A novel where broken relationships are mended.

Before even opening the beginning pages of In Times of Trouble by Yolonda Tonette Sanders, one can read the novel’s tagline and receive a peek into the novel’s storyline. The tagline, which reads, “Life always brings forth difficulties…It is how you react, which dictates the outcome,” accurately summarizes the novel which focuses on a multitude of familial matters. 

At the start of the novel, we are introduced to divorcee, Lisa Hampton, mother to Chanelle, and the main female lead of the book. While you are unsure of what to make of Lisa at first, throughout the course of the novel, as secrets are revealed, you start to understand and sympathize with her character more and more. To further explain, she can first be viewed as a woman focused on materialism and status versus a person’s true character. As the story plays out, we soon learn that Lisa is a former First Lady whose life became rocked by juicy scandal forcing her out her marriage and to the state of Ohio.   

While the details of the scandal are not mentioned until much later, we do see firsthand the strained relationship between Lisa and Chanelle. This relationship is the main basis of the novel. Chanelle is a fairly good student who does make one or two mistakes as a result of her transition into a young lady. I found Chanelle to be quite mature for her age and she handled situations much calmer than I would have expected. While I would love to go into detail regarding these “situations,” I want this review to remain spoiler-free. Throughout the novel you will see how their relationship changes as they endure several unforeseen obstacles, which will definitely keep the reader on their toes!  

Upon reading the novel, I discovered that almost each character in the book is plagued by a painful memory in their past. Whether it is a failed marriage, death of a spouse, domestic violence, addiction, illness, adultery, etc.; each character is holding onto a memory that is affecting their everyday life. These issues helped frame the book’s theme of forgiveness.

A perfect blend of comedy, romance, and drama, this novel also teaches that a person’s financial status is not a direct reflection of their heart. An entertaining and encouraging read; the author did an excellent job creating this story. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Christian Fiction or adult contemporary novels.

This book was provided by the author for review purposes.

To purchase, In Times of Trouble, please click here.