reader with this character. I wasn't insulted as I often am in books. The other characters were much like cozy mysteries, all kinds of towns people. All done well.

Midway I noticed praying and no swearing, I was surprised to see this was a Christian mystery/thriller. The prayers are nice, and I liked how the author wrote asking about grace. It has always been an awkward moment in my life. I have gotten -- hang on Mary has to pray (announcements are not necessary folks) to Mary are you okay when I discretely bow my head. (Oh yes.). It's all about style or class?

The mystery itself is clever and involves shady people. There were moments when I was ready to move on, however, I understand that we all read with different real life experiences. I will say it was well-written.

I think it would make a nice car listen and/or nursing home.

A Heart Wrenching Book!

This is a book that is a parents and childhood worst nightmare. For me this book hit home because of the timeline…the 80’s. 1982 was the year a friend was kidnapped. She did come home alive. It shook up our lives though. In 2000 my kids also had a friend kidnapped and she also came home. She is a remarkable young woman today.

I was a bit thrown off by the Multiple POV. It was done well in this book. I am just not a huge fan of the style. The characters were well developed. The story kept you interested and invested in following it to the end.

I look forward to reading future books by this author.

AUDIOBOOK: I also listened to the audiobook and felt Rebecca Quinn Robertson was perfect for this book! She read it in a way that kept you engaged and brought another depth to the book.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

What Happens Next was a dual timeline, multiple POV novel about what really happened to Heather, who went missing 36 years ago.

Faith has a podcast where she tells stories of people who have gone on to do great things after tragedy. One example is a girl who grew up and became a firefighter after losing her family in a tragic house fire where she was the only survivor. When someone from her past shows up to ask her to shine a spotlight on her childhood best friend who went missing, Faith begins to unravel secrets from the past.

The best way I can describe this book is a hope-filled episode of a crime drama, in the vein of shows like Truth Be Told. I loved that we got the POV of Heather, the girl who went missing, in the "then" storyline, which helped me to see her as a person and not just the possible victim of a violent crime. We get to know her during the summer when she and Faith were friends, which helped give both Heather and Faith a lot of character development.

This book is told from several points of view, including Faith, Heather, and Heather's mother Dora, It is as much a story about grief as it is a mystery regarding what happened to Heather. I read it in one day because I was drawn into the story and wanted to know what would happen next. The characters were layered and flawed, and the story touches on themes like friendship, forgiveness, healing, heartbreak, and grief.

I will definitely read more of Christina Suzann Nelson's books! This was an excellent read.

I'd give a 10 star if it were available.

I was transfixed by this book from the beginning till the end.

This book is the best I have read in a while. The story gripped my heart. It pulled at my heart strings. I couldn't stop until I finished. I have a feeling that I would not forget this story in a very, very, long while.

I really do want to live a fulfilling life like Heather. She's the star of the book. Undoubtedly!!! She influenced everyone and everything in this book.

This book left my heart full and comforted!

Highly, highly, highly recommended!!!

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

What Happens Next is a heartfelt mystery told from three points of view. Heather tells her story leading up to her going missing in 1987. This nostalgic trip back in time brought me back to my childhood of neon clothing, banana seats and just the overall freedom we had riding bikes and exploring the neighborhood on our own.

Dora, Heather's mother, and Faith, Heather's best friend from that tragic summer narrate the present timeline, 37 years later when there are still no answers as to Heather's disappearance. These segments focus on grief, not just from the death of a loved one, but from loss in many forms.

The mystery is gripping and the emotions are high as the story unfolds. I was turning pages like a mad woman to see how this ended up. There is a light faith and second chance romance thread that keeps the characters real and adds depth to the story.

<b>BOOK REPORT</b>
<i>Received a complimentary ARC of What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson from Bethany House/NetGalley. Scroll past the <b>BOOK REPORT </b>section for a cut-and-paste of the <b>DESCRIPTION</b> of it if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of a summary.</i>

Ugh. I just wanted to shake our main character, “popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne.” because of how narcissistic and self-pitying she was. And I wanted to tighten this entire book up something fierce; so, so many descriptors and asides that didn’t add any value to the story/joy to the reading experience.

Also, shame on me for not clocking that What Happens Next was put out by Bethany House, “part of the largest independent Christian book publisher,” which “seeks to uplift readers’ families, faith, and free time with our library of industry-leading fiction and bestselling, Christ-centered nonfiction.” Such is not my usual cuppa.

I mean, I’m not anti-Jesus. In fact, I’m a big fan. But I am anti-shoving-random-religious-stuff-where-it-doesn’t-fit-or-help-character-development. That blessing nonsense toward the end? My eyes rolled so hard they got stuck way, way back in my head. Way way, back. And while I’m not a Christian, I did grow up saying the blessing, and live somewhere where reciting it before eating is still a very relevant and common cultural practice, so I know whereof I speak.

So, no more of this author for me.

Amen.

<b>DESCRIPTION
"An uplifting story of faith, hope, and healing."--Booklist

"Everyone has a story, and maybe everyone needs a little help toward healing."</b>

Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy--but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. All of that changes when she's asked to spotlight her childhood best friend's missing person case on her podcast.

Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter's belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.

As the long-abandoned investigation moves forward, old wounds and long-buried secrets are exposed. Will these two women, whose lives have never been the same, finally get the answers they need to reconcile the past and the future?

<b>"This heartbreaking story will keep you guessing--and hoping--with the turn of every redemptive page."</b>--ERIN BARTELS, award-winning author of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water

Surviving a divorce is something that this main character brings to the table that is not often the first theme of a novel. Solving a mystery involving a missing childhood friend is not either. This book is not really a mystery, but it is. The story has so many twists and turns, you will not want to put it down! Well written with hard truths that you have come to expect from this author.

A special thank you to the author, Christina Suzann Nelson, NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the chance to preview this book in exchange for my honest review, This book was outside my usual reading genre but I definitely enjoyed it. A good mystery, some drama and memorable characters. I liked the mystery, but did feel sometimes that too much time was focused on the past and I would have liked more focus on the mystery.

This was a very interesting story that packs a good message. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to not know what happened to your child for thirty-five years.

I liked Faith a lot and her own story of moving on. I also loved that she was a podcaster because I love podcasts. I enjoyed the reconnections Faith made when she returned to Deep Valley.

If this wasn’t claimed to be a Christian book I would have nothing but good things to say, but because this claims to be a Christian book I do have an issue. Faith referenced the Ennegram at least three times in the book. So many Christians think this is okay but if they did their research they would see that this has demonic roots, it is something Christians should stay away from. I wouldn’t care if I saw this in a secular book and would have never said a word but it concerns me deeply that Christians are falling into this and have no idea of its roots.

Other than that I really did enjoy the overall story, it had a very satisfying ending that made me smile.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Christina Suzann Nelson does it again! Every book by this author is absolutely incredible.

What Happens Next is equal parts drama and mystery with a rope to the past. Faith is a podcaster who is trying to navigate life post divorce while raising her two girls. Pulled from her life she is asked to investigate the disappearance of a long lost childhood friend.

Let me tell you this book was so hard to put down. Every page drew me deeper into the mystery of what happened to Heather in 1987. And I was wrapped up into each and every characters story. My heart was in knots while reading.

Overall I thought this book was well written, the characters felt real and believable, and the emotion put into this book was immense. The story as a whole was full of meaning and showed the beauty of relationships. I highly recommend this book (in fact I have my book club reading it next!)

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Christina Suzann Nelson and Bethany House for my ARC.

Author Christina Suzann Nelson delivers a powerful, emotional drama that alternates between the summer of 1987 and present day; a compelling narrative that held me in its grip and drove me discover what happened next.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Women’s Fiction · Suspenseful · Moving & Emotional · 1980’s Throwback · Multiple Points of View · Strong Connection · Compelling

WHAT I LIKED:
Nelson is a master in creating characters that are so lifelike, I couldn’t help but relate to them in different ways, causing them to burrow deep into my heart, connecting with the characters on a soulful level. Told from three different POVs, this deeply interwoven story came alive with suspense, intrigue and connection.

Podcaster Faith Byrne is grieving the loss of the family she’d always imagined after a recent divorce that’s left her reeling. When her daughters go to Hawaii for the summer with their dad to celebrate his new marriage, Faith suddenly finds herself alone and in the midst of memories from the summer of 1987 in Deep Valley, Oregon, a summer that changed her life forever. Faith’s portion of the story is told in present day and creates a wonderful sense of curiosity, suspense and even a hint of romance.

Dora Crane is the epitome of every mother’s heart in this story as she grieves the disappearance of her daughter some thirty years prior. What mother would refuse to hold out hope on finding their child? Certainly not Dora. Her plucky, grieving present day POV in this story warmed my heart, elicited a few good chuckles and ignited my deepest emotions in this story.

Ten year old Heather Crane’s POV transports readers to the coming-of-age, carefree days of summer in the late 1980’s when riding bikes through the neighborhood with friends and building backyard forts were the only important matters of the day. Her innocence and insightfulness was so tender and beautiful, lending a playful sense of excitement to this story.

I simply couldn’t put this book down. Every new chapter drew me in further until I was lost in the story world Nelson had created. My heart was invested, my curiosity peaked. This novel was well-written and had the most bittersweet ending that literally brought me to tears.

SUMMARY:
A no-holds barred, must-read. If you’re a reader who enjoys an emotional drama, I highly recommend this clean novel. This is faith-based fiction and includes light threads of hope and faith that I believe even secular readers will enjoy and find uplifting.

Content and Trigger Warnings: Divorce, Separation, Child Loss.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.