Big Sky
by C.J. Pagano
Booklogix

reviewed by John E. Roper

"Ryan was young and strong; he had everything to live for. Deborah promised herself she would accept whatever God felt was necessary to deal with Ryan (and Neal)."

Life rarely seems to take a straight path. It is filled with mountains and valleys, twists and turns, wins and losses. This is often most poignantly felt in our relationships with others, and in the darker times such as when a spouse has died it can sometimes become extremely difficult to see any hope in the future. But life also frequently comes with fresh opportunities even when we least expect them. This theme flows through more than one relationship in Pagano's romantic and inspirational tale of both second chances and unforeseen possibilities for love.

Deborah Miller, a widowed survivor of a lukewarm marriage, is not looking for love when she heads to Montana to research her new book, nor is Will Dougherty expecting to ever love again as he returns to the special place he used to enjoy with his wife before she died. Yet God's ways are not always our ways, and not only are Will and Deborah thrown into each other's lives at Lone Mountain, they also discover, somewhat belatedly, that they used to be best friends who had dated in high school. After some initial shock and questioning they realize that God has brought them together, but how will their families react to the news? What neither one suspect is that God will carry both families through tragedy to unite them in ways closer than anyone could anticipate.

Pagano's novel resonates with the faith that God is in control of our lives, even when there are hardships and misunderstandings. With a plot and subplots that should appeal to any romantic soul, Pagano's book makes for a quick and enjoyable read.