Thursday, April 4, 2013

The Dance - Dan Walsh, Gary Smalley


















About

Love’s recovery starts with a single step . . .
After 27 years of marriage, Marilyn Anderson is tired of playing the role of perfect wife. Her husband Jim is a successful businessman who gives her everything she needs-a beautiful home in an upscale neighborhood, the financial freedom to be a stay-at-home mom, an enviable collection of stuff. Everything, that is, except what really matters: love.
After years of trying to connect with Jim, Marilyn has had enough. She longs to experience some measure of happiness before she’s too old to enjoy it. Needing some time to herself to sort things out, Marilyn leaves to start a new job and take dancing lessons-something she has wanted to do for as long as she can remember.
Shocked to find his wife gone, Jim Anderson must sort through the past to save his marriage. With a little help from an unexpected ally, he begins a campaign to win Marilyn back. What he doesn’t anticipate is how his actions will affect everyone around him-starting with himself.


Dan Walsh

Dan Walsh is the award-winning author of several books, including The Discovery and The Reunion. 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...
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 Gary Smalley
Gary Smalley is one of the country's best known authors and speakers on family relationships. He is the bestselling and award-winning author or coauthor of 16 books, along with several popular films and videos. He has spent over 30 years learning, teaching, and...
Continue reading about Gary Smalley




My Thoughts:   

On a sunny day in central Florida, Marilyn has finally had enough, she can't believe she is actually doing what she is going to do, but she does it. She takes just what she needs from her beautiful home in River Oaks, leaves Jim a letter on his dresser and leaves. She is not leaving for good, she just wants space to think. She is tired of being a dangling charm on his arm, the nanny for his children, his maid, cook, and following his every command without him even asking what she thinks. 

Jim is a successful businessman who has supplied all of Marilyn's needs, a beautiful home, financial freedom so she can be a stay-at-home mom, yet he has no idea what she really wants, what her desires are, dreams, why? He doesn't ask, nor it seems he cares.

Thus begins both Marilyn and Jim learning to dance both literally and figuratively. Marilyn is living in an apartment, working making her own money, something she has longed to do. She casually meets a Audrey at a restaurant who tells her about dance classes at dance studio that her and her husband use to own. Marilyn begins to take lessons, and finds that she is rather good. 
Interestingly enough Audrey begins to coach Jim, not just in dancing, but in marriage.
In doing this Jim begins to see his mistakes, and it's not about Marilyn but about him.
I found myself bawling through different parts of the book. 
I also enjoyed that this book was set in Central Florida. :) Gave me lots of good memories of my old haunts!

I knew this book was going to be a home run with Dan Walsh, adding Gary Smalley was the icing on the cake. These two have written a book that will touch your heart and soul, and leave you thinking about the characters long after you close the last page. The good thing is that this is the beginning of a series so we will see more of the Andersons. 
I highly recommend this book and shine a light on it for pointing a path to Christ!



*Available April 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.*




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