The Remedy for Regret

I am quite glad that Susan Meissner has decided to share her gift with the world. Her books are well written, thought provoking & for me life changing. She has quite a way with helping shed light on places that are often left in darkness, and in so doing brings encouragement and new perspectives to her readers.

When I started reading the story, the characterization of Tess intrigued me. She was living with a man and not married to him. I thought, "Wonder how the author pulled that off..." in regards to taboo subjects. My conclusion? The author did a wonderful job. The heroine was away from the hero, though still in communication with him, throughout the story as she traveled to find herself and remedy her regret. I was thoroughly impressed with how the author dealt with numerous issues. Abandonment, guilt, self-blame, shame, step-families, unspoken accusation, supportive friendship and unconditional love that led the heroine to a saving knowledge of Jesus and faith in God. The Christians in the story ministered to Tess in a way she could understand. They tuned into her need, spoke when the timing was right, confronted situations as appropriate, and loved her without expectations. I was also impressed with the realism in the story. Pain doesn't heal in an instant. People don't always accept our offer of forgiveness. Time doesn't always heal all wounds. Absolutely beautifully written. This is a novel that has made my life richer. From this point forward Susan Meissner is an author I'm putting on my list of "must-reads." I highly recommend The Remedy for Regret.

Great book, loved it. I can't wait to read more by this author.

OK readers of Christian fiction - please do announce to the world that Susan Meissner has arrived. With three books published and two more on the horizon she is an author to watch for. She weaves a great story and makes all her characters believable as they wrestle with real life issues coupled with a faith journey. If you like the contemporary fiction of Karen Kingsbury or Lisa Samson grab this book and enjoy ...and be looking for Meissner on the spine of other books to come!

Meet Tess Longren. At twenty-eight, she has what some would call the perfect life: A loving fiance, a comfortable Chicago apartment, and an enjoyable job dressing mannequins and "making tired, rich women look good". But Tess has something else, too. Something that drains all the joy and hope from her existence. Tess has a heart drowning in regret. She was just a child when it happened, and her memories are faint. But a discovery she made as a teen told her what friends and family wouldn't: Tess Longren murdered her mother. Some say it wasn't her fault, but Tess knows differently. And she knows what it's like to bear the terrible weight of guilt. So when her lifelong friend, Blair, begs Tess to help her right a wrong hidden since childhood, Tess agrees. Secretly, Tess hopes they'll both find a remedy for regret through this one good deed. But their one good deed is not an easy task to perform, and both Blair and Tess find far more than they expect on their road trip to redemption. As a hard-core suspense fiction devotee, I am not always captured by literary-style books. But this timeless story, and Susan Meissner's lilting, lyrical prose, entranced me from the first page. Characters Tess, Blair, Simon, and the delightful Corinthia are all well-drawn, multi-dimensional, and easy to understand. There is particular depth and simplicity of wisdom in Corinthia that readers will find irresistible. The plot moves well, and climaxes with a graveyard scene that is so powerful and laden with such an unmistakable sense of the Divine it had me in tears. And the message of the story is so poignant and gentle, you feel as though you've been hugged. Bottom line? Meissner's incredible gift with words has never shone truer than in Remedy for Regret, and this book is a must for any discerning reader's library.