Candice Sue Patterson offers an incredible and inspiring first installment of the Day to Remember series with “When the Waters Came,” a telling of the 1889 Johnstown, Pa., floods.
When the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club dam bursts after torrential rains, the town of Johnstown is left in utter devastation. Buildings are destroyed. Lives lost. Families separated. Pastor Monty Childs soon realizes he must find the strength to lead his people through the horror after his own frightening experience.
When Annamae Worthington arrives in town as a nurse working with the Red Cross and its leader, Clara Barton, the two are drawn together to aid the town suffering with injuries and the spread of typhoid. As they grow closer to each other, they realize they must each overcome their pasts to find a path toward acceptance and forgiveness.
“When the Waters Came” is a fictionalized telling of the historic happenings, filled with drama, intrigue, secrets and romance. Patterson does a great job of creating characters that are plucky and inspiring, yet flawed and relatable. She fills the story with some great themes, too, like overcoming bitterness; the need for revenge; the impact of secrets; God has a purpose and a plan, but sometimes it is hard to see; we will always find healing with God (“Never take your eyes off the cross. No matter what happens in your life, you’ll always find healing at the cross”); truth and justice; and the need for healing (“Healing didn’t only consist of the right combination of medicine and methods but of human touch. Kindness. Encouragement. Patience and prayer.”)
Fans of historical fiction will love “When the Waters Came,” which is due out Jan. 1.
Five stars out of five.
Barbour Fiction provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
“When the Waters Came” (A Day to Remember series, #1) by Candice Sue Patterson