I know if people read my reviews they believe I rate every book as the best I have ever read. But once again I need to give a book 5 stars. When Crickets Cry was a moving and touching story. I do not want to put in spoilers, so I will just write that Charles Martin can grab hold of the reader's heart and really give it a tug ... or two ... or three! What a great story of love and dedication and forgiveness. Definitely take the time to get involved in the story of Annie and all of the people who are part of her life. You will not want to put the book down...even after you have read the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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Once I got past the first couple of chapters, I didn’t want to put it down. It’s part mystery and a lot medical. Highly recommend it.

When Crickets Cry made feel so many emotions. Ultimately, it made me cry--from sadness, joy, and awe..
I love second chance stories.
I love everything I've read by this author!!
You can't go wrong with Charles Martin.

This is my first Charles Martin book. I enjoyed the writing and story overall, but the descriptions went on for what seemed like years. Descriptions of everything, not only the human heart which were fascinating. The story was also very predictable. 3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

When Crickets Cry is a touching story of loss, healing, and redemption. Charles Martin weaves a beautifully emotional tale centered on a man with a painful past and a brave young girl with a failing heart. While a bit predictable at times, the writing is lyrical and sincere, making it a powerful read for anyone who enjoys heartfelt, faith-tinged fiction.

This book is one of the most heartfelt stories I’ve ever read. The characters are lovable, determined, and relatable. Reese, now using his middle name and hiding behind an unkempt beard, seeks to disguise his true identity as a renowned heart surgeon. Growing up, Charlie was his best friend, while Emma, Charlie’s younger sister, battled a defective heart. Reese and Emma fall in love, marry, and Reese dedicates himself to becoming an exceptional heart surgeon in order to save her. However, when Emma dies, Reese becomes a recluse, living by a lake near Charlie, who is now blind.
Annie, a six-year-old girl living with her aunt after the death of both her parents, also has a heart defect. To raise money for the heart transplant she will eventually need, Annie sells lemonade in her small town.
I have read other books by Charles Martin, and each one has captured my heart from the very beginning. This book is no exception. It is beautifully written and filled with charming characters that take the reader on an emotional journey. Themes of faith, forgiveness, and perseverance resonate throughout the story and lingered with me for days after I turned the last page.
I received a complimentary copy of this book; all opinions and comments are my own.

When you this author’s name on a book, grab it (or download it) ASAP. As usual, you get a great tale which shows excellent research, produces three dimensional characters, and produces emotional and spiritual responses.

I knew within the first page that I would need tissues at some point while reading this story and I wasn't wrong. Boy did it pull on the heart strings and make me cry, all in a good way of course.
I feel like story is not the right word to describe this book, maybe saga is better. There was depth and emotion, it was a page turner I did not want to put down ... but picking it up meant feeling all the emotions too. The characters were varied and detailed and taught about dedication, restoration, forgiveness and that a true friend, or brother, never gives up on you. I felt like I was pulled into the story and became invested in the characters' lives and had to know what happened next.
I'm not going to write out a synopsis for you as there are plenty of reviews that do that but did want to mention the medical detail in the book which, as someone working in health, I really appreciated and felt was pitched at just the right level.
I have seen books by Charles Martin on the Amazon Christian Fiction best-sellers list and wanted to read them as they have interesting titles and look like classic and ageless books. This is the first book I have read and it definitely won't be my last! It reminded me of books by Francine Rivers in style and depth of the message. 5 stars.

WHEN CRICKETS CRY by CHARLES MARTIN is a well written story with .besutifully poetic prose. It is slow reading until near the end when things become really hectiic! It is a classic and needs to be read as such. I found the information on the heart, both medical and spiritual, fascinating, and loved the quotations throughout the book.
I really enjoyed When Crickets Cry,, with the unforgettable characters, the deepth of character analysis, and the underlying Christian message.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson.. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Premise: Reese is a man haunted by memories and guilt, living quietly as a boat repairman. His life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Annie, a precocious seven-year-old who sells lemonade and wears a heart monitor strapped to her chest. What begins as a chance encounter soon unravels into a poignant journey where Reese must confront his past and the pain he has long buried.

This is a deeply emotional, tenderly written novel that delves into themes of grief, redemption, love, and the transformative power of second chances. Set in a small Southern town, the story follows Reese, a mysterious man with a tragic past, and Annie, a spirited young girl battling a life-threatening heart condition.
The prose is lyrical and atmospheric. The setting is written in such rich and descriptive detail. The pacing allows the emotional beats of the story to land with power. The heart-wrenching scenes that don’t feel overly sentimental, balancing hope and sorrow with grace.

Overall one of my absolute favourite reads, I would recommend this to everyone!

"When Crickets Cry" gave me serious Everwood vibes (for those who remember the early 2000s TV series). I jumped at the chance to read it when it was available as an ARC on NetGalley. I hoped it would be the perfect summer read.

The first thing I want to point out about this book is: there is a storyline in there somewhere - I promise. But as several readers have noted, this book is packed with lists and detailed descriptions of objects, places, and activities—it sometimes feels like reading a manual. And there's a lot of it. I love fun facts and have nothing against reading non-fiction. In fact, I think this author could write engaging and informative books on various subjects. Unfortunately, this overshadowed the actual story in the book - a story that had so much to say.

I have little to criticize about the characters. Most of them came across as strong personalities, and their stories were engaging. With more narrative and less factual content, I think this could have been an outstanding novel. But as it stands today, I can only give it 3 stars. However, it has a lot of potential, and I believe it can find its right reader out there. I would without doubt recommend this book to other people. It just was not for me.

When I read a Charles Martin book, I know I'm in for an emotional story that will leave me thinking of the story and its meaning long after the last page. The scene is set from the first page for the collision of two worlds, leaving the questions of mortality and what happens to an individual reader's beliefs. The pacing is slower than most readers are used to. Martin builds his stories to make an impression. WHEN CRICKETS CRY will definitely leave an impression.

Always appreciate Charles. Martin stories. They have a slow burn intensity building into a tale that long stays in my soul. When Crickets Cry requires some suspension of disbelief but weaves into a remarkable book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the opportunity to read this book again.

Charles Martin is an auto buy author for me. I reread When Crickets Cry and I loved it more the second time around.

Wow! What a beautiful story and so well written. Charles Martin is an amazing author, and I would read anything he writes. I highly recommend this book and all the other books he has written.

“A novel of the heart” is right! I’ve heard about this book for years but when I saw this audio, I knew I had to. It’s a slow burn, for sure, but when it grips your heart, it tugs and doesn’t let go. Every step of the ending had me tearing up. I think I loved Charlie the most. At first, listening to the audio was a little confusing as it went seemlessly back and forth between Reese’s past and present, so something I got Emma and Annie confused. But then as the stories moved forward, it became more obvious to follow even in audio.
I’ve loved Charles Martin’s books since The Mountain Between us, so I’m definitely reading more!

>>Thank you netgalley and Thomas Nelson for a review copy of this book. My opinions are my own.