Remember Me    by Deborah Bedford Order:  USA  Can Warner, 2005 (2005) Softcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Melissa Parcel Sam Tibbits met Aubrey McCart as a young child when his family vacationed in her home town of Piddock Beach, Oregon in the 1960s. They became fast friends, essentially growing up together during his yearly visits. Later, their relationship developed into more than friendship, as the two fell in love. When Sam went away to college, they kept in touch, sharing their joys and heartache through letters. Sam feels sure that he wants to spend the rest of his life with Aubrey, but when he arrives at her house to ask her to marry him, her family has packed up and moved, leaving him no way to find her. Many years later, Sam is single and pasturing a church. Difficulties spring up with his ministry and his family, so Sam decides to take a sabbatical and return to the one place he has felt peace - Piddock Beach. He is surprised to find Aubrey there as well, trying to chase away turmoil in her life. Can the two reconnect and rebuild the relationship they once had? This is a heart-wrenching novel about listening to God and following His lead, no matter what the outside world is telling you. It tells two separate stories: one about Sam and in a smaller way, about Aubrey. Sam's story is much more developed and although he goes through struggles, his trials have a satisfying conclusion. Aubrey, on the other hand, has an interesting tale that is never quite resolved. Most of the book follows a steady pace. The reader is kept interested in what will happen next. But, all of a sudden, two months have passed and we catapult forward without preparation. This caught me off guard and made it seem like a huge part of the story was missing. All in all, Remember Me is a worthwhile read. The spiritual truths are forthright. And even though Sam is wimpy about standing up for his beliefs at first, he does develop a backbone and we witness the miraculous result of his trust in God. Though there is a romantic element to the novel, it's mainly about friendship and faith. And the ending is not what you might imagine from a plot synopsis. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews