Review: The Reunion by Dan Walsh

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Aaron Miller, a Vietnam veteran and a lonely handyman in a trailer park, does not know where his children are.  And no one knows where he is.  Indeed, no one even knows who he is.

But that is about to change.  Aaron’s heroic nature has not left him, and his faith comforts him.  And now someone is asking Dave, a journalist who has just rediscovered the importance of family, to look for him.  First Dave finds Karen.  Karen Miller, who has deeply buried her father hunger….

The Reunion was difficult to put down.  I loved the fairy tale atmosphere!  Even in the face of death and disaster, this was not a depressing book but rather an uplifting one.

Don’t look for a realistic plot in The Reunion by Dan Walsh, but do expect loveable and believable characters. And expect hope.  Like Cinderella who is rescued from poverty and anonymity, the delinquent father turns out to be a hero, bravery is properly rewarded, and all the loose ends are tied up. The wicked witch is dead, and everyone else lives happily ever after.  The end of the book may be a bit over the top, but in certain moods and situations, a fairy tale ending is just what you want.

Dan Walsh deals with love, forgiveness, loneliness, brokenness, and second chances.  He shows God’s faithfulness and goodness, and even discusses the problem of bad things happening to people.  Dan was a pastor for 25 years, and his compassion and experience are obvious.

The Reunion also taps into a massive need in our society: without even realizing it, many people are devastated by missing family members, especially fathers.  In this story Aaron, the father, is not a selfish loser but a hero and a victim of circumstances.  He can be respected; he has always loved; and his children long to love him back.  To meet Aaron, a really great guy, read an excerpt of The Reunion.

For more on the topic of missing fathers, read my review of Father Hunger by Douglas Wilson and my review of Married Mom, Solo Parent by Carla Anne Coroy.

This is yet another book in the in the 2012 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge, and is also linked to Saturday Reviews.

Disclosure: This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. and is available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.