Jayne Dennagee has spent her life running from the “doctor death” legacy of her father. His Kervorkian-copycat methods of euthanasia ruined her childhood, covering it in shame. She won’t let him steal her future, too. After changing her name to Becka, she assumes a new life and new job caring for the ailing mother of a handsome young businessman, Isaac Hughes.

Becka struggles to sort out her feelings for her new boss just as her patient passes away under unusual circumstances. Suddenly, her past catches up with her and the unnerving details of her heritage make Becka look like a murder suspect. Worse, all sense of home and all hope for love vanish.

Even if she could clear her name, a phone call from prison wraps a suffocating shroud around her heart. Her father is out—and he needs her help. Can Becka open her new life to the man who has prematurely taken so many? Or will her father’s legacy make it impossible to open her heart at all?

Barb’s REVIEW

Excitement bubbled within me when I chose Cynthia Ruchti’s newest publication, “All My Belongings” to read.  One of first books I won in a giveaway and read on my new Kindle in 2010 was Ms. Ruchti’s debut novel “They Almost Always Come Home.”  It was apparent to me then that Cynthia Ruchti was chock-full of the genuine writer’s spirit

This story is an exceptionally uncommon plot and especially imaginative in detail. The subject matter was a total surprise …..unexpected as so rarely considered a writing topic, except possibly to true experiences reported in the news or horror stories – however my attention was swiftly captured.

At first my mind could not relate to all the changes Jayne Dennagree, AKA Becca Morrow made in her life to run away with the intention to disappear – even from herself.   She really had no choice being the type of person she was to reveal what she had witnessed and blame her father for causing her mother’s death.   She had done a very brave and honorable thing – although some might consider her a snitch…..after all, her dad had gone to prison for life.

The plot begins to thicken when Becca is interviewed by handsome lawyer Isaac Hughes for a caregiver position to his ill and aging mother Aurelia.  Becca’s experience of giving care to her mother’s ALS disease gave her the courage to accept the position to care for Aurelia’s Alzheimer’s   condition.  Becca learns that she can feel new long forgotten emotion of compassion and love, including romantic sensations toward Isaac.  Her life has only begun to settle into some normalcy when Aurelia suddenly mysteriously dies and Becca finds herself as the suspect in a murder investigation.  Ms. Ruchti’s writing throughout this novel is brilliantly executed with twists and turns of love, compassion, mystery and suspense played out through excellent characterizations of the players she created.

Becca, after going through heartache, healing and disappointment, illogical happenings, and the journey of life choices soon leads to a beautiful conversion to believing in God…. only after Becca’s realization that she could love and trust another in commitment. 

Assuming everyone wants a happy ending, the story is not finished…there is yet a surprise waiting in relation to another suspenseful matter from Becca’s past.  Be prepared for your own emotions to be tendered when Becca becomes the instructor on remarkable forgiveness.  Ms. Ruchti, you do not disappoint your readers …an excellent read…our redeemer has blessed your pen indeed.  I look forward to what you will think up next to entertain the reading crowd with the blessing of your distinctive panache.

I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

 

MEET AUTHOR CYNTHIA RUCHTI

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, speaking for women’s events and retreats, writers’ events and retreats, nonfiction books and devotionals, drawing from 33 years of on-air radio ministry. Her books have been recognized by RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Retailers’ Choice Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and Carol Award nominations, among other honors, including a Family Fiction Readers’ Choice Award.

As of 2014, she has a total of eight books on the shelves, with more contracted for 2015 and beyond.

She and her plot-tweaking husband live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren.

In 2012, the radio broadcast Cynthia wrote and produced for 33 years–”The Heartbeat of the Home”–drew to a close. The scripted radio drama/devotional broadcast aired on many radio stations across the country and two cable/digital television stations. Cynthia served as the editor of the ministry’s Backyard Friends magazine, a twenty-page, twice annual publication that reached 5,000 homes, churches, and parachurch outreaches.

Biography

Taking multi-tasking to new heights (or depths, depending on your perspective), Cynthia Ruchti is the author of recent releases “When the Morning Glory Blooms” (novel) and “Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices” (nonfiction). She makes potato corn chowder for her husband of 41 years, loves on her three kids and five grandchildren, recently retired from 33 years of writing and producing a daily radio broadcast called THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME, writes devotionals for TheChristianPulse.com, is past president of the 2,700-member American Christian Fiction Writers and now serves as ACFW’s Professional Relations Liaison, all while working on more book projects in addition to the six already on the shelves. The year 2010 saw the release of her debut novel–”They Almost Always Come Home” by Abingdon Press (a Carol Award finalist)–and a Christmas collection novella, “The Heart’s Harbor” in A Door County Christmas, a Family Fiction Reader’s Choice, by Barbour Publishing. “His Grace is Sufficient…Decaf is Not,” released Nov 1, 2011. Another novella collection–”Cedar Creek Seasons” (Barbour) released in spring of 2012. “When the Morning Glory Blooms” (April 2013) will be followed by “All My Belongings” (2014, also from Abingdon Press). She writes stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark, but she gave up knitting, counted cross-stitch, sewing her own clothes, naps, and dusting baseboards a long time ago. You can find her athttp://www.cynthiaruchti.com, athttp://www.facebook.com/cynthiaruchtireaderpage, or in the kitchen, brewing herself another cup of tea.