Book Review: Midway to Heaven Posted on Feb 22, 2004
Reviewed by Dayna Davis, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer
Midway to Heaven by Dean Hughes
Book Excerpt: "Ned knew it was a sneaky thing to do, but he walked quietly down the stairs hoping to turn the corner from the stairway before they slipped away from each other.
When he reached the last step, he waited and looked into the dark room. Over the top of the couch's back, he saw two heads, too close. He cleared his throat to announce his presence, and then walked around the back of the couch and sat on another recliner, but they didn't have enough shame to separate themselves, and Ned saw exactly what he suspected: David was holding Liz's hand!"
Ned Stevens is a widower, trying to cope with the changes that have occurred in his life. When his youngest daughter, Liz, comes home one weekend with a “friend,” he understands that there are going to be changes in that relationship also. Being a caring father – he doesn’t think that David Markham is quite right for his daughter – and he does everything he can to make her see that too!
I am a big fan of Dean Hughes and his Children of the Promise and Hearts of the Children series. This book is written quite a bit differently. It is extremely light hearted and quite funny in places. In other spots the story drags on a bit as similar ground is covered a few times. I loved the portrait Dean Hughes paints of the relationship between Ned and his deceased wife. I think all of us aspire to have the type of marriage as is portrayed by this husband and his wife. I enjoyed watching Ned’s character learn to adapt to change as being a necessary thing for him to deal with – as it is for us all.
This book is a fun read that has everything in it – romance, comedy - many different emotions. It leaves us wondering the whole way through – will the boy get the girl? Or will Dad get his way instead? You have to read the book to find out!
Ned Stevens is a widower, trying to cope with the changes that have occurred in his life. When his youngest daughter, Liz, comes home one weekend with a “friend,” he understands that there are going to be changes in that relationship also. Being a caring father – he doesn’t think that David Markham is quite right for his daughter – and he does everything he can to make her see that too!