Author and Advocate for Healthy Sexuality and Spirituality
To Know You
To Know You
To Know You
by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel – released October 15th, 2013
About this Book
Julia Whittaker’s rocky past yielded two daughters, both given up for adoption as infants. Now she must find them to try to save her son.
Julia and Matt Whittaker’s son has beaten the odds for thirteen years only to have the odds—and his liver—crash precipitously. The only hope for his survival is a “living liver” transplant, but the transplant list is long and Dillon’s time is short. His two older half-sisters, born eighteen months apart to two different fathers, offer his only hope for survival.
But can Julia ask a young woman—someone, she surrendered to strangers long ago and has never spoken with—to make such a sacrifice to save a brother she’s never known? Can she muster the courage to journey back into a shame-filled season of her life, face her choices and their consequences, and find any hope of healing?
And what if she discovers in her own daughters’ lives that a history of foolish choices threatens to repeat itself? Julia knows she’s probably embarking on a fool’s errand—searching for the daughters she abandoned only now that she needs something from them. But love compels Julia to take this journey. Can grace and forgiveness compel her daughters to join her?
In To Know You, Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel explore how the past creates the present . . . and how even the most shattered lives can be redeemed.
Download the synopsis, first chapter and discussion questions for free HERE!
“Even though I’m known for writing nonfiction, fiction is what I love to read – and Shannon has created a storyline with more twists and turns than a mountain road. But more important than the twists is the way this story explores love and sacrifice and the effects of our decisions. This book will grab you and not let go. Anyone who reads Shannon’s nonfiction books knows she hooks you with her narrative, and now she’s put that skill to great use in her first novel!”
– Shaunti Feldhahn, best-selling author of For Women Only and The Veritas Conflict
“Can you ever truly escape your past? Shannon Ethridge weaves an exciting tale of a respected Christian woman who has to dig up the past she thought buried in order to save her son’s life. And amazingly, sometimes even the things we hoped we could forget end up being the things God uses to bring real wholeness to our lives. A no-holds-barred realistic portrayal of a messy life that finds peace when we confront our pasts, not lay them to rest.
“To Know You is a story of what a family goes through when one of their own needs a liver transplant – it is heart-wrenching and heartwarming at the same time. The characters have all the emotions one would have when dealing with all the doctors, waiting lists, test, etc. Ethridge and Mackel merge their talents into one amazing novel. 4.5 stars!
“To Know You is one of the best emotional roller coasters I have been on! Who knew it was possible to interweave so many powerful sexual, emotional, and relational themes into one story and so seamlessly? This novel is what other Christian fiction needs to be: refreshingly honest, grace-inducing, and the opposite of ‘preachy.’ A work well done!”
“In To Know You, Shannon Ethridge does a brilliant job of turning the truths she is known for teaching into a dynamic, page-turning narrative that will touch your heart and stir your soul. She takes the reader on a very real journey of temptation and redemption along with the characters, crafting a story you do not want to miss.”
“I literally read To Know You in one night. I couldn’t put it down. Everything about the characters is so real. There is no sugar-coating their struggles and temptations, and it made the entire book very relatable. But most of all, I loved the story of how the redeeming power of God’s grace transformed them one by one. Such a great example of God’s unconditional love! The world needs more books like To Know You!”
– Amber P.
“To Know You offered an exhilarating escape each time I picked it up, and I felt so spiritually uplifted each time I put it down. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a riveting yet wholesome story that gets your heart racing and your blood boiling at the same time!”
– Michele A.
“I picked up the pre-released version of To Know You while on vacation. The first chapter totally hooked me and I couldn’t stop. I did not expect to identify so closely with some of the characters, and more particularly with some of the characters’ personal struggles. It helped me realize that I am not alone, and that no temptation seizes us but what is common to man (and woman!). I’m so grateful for gripping stories like this, and the power they have to transform the heart and mind—especially my heart and mind.”
