Lauren K. Denton. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2017. 346 pp. (Kindle).
It is not often that I get excited about a fiction book these days, but I can’t stop thinking about this one. Secular books are too … secular. TAB readers will know what I mean. Christian books, on the other hand, can be sappy or preachy or just unrealistic. “The Hideaway” was none of these things. It was just a really, really good book that was a joy to read — you know, one of those books you enjoy so much that you hate seeing it end.
Other than the fact that it wasn’t dirty or preachy or sappy, what made it so good? For one thing, the author, a Mobile native, chose Baldwin County for the setting of her first novel. Raise your hand if Baldwin County is one of your favorite places in the world. I thought so! Denton captured the feel of coastal Alabama, then populated the book with people we all recognize and (mostly) like.
But as good as the setting and characters are, it is the story that makes this book so memorable. It is about a granddaughter who is drawn back to the childhood home she shared with her grandmother. She has no intention of staying. She will do what is required of her, then return to her life in New Orleans. While you can probably guess how that decision goes, much of the story is a delightful surprise.
Denton’s second book will be out in a few weeks. I can’t wait!
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Meet the reviewer
Martine Bates Fairbanks, Ed.D., reviews books and movies for The Alabama Baptist. She is a university professor and retired principal. She is a member of Central Baptist Church, Decatur.
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