Attorney Landon Kingsley never fails to meet expectations or fulfill responsibilities, living a well-ordered life in his hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee. Recently engaged to the beautiful nursing student, April May, Landon’s new fiancee is everything he could want in a wife. She is devoted to her faith and family and truly loves him.

April’s cousin Ella Casey, has returned to Kingsport after ten years of pursuing stardom as a country music singer in Nashville. Ella’s failed career and affair with a married music producer scandalizes her in the eyes of the town, but her legal troubles drive her to Landon to help. Landon finds himself increasingly attracted to Ella and more discontent than ever with the path he has chosen for his life. Amid a firestorm of family and town gossip, Landon is tormented by his past and the complicated decision of whether to listen to God’s voice or follow his own desires.

A retelling of Edith’s Wharton’s classic novel The Age Of Innocence, Songs from The Ashes explores the struggle with contentment in marriage and the dilemma between striving for personal happiness versus acceptance of God’s perfect plan.

 My Thoughts:

This was a story that I found really engrossing. I think many people can relate to the Landon and April storyline, whether he should stay with his wife or leave her for her cousin, I think it is an issue that Megan has researched well. Megan also covers the heart-wrenching part in the book when they have a baby who has a genetic condition called Trisomy 18, I had never heard of this condition before reading this book and really want people to read it and become aware of it and try to understand it. This part of the story was heart breaking and I couldn’t keep a dry eye but it has made me realise that we shouldn’t take life for granted as we don’t know how much longer we have left.