The Desert Between Us by James C. Magruder

Two years ago, Chase Kincaid lost his spouse to a heart attack. And now, at the age of thirty-seven, he finds himself wondering if he could love again. And if so, would it even be in the same way?

It seems to him that no one can replace his former wife, Aimee. Her spunk, the way she inspired him…even his writing has dried up after she passed. Left with his son, Chase resigns himself to a single father’s life, hoping that the famous novels he pens are enough to help the two of them get by.

That is, until he meets Sierra Taylor, his son Clay’s third-grade English teacher. She reignites a spark in him he hasn’t felt for two years.

As the two of them bond, Chase finds himself drowning in guilt.

Is he betraying Aimee’s memory? How will his son react? Or Aimee’s mom—who blames him for her daughter’s death?

Through this exploration of love and loss, Chase may find himself falling in love once again, if he’ll let himself. If not, he’ll drift away not only from Sierra, but everything and everyone he loves—being lost forever in a wave of grief.

My Thoughts

Rebuilding a family–a grief journey

“A man never really knows how strong he is until he’s lost something. Until he’s alone.” This is the grief journey of Chase Kincaid and his 8-year-old son Clay, after losing their wife and mother so suddenly. Chase also lost his mother when he was a boy, so the stoic way his father grieved became an example for his son, an unhealthy one.

With the help of a best friend (who rings the bell and walks in) and those who work with Clay at school, they begin to work through issues from the past and begin to rebuild their family. This is not only a heart-warming story, it could certainly help someone grieving think about how they process their own pain.

Highly recommended.

James C. Magruder

James C. Magruder writes reflective essays and contemporary Christian fiction. He is the author of The Desert Between Us, a “love-after-loss, victory-over-grief” story releasing April 23, 2024 and The Glimpse, an inspirational novel that speaks to the heart about forgiveness and reconciliation.

His work as appeared in Writer’s Digest, Writer’s Journal, eleven Chicken Soup for the Soul books, HomeLife, and other magazines. He blogs about maximizing life by reducing the speed you live it in his popular blog, PAUSE MORE. RUSH LESS. His website.

Jim is married to Karen and lives in Racine, Wisconsin. They have two married sons, David and Mark and three grandchildren. Jim writes full time and is retired from a 40-year career in marketing and advertising.

Jim has several short videos on his Instagram page that give some backstory about writing The Desert Between Us. They are so compelling!

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“An inspiring story of how a father and his eight-year-old son journey through a season of grief together and the very unexpected place they find hope and love again.” – Richard Paul Evans, #1 New York Times bestselling author