Sara Brunsvold’s debut novel, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip, won a lot of praise … which meant I started reading The Divine Proverb of Streusel with a little hesitation. Would it be as good? Could it be as good?
In my view, it’s better.
Nikki Warner is broken. Four months ago, her father left her mother for another woman. Their divorce came through a month ago, and he married his mistress last weekend. As a teacher, Nikki has summer off, so she runs away to the Warner family farm, a place she hasn’t visited since she was twelve.
Wes Warner is Nikki’s uncle, a Christian, who has recently returned to the farm after decades in the army. He doesn’t know how to help the hurting Nikki except to make her welcome, give her a place to stay and something to do, and pray for her.
Nikki finds her grandmother’s old recipe books in the old family home. Although she’s no cook, she starts working her way through the traditional German recipes, finding herself again as she finds out more about her family.
The writing is very understated, with the messages coming through as a ripple rather than a roar. But that is what gives the writing power and makes for a compelling read. It’s easy to read, with characters it’s easy to sympathise with and root for.
Recommended for women’s fiction fans looking for something a little out of the ordinary that reminds us of the importance of connection to family and to God.
Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a fee ebook for review.
About Sara Brunsvold
Sara Brunsvold creates stories that speak hope, truth, and life. Influenced by humble women of God who find His fingerprints in the everyday, she does the same in her life and her storytelling. Sara’s recognitions include the 2020 ACFW Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction. She lives with her family in Kansas City, where she can often be spotted writing at a park or library.
Find Sara Brunsvold online at
About The Divine Proverb of Streusel
Shaken by her parents’ divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle’s farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She’ll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.
Among her late grandmother’s belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town’s history, her ancestors–and her estranged father.
What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured–with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.
You can find The Divine Proverb of Streusel online at:
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