Flowers From Afghanistan

This is such a wonderfully written book that is a shining example of how God will work all things out if you will let go and let Him. This book has action, suspense, heartbreak and romance, I read it in one sitting. You don't want to miss this book. Thank you Pelican Book Group via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This is my honest opinion of this book.

A beautiful story of love, friendship and camaraderie. After the tragic death of his son, Mac flees to Afghanistan to work training men for the Afghan police. His wife is left at home trying to deal with her own feelings. Mac feels guilt in causing the accident and blames God. Sophie, his wife relies on God's promises. Through loving e-mails and phone calls, Mac and Sophie try to mend. This is a touching story that gives readers an inside glimpse of an army base in Afghanistan and the soldiers, contractors and Afghans. Highly recommended!

This is Suzy Parrish's debut novel and she nailed it, I was in Afghanistan with Mac feeling his feelings., his grief and recovery.  The story just flowed, If this is what she does on her first time out there I may have found a new favorite Author! I can’t wait for the next book! A+++

This is the poignant story of one man’s search for answers. After involvement in a horrific accident that took the life of his 2-year old son, Mac, ridden with guilt, accepts a yearlong position training police officers in Afghanistan. Mac leaves his wife Sophie to grieve alone, hoping to build a wall between himself and the grief he feels.  Once in country, Mac becomes involved with the men in his unit as well as with a local barber and his young son. As time passes, Mac realizes that he is not alone living with grief and questions over past actions and events. Mac also learns the hard way that he has neglected many of the little signs of appreciation for his own loved ones through interactions with the people around him, introspection and from the support Sophie shows him. However, caught up in all this, will he ever be ready for an attack that should be coming?

This is a pretty good book, providing a good picture of/insight into this war-torn country.  As a veteran myself (though I never served in Afghanistan), I was quite interested in this story, and reading it proved me correct. In addition to being taken in by Mac’s story, I also was taken in by the stories of the military and civilian populace Mac encounters during this tour. Mac can help everyone understand the ups and downs of life for the deployed military (though, in addition, I have my own experiences deployed to a work-torn country to work for me), of the civilians who live in the region to which the military is deployed and of the lives of those left behind on the post/base, who will hopefully understand, appreciate, accept and support the service member during deployment.  In today’s world filled with numerous real and potential conflicts as well as deployments to far-away, strange countries, I though these insights in this book were almost more important than other concepts and events set forth. This is a book well worth reading for anyone today, regardless whether they do or do not have any connection to the military. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Such a beautiful story of love, loss, and redemption.  The scenes in Afghanistan seemed quite realistic and added emotion and depth to the story.  I think this book would make a wonderful movie.  I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book needs to
be a movie.    Its is a story of love, lost love and redemption.  The story and the charaters ste well developed and believable.  So Hollywood take note and MAKE THE MOVIE!  I was gifted the arc of this book by the publisher and netgalley, the opinions in this review are my own.

Flowers from Afghanistan by Suzy Parrish is a poignant story. It features a very broken couple who have to deal with the unimaginable and learn how to cope in the face of a thick fog of grief. For Mac, he goes to train soldiers in Afghanistan. This lets him momentarily escape but never permanently. For his wife, left back at home, she’s never able to escape and she is left entirely unsupported. The author writes with such great emotion as if speaking from a very real loss. The pain and grief just flows in these pages. And yet hope abounds even so. This is a beautiful book and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to read more from this author. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations but also purchased a copy. These opinions are entirely my own.

FLOWERS FROM AFGHANISTAN by SUZY PARISH is the poignant story of a marriage that is taking strain from grief at the loss of a child, and a father's guilt at having caused the accident that killed him. 
Mac McCann literally runs away to a year's deployment as a police trainer in Afghanistan, hoping his secret never comes out. Unlike his wife Sophie, who finds solace in her Christian faith, he has no interest in a God who let his son die.
I like to see how this separation causes them both to grow. I also like to see the camaraderie between the members of Mac's team and how, as he listens to their stories, and becomes friendly with Gul the barber and his son Bashir, he becomes more understanding of the problems of others.
I like to see Sophie branching out with her own baking business and her prayer support for Mac and his friends.
It is altogether a lovely read and one I highly recommend. The characters are very real and there is a strong Christian message underlying the story.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from The Pelican Book Group. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

How do you cope with grief and guilt? Mac decides to run and hide in a Camp in Afghanistan as an instructor for Afghan police officers. In most cases running won't bring healing. Mac's story is different though. Talking with the other men, getting to know the Afghan barber and his son Bashir, near escape in an attack make him not only understand his wife Sophie and falling in love again but also that God has never left him alone and has forgiven him.
Sophie on the other hand is left alone. She has faith and needs to built a new life for herself and to give Mac the space he needs.
We learn about life in a Camp in a war zone. We don't learn much about Afghanistan.