WHERE THE PINK HOUSES ARE

A 20-year-old widow and her mother-in-law take a vacation to Ireland and find more than they ever expected.

Nine months have passed since the freak storm that killed Ben, the bedrock of two women’s lives: his wife, Brenna, and his mother, Anna. Deciding that a trip to Ireland—Anna’s ancestral home—is needed for their mental and physical well-being, the women head to Millway, in County Cork, to recover. As the two women ease into their vacation, they realize they are physically and emotionally needed in Ireland. Auntie Pat is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, which is progressing, and Bettie, her daughter, is stretched too thin trying to run the family B&B and care for her mother. Quickly establishing their intent to stay in Millway, both women find jobs and settle into the community. Brenna meets two men: Luke, a ladies’ man and all-around flirt, and Ryan, an elusive businessman from Cork, who says he’s only interested in being friends, even though his body language says otherwise. Both men will drastically influence Brenna’s life in ways she never imagined—and in ways only God could orchestrate. In this tightly written book filled with vivid Irish scenery and culture, characters are constructed so well that the reader might feel as if they’ve met before. Physical and spiritual encounters pull the reader into the story due to their surprisingly realistic nature, while characters grow and change seemingly because of God’s presence—or lack thereof—in their lives. Ruth skillfully and charmingly leads the reader through the winding paths of the human condition, tempered by divine guidance.

A thorough, well-executed first effort.