by Robin Jones Gunn
Doubleday Religious Publishing, $9.99, 194 pages
Departures is a novella about two teenagers embarking on a summer adventure. Although headed two different directions, Christy and Sierra’s lives intersect for a brief moment. Now Boarding Gate 10: Christy’s summer plans are interrupted when her family heads back to Wisconsin for her Grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Having just broken up with her boyfriend, Christy wants nothing more then to stay home and hang out with her friends. When she arrives at her grandparents’, Christy’s life is turned upside down when Matthew shows romantic interest in her. Could her summer vacation change the course of her future? Join Christy in her summer adventure as she learns about life, love and God.
In the Event of a Water Landing: Sierra’s friend Jana invites her to come along with her to Montana for vacation. With a surprise stop at Mall of America, Sierra is sure this vacation is going to be relaxing and fun. However, it soon becomes clear that Jana’s only plans on this trip are getting a boyfriend. As the vacation progresses, Sierra starts wondering if this vacation will be what she expected.
Having spent many afternoons reading about Christy Miller & Sierra Jensen, I was excited to hear about Departures! Readers who are familiar with Christy and Sierra’s stories will love these bonus tales. Although loosely tied to a series of books, this can be read as a standalone story. Once again, Robin Gunn’s creative storytelling comes through in these delightful stories.
Reviewed by Rebecca Eischen