Sometimes I need a quiet book — a book that I can sink into for warmth and wisdom. That’s what I got with The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold. This general fiction novel traces the healing journey of Nikki Werner as she runs away from hurt and doubt to a sense of hope and connection with her past. Nikki’s parents have just divorced, and everything she thought was true about their marriage and her childhood comes crashing down. Faced with decisions about her own future, she runs to her family’s farm where she once felt peace and safety. I loved that Nikki embraced her family’s past in order to make sense of her present and ultimately find a way towards a future. Her uncle Wes and Joyce, a family friend, assist on that journey, as they too struggle with moving forward. One of my favorite parts of this book was the precious notebook Nikki finds filled with old German recipes and wise advice for building a life. It not only fed the hungry at her table, it brought new perspective to Nikki’s life. The book was not written for Nikki, but she found it was indeed a guide to be treasured. There is a lot to like about this novel — endearing characters, a great sense of place, and strong spiritual themes to make the reader ponder. I definitely recommend you read this one.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

I did enjoy this novel, it had a good plot and I liked the elements of recipes throughout the story. I did find it a little cheesy at times, and at times the faith overtures were a little pushed instead of naturally flowing in the story.

The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold is such a lovely, unique novel. This book is such a fabulous take on loss and grief, of dealing with major life changes outside of your control. I loved the way the book used the main character’s family members both as sources of emotional turmoil and others as sources of inspiration and stability. This book is an in depth look at how family can shape us and the influence of family history, especially a family history of faith. I cannot recommend this book enough. I was a fan of this author’s first book and made my husband read it. I think I love this book even more. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I enjoyed this story of love and going back to one's roots. I also really enjoyed that her uncle gets a bit of a second chance. There was a part that broke my heart towards the end, that I wasn't expecting, but it was still a wonderfully written story.

The Divine Proverb Of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold is a most charming contemporary Christian novel that I just could not put down. It is a novel that will warm hearts, soothe souls and impart wisdom and love.
The novel is about love and lessons in how to love as God loves us.
Following her parents divorce, twenty something Nikki spends her summer on her uncle Will’s family farm, as she tries to process events. It is here that she finds an old family notebook full of recipes and proverbs. As she works through the recipes, she learns God’s lessons for life and love.
Being hurt deeply has resulted in Nikki turning inwards and shutting others out, especially her father, whom she sees as the source of all her pain. “Self protection was never a savior from pain. Only forgiveness could be.” Imprisoning herself in bitterness is not living life as God intended. God wants us to live in freedom. Only by forgiving can we achieve this. Forgiveness is beneficial to us and to those we forgive. “Lay down the bitterness and trust the Lord’s protecting arm to save you”. Being safe in God’s arms is the best place to be.
We need to build our relationship with God. We need firm foundations in faith in order to sustain us through the tough times. Start the day with God, not social media or the news. “Scripture at sunrise … Every morning, he said thank-you to the Creator of all.” We need to practice having a grateful heart. As Pollyanna did, we need to play the glad game.
It is important to have people who will help to sustain our faith. “Every Thursday morning before students arrived [they had] a ‘Grab and Grace session’ … the life-giving thirty minutes of prayer and mentoring.” We need others who are older in faith to help us. And we, in turn, need to help those who are younger in faith. We were never meant to walk the road alone.
Stories are a great way to connect the generations. Stories inform us as to what has gone before. Lessons from the past can help us in our present walk.
Everyday we face choices. “You can’t do anything about his choices… only your own.” We are only responsible for our choices, and how we react to the choices of others.
We are called to show God’s love to a hurting world. “Love was heard in actions.” Sometimes it is not what we say that is heard, but it is a connection of hearts. “She had a way of hearing the words but listening to the heart.”
Prayer is our lifeline to God. “We’ll pray for God to work where we can’t.” Sometimes all we can do in situations is to hand them over to God and watch Him work. God does not always lift us out of our situations but He does calm the raging storms around us. We can experience His peace in the middle of our difficult circumstances.
All the characters were well drawn, realistic and easy to empathise with. We can perfectly understand the emotions of Nikki as she navigates life, learning from those around her, and from those long gone.
The town is very community-minded, helping to support those in need. The church is at the heart of the community. It functions as Jesus intended it to.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Divine Proverb Of Streusel. There were lessons for us all. I loved the inclusion of the recipes too. I am sorry that the book has ended. It was a delicious escape for a few hours.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED The Divine Proverb of Streusel! It’s a unique look at heritage, resilience, home, and how the past influences present choices. It delves deeply into the theme of grief, though this theme makes itself known subtly in the story– whether grief for a loved one lost or grief for a severed or altered relationship — and brings the contemplation and settling of emotions full circle through down-to-earth characters and everyday interactions of just “doing the next thing”. I appreciate how it shows the active choice to forgive and love is tough sometimes, but ultimately a model of the grace we are shown in Christ.

The rural Missouri setting is easy to picture as it is a neighboring state. And, the recipes and table fellowship in this story make me want to cook for my loved ones. Of course I was rooting for the tiny threads to two romantic storylines, though their completion had more import as part of the overarching story of reconciliation and trust.

I thoroughly enjoyed switching between reading this story and listening to the audiobook production as time allowed.

Thank you to the publisher for the review ebook copy. I voluntarily purchased an audiobook copy for my shelves. This is my honest review.

Share this:

When her father walks out on the family, 20-something Nikki Werner doubts everything. She loses faith in her own relationship, she challenges her faith in God. With the summer off from her teaching job, Nikki seeks a refuge. To her surprise, she finds that opportunity in her father's hometown, helping her uncle with a home restoration. The house, which one belong to her grandparents, gives her a space for the summer. Nikki finds old books from her grandmother and great-grandmother, including a recipe book with notes in the margin. Cooking becomes therapeutic and, with the help of a long-time friend of her grandmother, Nikki learns how to master the recipes. Yes, this includes a streusel.

This is a sweet inspirational novel about family, grief, and how food ties in with both. The sentimentality of recipes and the memories attached to them is prevalent throughout the book. With a strong faith them, The Divine Proverb of Streusel is a solid pick for inspy readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Nikki Werner’s parents’ divorce shakes her and makes her think about relationships. She worries about what might happen with her serious boyfriend in the future since her parent's relationship ended. Does anything last? She heads to the farm in a small Missouri town, where she spent Christmas with her grandparents in the past. It is now owned by her uncle, who she really doesn't know. Will she be able to find some clarity and make decisions for her life while there? In return for letting her stay, she offers to help clear out the farmhouse. She comes upon a box of her late grandmother's things and finds a notebook. It is full of old German recipes and sayings from the book of Proverbs. She decides to try the recipes and invite family and friends to join her at the table. They spend time talking about the history and past of the town and not only does Nicki find clarity, but wounds heal and relationships develop among the new friends she makes.

I really enjoyed this delicious story. This is my first book by Sara Brunsvold and I will definitely look for more. I loved her writing style and this story was so relatable. Families and friends often have a falling out over cross words or misunderstandings, and forgiveness isn't always easy. Nikki and her father have to reconcile and it is not easy. Nikki and her uncle are great characters, well developed and easy to relate to. Both have things to reconcile with and things to forgive in order to move forward. Can they take the first step? Nikki’s journey to connect with her roots soon turns into an engaging journey. The scriptures are embedded in this story in a natural way and are the path that brings Nikki peace. I loved all the talk of food and how this brings about friendships and conversation. Nothing like connecting over a good meal. As Nikki leans more about her family, especially her ancestors doors open to stories of love, loss, and resilience, which allows her to take the steps necessary for her happiness in her future.

The authors first book was literally life changing for me. It's one that I will be reading again and again. When I saw she had another book coming out I could not hit request quickly enough! She tackles the hard things and shows that life is life it's not easy and it's messy. But oh there's grace. Her books are like a sermon wrapped in a story and I cannot say enough good things about her writing or this book!

Sara Brunsvold perfectly captures how difficult divorce is for children, at any age, in The Devine Proverb of Streusel. I loved the strong representation of faith, The Bible, and family. It is only through these three things that Nikki is able to begin her journey of forgiveness.

Written in partial epistolary format, this book infuses emails, texts, and journal entries. In doing so, the story alternates from third to first person point of view. I loved having the alternate perspectives because it allowed me to get a clear picture of the Werner family.

The Werner family all but lost their German traditions with the war. They began to slowly give up elements of their culture to better acclimate in the US and distance themselves from the evil of Hitler. It was lovely to see Nikki, while in the deepest part of her struggle with family, connecting to it in a way no one had for generations.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Revell, and Sara Brunsvold for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

3.5 Stars
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara was one of my favorite books of 2022 so I was SO excited to dive into Sara's next book! While it's hard to live up to my love for Mrs. Kip's story, this one was a solid contemporary Christian story with beautiful faith content throughout the story that I thoroughly enjoyed. In this story, we follow Nikki who is devastated from her parent's divorce. She doesn't know what to do with her life, relationship with Isaac or how to approach her father after his betrayal to her and her family.

Nikki ends up going to stay with her Uncle Wes in the town her father grew up in. She ends up finding old recipes of her grandmother and learns so much of her German history within her family that she never knew about before.

I really enjoyed this one overall - while some parts were slow for me, I loved the faith elements, proverbs scriptures, recipes, characters and the forgiveness thread.

"It is not what I forgive, it's why I choose to do it that matters most. The why is Jesus." Amen.

This story has some tough topics discussed in depth for the divorce of parents but Sara handled it so well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly read and review.

I have heard so many great things about this book and while there were a few things in this book that I don't agree with theologically, it was a story that kept me entertained and hooked to finish reading to see how it all would turn out. New to me author who I will be reading more of her books in the future.

“Stories are the universal heart language. They bring together what is scattered.”

Oh my goodness, y’all. The Divine Proverb of Streusel is such a richly told story. Sara Brunsvold’s way with words captured me from the very beginning and drew me indelibly to these characters and their poignant explorations of family and faith. There is so much I want to say about this gorgeous book, and I know already that my words will fail to do it justice.

I adored the plot elements through which Brunsvold elicits Nikki’s restorative work over the course of the summer – specifically, a seemingly innocuous notebook that turns out to be anything but ordinary and a handful of seemingly innocuous characters who turn out to be rather extraordinary themselves. There is so much to be unpacked around this notebook: the German heritage (and its historical trajectory), the spiritual insight as it relates to hospitality and the home, the recipes themselves (which honestly made me crave German food even though I’ve never liked it lol), and of course what she learns about herself and her family in the process. Perhaps what I craved more than the food was joining Nikki around that kitchen table, digging into her ancestry and the spiritual legacies left to her there. “Family history has a way of putting our own lives into perspective. None of us walk a path entirely of our own making.” It has been very illuminating for me personally to dig deeper into my genealogy and see how the paths my great-great-etc relatives took led directly or indirectly to the one I’m on in my own life. From Methodist church planters to coal miners to Baptist preachers to farmers to soldiers to Shakespeare and everything in between, I am grateful for their stories and how God used them to shape me too.

“Small towns were a trove of plot twists.” And oh what plot twists await in The Divine Proverb of Streusel! For starters, I absolutely loved Nikki’s Uncle Wes. It’s almost as much his story as it is Nikki’s, and I appreciated that while he is gentle and protective and loves the Lord, the author also gave him flaws. Flaws that need mending just as Nikki’s do … just as the farmhouse’s scuffs and wear-and-tear do too, a parallel that I found quite compelling. Wes at first glance appears to be the exact opposite of his brother (Nikki’s dad), and his quiet kindness is exactly what Nikki needs. There’s also a bit of romance with his story arc, and whew goodness I didn’t expect to swoon over him but there is a fantastic scene I can’t wait for you to discover that had me reaching for my fan. Another fave character in this book is Aunt Emma. What. A. Hoot. Her conversations with Wes and eventually with Nikki had me laughing out loud on several occasions, and she has some of the best lines in the book. I’m not even going to spoil anything for you beyond that – you just really need to meet her for herself!

Bottom Line: Life is messy, and The Divine Proverb of Streusel acknowledges this fact with profound grace and thoughtful insight. It’s a compelling story that never drifts into the cliché and is brave enough not to tie everything up with a perfect red bow. Oh don’t get me wrong – there IS resolution and it’s beautifully rendered, but we all know that some wounds cut especially deep and true healing takes time. There is great pain to be worked through on these pages, but there is also great joy to be found, great stories to tell, and great love to embrace. I fell in love with the characters – main and supporting – and I devoured every word as quickly as possible while also trying to savor them at the same time. I was captivated by the warmth that exuded from the author’s insightful and poetic writing voice, and any book she writes from now on will automatically go to the top of my TBR list.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This was a very good novel. The characters have depth and are interesting. I would recommend this story to others.

This story spanned almost 100 years of history in a dual timeline narrative in which a broken woman looks for and receives healing through exploring the past. The story had depth and the characters, both present day and historical, were mesmerizing. It was a very enjoyable read with just the right pacing and a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommend this read to fans of dual timeline fiction.

Young teacher Nikki Werner is reeling after her parents' divorce. Feeling shaken, she turns to answers within her family tree and visits her grandparents' farm in northeastern Missouri. Though her grandparents have both been gone for years, her uncle Wes welcomes her and sets her up at the farmhouse.

As Nikki helps Uncle Wes go through their ancestors' belongings in preparation of renovating the old home, she's drawn to some German books and a notebook filled with recipes and wisdom that were clearly written with care. When Nikki chooses to spend her summer vacation on the farm, she decides to go recipe by recipe through the book, cooking and absorbing the proverbs of her mothers before her.

This story is full of small town, down home charm, as well as the intricacies of family relationships. As Nikki questions both her past and her future—after all, if her parents' marriage didn't survive, how could she think of entering the state of holy matrimony herself?—she is continually pointed to the Lord by Uncle Wes and others she meets.

I enjoyed this story, which while delving into deep topics is also gentle and calming. The writing style reminded me strongly of Cynthia Herron and her Welcome To Ruby series. My only small complaint about the book is that sometimes going no-contact with relatives really is the healthy and even loving thing to do. When it comes to dysfunctional families, each person must prayerfully decide what is the best course for themselves. If it's healthy for relationships to be restored, that is indeed cause for rejoicing, but it is not possible for everyone.

I'd recommend this for any fan of general or women's inspirational fiction.

I received my copy of this book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Some novels that contain recipes read like a cookbook with a short story sprinkled through. The Divine Proverb of Streusel, happily, is not one of those books. I appreciated the focus on the different family relationships in the book, as well as the fact that the main character’s romantic relationship took a back seat to those family relationships. The book is a little more character-driven than I prefer, but the take-away of “Do the next thing” is proving to be something that I have been able to apply to my own life. Overall, a worthwhile read with a solid faith element.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Not as compelling to me as Brunsvold’s debut, but good just the same. The story of family dynamics and coming to terms with what is rather than what is hoped for. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of the novel.

I found this story to be quite tastefully written. Not a high level action story, no not at all. But rather, one that draws you in, and then keeps you intrigued as the story line is revealed, bit by bit.

I loved the characters. Down-to-earth. Home town. Realistic. Lots of hurts and pain from the past. Learning how to deal with it in the present. Relevant to almost anyone, I think.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the recipes scattered throughout. They make me want to try them, and I hope to, at least some of them, in the near future.

I liked the focus on appreciating what our ancestors have contributed to our lives, a fact that so many tend to forget in the present day and age.

There's a lot more I could talk about, but really, I would rather you go find a copy of this book and read it for yourself, so you can experience what I'm talking about.

This book is deep and rich. Complex family issues, deeply layered characters, beautiful, homey setting, and rich heritage mixed in. And of course, much more.

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255