Title: The Gathering Table by Kathryn Springer
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Genre: Contemporary, Christian, Women’s Fiction
Length: 332 pages
Book Rating: A
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
From USA TODAY bestselling author Kathryn Springer comes a tale of starting over when life takes an unexpected turn.
Winsome Lake, Wisconsin, is postcard-pretty, but for chef Jessica Keaton it’s also a last resort. Fired from her dream job, Jess is starting over as a live-in cook and housekeeper. When she arrives, she finds her new employer is in rehab after having a stroke, and Jess expects she’ll be all alone in Elaine Haviland’s quaint house. A chef with no one to cook for.
But instead, she encounters a constant stream of colorful visitors who draw her back into the world. As Jess contends with local teenagers, a group of scrappy women and a charming football coach, Elaine faces some battles of her own that extend past her physical challenges. For both of them, all the ingredients for a fulfilling life are within reach, if they’re willing to take a leap. And maybe Jess will start to see that it’s not just what’s on the table that matters—it’s the people gathered round it.
A must-read novel from Love Inspired: Stories to Uplift and Inspire.
Review:
The Gathering Table by Kathryn Springer is a heartwarming novel of new beginnings, friendship and faith.
Jessica “Jess” Keaton is at an unexpected low point when she loses her job as a personal chef. Answering an ad in the paper, she is hired by Elaine Haviland as a cook and housekeeper. With little to lose and hopefully much to gain, she sets out for Winsome Lake, WI. The town is picturesque and Elaine’s neighbors are friendly, but the last thing Jess wants or needs are close relationships. She also tries to keep popular high school teacher and coach Nick Silva at arm’s length. However, he and everyone else slowly slip past her defenses. When an unanticipated opportunity comes her way, will Jess take a risk and keep the new life she is starting to love but fears trusting?
Jess’s previous employment arrangement was perfect for her. She was able to keep everyone at a distance and she hopes her new job will work the same way. Jess relies only on herself and she keep her emotional wall firmly in place as she meets Elaine’s eclectic neighbors. The women are warm and inviting and she cannot help becoming invested in their lives. When Elaine finally comes home, Jess suddenly hopes things won’t work out because she feels extremely uncomfortable by how deeply invested she has become in her new friends. And Jess is also concerned about how much she enjoys Nick’s company. But can she exchange her suddenly full life for another version of her former safe, but empty, one?
Elaine is very frustrated by all of the health setbacks that prevent her from returning home. She is also avoiding a decision that needs a resolution sooner rather than later. Elaine has begun to depend on former military chaplain Matthew Jeffries’ visits which leave her feeling happier and more settled. She is looking forward to seeing her friends and meeting Jess face to face. Once she does, Elaine is surprised by how little her life before her stroke seems to fit her now. But is she willing to make the necessary adjustments in order to find happiness?
The Gathering Table is a heartfelt novel with a gentle undercurrent of faith. The characters are richly developed and very relatable with all too human foibles and hidden (to them) strengths. The storyline is very well-developed with themes that are sure to resonate with readers. As the story unfolds, Jess and Elaine experience considerable personal growth as they conquer their fears. With unanticipated conflict to resolve, Kathryn Springer brings this sweet, thought-provoking novel to an incredibly gratifying conclusion.
