Hungry for Home by Brenda S. Anderson is the final book in the Coming Home Series.
Richard and Sheila Brooks continue their quest to procreate as they prepare to welcome Richard's son Matthew and Sheila's father into their beautiful new home built exquisitely by Richard's brother Marcus.
When Sheila is offered a dream-come-true promotion, she can't help but wonder what Richard's and her future looks like. Their perspectives quickly change when Sheila takes an ill-advised shortcut and gets her purse stolen. Richard finds her on the ground in an alley in the bitter cold with a sprained ankle. The police catch the homeless kid who lies about "finding" the purse. When a young girl appears to identify the purse snatcher, Sheila refuses to press charges and Richard reluctantly agrees, giving the young man some money and his card.
With Matthew and Sheila's father as their guests, life takes some unusual turns. Christmas is fast approaching and tree-hunting proves to be more of an adventure than Richard hoped.
Sheila's father reveals that her mother is dying of cancer, and, although Sheila's "relationship" with her mother really isn't one, Sheila knows she's got to give it one more chance before her mother's gone.
There is more than one heartbreak in this well-told story of a family that is growing in unforeseen ways. I don't want to ruin each character's contribution to the final curtain of the Coming Home Series which is why this review is rather vague. Although it ends well with the epilogue leaving the reader hopeful for all the major decisions Richard and Sheila executed as their changing lives dictated, it feels bittersweet. Like real life.
I think the overall story in this series transcends the "women's fiction" label. Rather it's a tale of a family, their failings and successes, their heartbreaks and joys, their surprises and expectations. Faith weaves its imperative direction through it all and takes the edge off the hurt, pain, and sorrow.
As I've stated in prior reviews of the books in this series, Sheila annoys me, but in Memory Box Secrets and often in Hungry for Home, I admired her perseverance and courage in dealing with a stone cold mother, the decisions regarding her job, and her acceptances of their unique family situations. Her faith grew and held her steady throughout each story, and in the end she did many of the "right" things. Richard is a great character and has far more patience with his wife than I did for her character, but then he knew she was a Type A and that's apparently what he wanted. He's a good man and a loving father who wasn't about to sacrifice a relationship with his young son. God suggested and Richard obeyed.
Hungry for Home puts a satisfying conclusion to the page of the lives of Richard and Sheila Brooks and several more of their family members.
Father, I pray your abundant blessings upon my friend Brenda. She's a generous person and a committed writer. Please keep the supply coming for those stories you have just for Brenda to tell. Thank you for her friendship and kindness to me. Thank you for bringing her into my life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.