God sometimes has a better plan . . . The Desire

The Desire, book 3 in The Restoration Series by Dan Walsh & Gary Smalley, continues the story of the Anderson family and deals with some tough, real-life issues.

As is typical in this series, there is a mixture of well-written story telling and solid Biblical guidance.  This story actually deals with three big inter-related issues -- infertility, "crisis" pregnancy, and adoption-- and the impact they can have on Christian families.  At times, it seems you may be reading a non-fiction counseling book, but those elements flow well with the details of the story.  Information provided by the authors at the end of the book reveals that much of the story was inspired by real events in the lives of family members.

This quick read (I read most of it in one afternoon) included pages I had trouble reading through the tears.  I would definitely recommend The Desire as a great story of God's love and direction in the lives of His children, love that often shows itself in a better plan than we could ever have for ourselves.  The Dance, book 1 in the series, is still my favorite, but I continue to enjoy following the stories of this family and look forward to book 4 next year.

Thanks to Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book

Can faith build a bridge between their dreams?
For two years, Allan and Michele have been trying to have a baby. The emotional ride has been taking a toll on their hearts--and their relationship. Michele is obsessed with researching fertility treatments while Allan seems content to spend his time--and their money--on supporting displaced children in Africa. Something's got to give. But they both hope it's not their marriage.

Still, God has a plan for Allan and Michele that they could never have imagined. And all it takes to set it in motion is a change of heart . . .


About the Authors

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of several books, including The Dance with Gary Smalley, The Discovery, and The Reunion. He has won three Carol Awards, and two of his novels were finalists for RT Reviews Inspirational Book of the Year for 2011 and 2012. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for 25 years. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel.


Gary Smalley is one of the country's best-known authors and speakers on family relationships and has appeared on national television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, and TODAY, as well as numerous national radio programs. He is the bestselling and award-winning author or coauthor of many books, including the Baxter Family Redemption series with Karen Kingsbury and The Dance with Dan Walsh. Gary and his wife Norma have been married for 49 years and live in Missouri.