Victoria Bylin sure knows how to write them. Stories that is, and her latest The Two of Us can easily relate to so many of us. It's about dreams, reaching for them, believing in God's plans for them, promises of them and yes, the goal. Yet, do we sometimes have tunnel vision when it comes to these dreams?

"We're sitting together in this beautiful place God created, wrestling with our dreams, and thinking about giving them up - not for each other, but because they don't fit anymore. Like old shoes." (279)

I love the various threads going on in The Two of Us.  First, and what I loved most is the meaning behind serving, and how serving isn't just a single act, it affects others - and when to know to let go. Then there's the servitude right where you're intended to be. It doesn't have to be elaborate or going overseas, though there's nothing wrong with that.  God's grace and love reaches everywhere, and how staying is just as important as going. Sometimes our dreams may take a turn, and it's just as God had planned it.

"Love is a choice. It's keeping promises when they're tough to keep. It's staying when you want to leave. And it's seeing the other person through the same forgiving lens through which God sees us all." (95)

Then we have the love and trust thread. Broken hearts and uncertainties in oneself and others may be too familiar than not. The author's words are perfectly and intrinsically placed throughout, allowing readers to feel with each of these characters, no matter how different they are. From the confident Mia finding it hard to trust, and a single goal in mind to fulfill her promise, to Lucy, fun and flamboyant, seemingly without a worry in the world. Yet we see her transformation in accepting and relying in God. Beautiful.

"It felt good to ride to the rescue again, even if it was just with a handkerchief for a teary woman." (98)

And did I mention Jake Tanner and his sidekick, Pirate? There's just so much weight on this man's shoulders, but in the end, I enjoyed his development throughout the story. His acceptance of what is right and understanding there are more than one dream.

There's also a thread about Alzheimer's and it opened my eyes a bit more to the emotional toil, let alone the physical one for the patient and his/her family.

In all, I've truly enjoyed The Two of Us with a little expectation of the author's writing, which exceeded it by far, and what I can see from that gorgeous, yet peaceful cover. It made me smile.

"Life will always have good times and hard ones. . . Trust means something different to me now. It's not about avoiding the hard times. It's about going through them with God's grace and the help of other people." (335)

And there we have it. Don't miss out on The Two of Us, a story of dreams, trust, and love.