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REVIEW OF

IN ALL THINGS

BY SHAWNA WILLIAMS

In All Things is a sequel to Shawna Williams’ previous novel, No Other, with the same characters about ten years later. I didn’t get a chance to read the first book, but read a summary of it, though there was enough back story expertly woven in to keep readers fully informed.

Jakob and Meri Wilheimer have been married for ten years. They got married back in 1947 when Meri became pregnant with their twin boys. She had been a teacher with an interest in acting. She had come from a cruel political family where she received no love, but was expected to do everything required of her to make her parents happy. As a government official, her father placed much importance on appearances. They had looked like the perfect family. They hadn’t been happy with Meri’s choice of husband, and tried to have the marriage annulled, the babies aborted, and marry her off to a man of their choosing. Roger, their choice, loved her and wanted her to be happy, so he helped her to get back to Jakob. Roger makes Jakob promise to make all of Meri’s dreams come true. That’s why, at the beginning of In All Things, Jakob decides to move his family to Los Angeles so Meri can become an actress.

Fast forward those ten years. Meri is an up and coming actress in the vein of Grace Kelly, and Jakob is a successful architect. They live well. Somehow, they’ve fallen away from their Christian beliefs, and as a result, have not been very happy. At Christmas, they plan on spending a week in Texas with Jakob’s family. Something happens there, involving Jakob’s younger sister, Esther, that becomes the catalyst to the breaking down of their marriage, and careers. But Jakob finds his way back to God. Will he be able to help Meri do the same, before Hollywood turns her head completely, and he loses her for good?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about these characters and their story. Shawna Williams knows how to develop characters readers immediately begin to care about, and create gut-wrenching situations for them to wade through, as we sit biting our nails with worry. I especially like how she set the story in post-WWII America and into the 1950s. I found the setting refreshing and interesting, to say the least. The romance between the couple was strong and believable, as was all other aspects of this novel. I highly recommend it for those who like to read romances, and those who like to read books set in previous eras.

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