How to let go of pain and anger?
Christian author Varina Denman provides in-depth answers to this question in Jilted, the third and final book in the Mended Heart series.
Jilted takes us inside the lives of Lynda Turner and Clyde Felton, both considered as outcasts of the little town of Trapp in Texas. Lynda and Clyde faced different challenges from previous decisions they have made. One was harrassed by a former boyfriend which in turn affected her marriage, while the other was sent to prison for impregnating his then girlfriend who was five years younger than him, a minor when the pregnancy happened.
Lynda is in a constant battle with clinical depression while Clyde is trying to deal with post-incarceration syndrome.
This is not a pretty book.
I won’t classify it as a book for light reading either.
But this book is relevant… because its strength lies in the way Denman incorporated mental health topics in the lives of Lynda and Clyde.
There is a wealth of information available on mental health topics but most people still do not consider mental health issues as a cause of alarm in the overall well-being of a person.
Denman wrote realistic characters in Lynda and Clyde. While reading this book, you would know that somewhere in Texas or in Montana or in Hawaii, there is a Clyde and a Lynda who are living the kinds of lives Denman so elaborately described in this book.
I love that the main characters of Jilted are not people in their 20s. Lynda and Clyde are people in their late 40s and early 50s (perhaps) who, ideally, should be in that stage of their lives where they should be settled with their partners and live peaceful and abundant lives with their children.
But Denman chose a woman and a man in this age group and proved that love can happen to any person regardless of age, beliefs, and circumstances if they just open their hearts and let love enter.
Denman shook the world of the fictitional town of Trapp when she focused on the journey of Lynda and Clyde in battling their respective demons. Sure, these two persons are not perfect, they can be difficult persons to handle.
That is the beauty of this book … it does not mask reality.
It highlights it instead.
The stories of Dodd and Lynda’s daughter Ruthie from the first book Jaded and John Scott and Fawn from the second book Justified are further explored in Jilted.
Jilted is a hopeful book.
It tells us that while reality can be a tough truth to handle, it is never unlivable.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group and David C Cook for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write positive reviews. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.
