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Tucker #2

An Unexpected Frost

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In the second installment of the gripping Tucker’s Way series, Tucker faces the biggest crisis of her life.

Tucker has finally overcome a lifelong fear of trusting others and let her kind neighbor, Ella, into her heart. Despite their different backgrounds, Tucker and Ella share a deep affection and, together with their good friend Smiley Carter, they support one another and care for Tucker’s three troubled grandchildren.

As Tucker’s bonds with Ella and Smiley deepen, Tucker’s grandson disappears and the bank threatens to foreclose on her farm. Then the worst happens—Ella is diagnosed with lung cancer. How can Tucker find her faith during a time when God has never seemed farther away?

Revised edition: This edition of An Unexpected Frost includes editorial revisions.

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2013

896 people are currently reading
821 people want to read

About the author

David Johnson

21 books178 followers
David Johnson has developed a reputation as a writer of "books with heart." His books feature strong, unforgettable characters from humble backgrounds who have to grapple with the unexpected turns of everyday life.

He is the author of the riveting "Tucker" series, one of the best-selling series on Amazon. The series has collected over 5,000 reviews, averaging 4.7 stars, and sales of the books will soon approach 500,000 copies.

Toby, his next book, following the Tucker series, is a story about a dog, a woman who has gotten lost in addiction, and a hermit who has hidden from his past for decades.

The Woodcutter's Wife, a Civil War era, historical romance, was his next book. It is a story of love lost and love found.

And his newest release is The Last Patient. A story of secrets, resentment, regret, and redemption.

David maintains a very busy life outside of writing. He's a full-time Marriage and Family Therapist, is Director of a community chorus that performs all across the Southeast, performing 15 shows a year. He maintains a blog: www.thefrontwindow.wordpress.com . He's been married for 44 years, has two daughters and six grandchildren.

He would love to hear from you. Send him a note to davidjohnsonbooks@gmail.com and join him on Facebook - David Johnson, author

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5 stars
2,846 (61%)
4 stars
1,220 (26%)
3 stars
409 (8%)
2 stars
97 (2%)
1 star
58 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
Profile Image for Penny Post.
502 reviews
September 10, 2015
2nd book in the Tucker series and since I don't want to spoil things for you; I'll just say I didn't put it down until I finished. I laughed, I cried and I felt like I was right there with Tucker, Ella, Smiley and the kids. Just a great read. I am now well into the 3rd book.
Profile Image for McKenzie Little.
43 reviews1 follower
October 17, 2023
this book ALMOST made me cry which says a lot. i am loving this series so far. Johnson's use of similies and metaphors through these books is the best I have ever read so far. i can't wait to finish all 5 books in this series.
Profile Image for Lacy.
134 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2013
I was sad to see this is the last book in this series, David Johnson is awesome writer and this series has been almost impossible to put down. Ella being a very nice friend and grandmother had to face some serious issues in her life and she depends on her friend Tucker (yes Tucker who didnt care about having any friends). This book is so full of love, respect, honesty, friendship and loss it really tore at my heart. Because I am not one to give spoilers all I can say is if you are looking for an excellent Series to read I truly suggest you read this one, there was not one book of the three I did not enjoy.
740 reviews3 followers
October 24, 2013
I got tired of all of the terrible things that were happening--rape, murder, prostitution, cancer, beatings, racism, poverty, a child running away, etc. It was just too depressing for me to really like it. The first two were pretty good books, but I didn't finish this one.

As with the second book, it also had proofreading problems. For example, Carter is August's father, but in one place it said he was his grandfather. It had typos and wrong word problems, too.
Profile Image for Sherry Edwards.
234 reviews2 followers
September 10, 2015
Christian book

I hesitate to give this title because I am always disappointed in Christian fiction. In fact, I probably would not have read this book if someone told me it was a Christian book. It would have been my loss. I love Tucker, and wish she was literally in my life.
Profile Image for Meredith C.
208 reviews12 followers
November 29, 2016
That was preachy

I read book number two simply as a follow up to the first. Not my thing.

Still like the character Tucker, a bit.
Profile Image for Jill Williams.
4 reviews
March 24, 2018
Salty year trails....

When you desperately want to meet the characters in a story and cry with them through their pain...you will want to continue on their journey through life.
190 reviews1 follower
November 20, 2017
A perfect 2nd in a series

The second book is amazing! The love of God speaks through the characters with such clarity. It's simplicity is profound prose!
Profile Image for Judy Collins.
3,226 reviews443 followers
December 9, 2014
A special thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Master storyteller, David Johnson returns with the second installment AN UNEXPECTED FROST, for a riveting and emotional story of faith, love and forgiveness.

Meeting Tucker in Book One, with TUCKER’S WAY, readers learn the pain, suffering, and tragedy she has encountered in her life. However, an unexpected angel, Ella was sent her way; A neighbor, friend, and woman she grows to love and respect. Two opposites learn from another. Now this beloved friend’s cancer is back and it is Tucker’s turn to help her, to the bitter end and grant her wishes. In addition, April is still fragile, March goes missing, and Tucker is in jeopardy of losing her home, due to unpaid property taxes, and no more land to sell.

With the help of good friend Smiley Carter, Tucker, April, and August they all come together to say their good-byes, and unexpected gifts are granted for a heartwarming and inspirational story which will make you laugh and cry at the same time.

If any of you have read my review of Tucker’s Way, you will realize my excitement of this series. I will reiterate, David Johnson has a gift, as he reaches down and grabs you by the heart and speaks through his flawed characters, as they come alive on the page, and they soon become your best friend as you care about their everyday lives and future.

As I mentioned in my previous review, if you are a fan of Tyler Perry’s Madea, you will love David Johnson’s main character, Tucker—as despite the rough exterior, they stand up for what is right; however, they they also have a nurturing side. Both characters offer humor and wit, mixed with the tragedy and loss. Best of all an inspiring takeaway for a thought-provoking message for us all. In order to live our life, we must forgive those who have hurt us, in order to move on. (the tree analogy was amazing).

The poem written by August to Ella was poignant and bittersweet, and be sure and have some Kleenex handy. Johnson has been added to my favorite author list, and look forward to reading the remainder of the books in this incredible series. (I can envision Tucker in the purple dress).

His vast background is again reflective throughout the pages of AN UNEXPECTED FROST, a wonderful gift of writing, and have already started on Book 3, APRIL’S RAIN. After Book 4, let’s hope there will be a Book 5 for August. I cannot say enough about this author and series, thank you for telling this remarkable story, and hope to see a movie or series forthcoming. Another 5 Star winner!

Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
Profile Image for Linda.
90 reviews6 followers
July 31, 2016
Redemption & Revival

Tucker wins--her salvation, her home, her life back again. Is it really possible to simply push through without fretting over yesterday or worrying about tomorrow? I am not convinced that Tucker actually lived that, but her life did seem authentic and honest in the moment.
4 reviews
March 11, 2018
Preachy

This book was nothing but preachy drivel. Preachy, preachy drivel. I actually skimmed several pages of the last chapters rather than reading them. Also, only one of the plot lines came to a conclusion by the end of the book; the others were lost and one was predictably marked off like a check in a box in the epilogue. Uuuuugh wasted hours of my life.
Profile Image for Trudy.
643 reviews68 followers
January 24, 2016
This is my second book in the TUCKER series. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sometimes I just need a "feel good read", where I fall in love with the honest simplicity of the characters. There are some unanswered questions, which I'm thinking will be answered in the third book.
Profile Image for Kylie H.
1,183 reviews
March 18, 2016
I loved this second book, and shed quite a few tears while reading it. The same great characters as the first book. Looking forward to the 3rd book and the ongoing struggle of Tucker to raise her grandchildren despite the awful life she had a child.
4 reviews1 follower
October 14, 2013
I love the tucker series by david johnson. I was saddened by the fact that ella passes away in book 3. I am looking forward to book 4 which I just downloaded April's rain.
3 reviews
September 26, 2015
Great read

Warm characters you get to know throughout all of the books. Have to read the next one just to see what will happen next.
Profile Image for Keith Pruitt.
Author 41 books
August 23, 2021
This is David Johnsons second release in the Tucker Series. When the oldest grandson learns of Tucker's secret from childhood, in his own guilt, he runs away and his trail leads to the Obion River swamp. Tucker is crushed for a time, but then Ella discovers that something horrid is lurking in her life that will change the landscape forever. The main part of the story deals with how April, Carter and especially Tucker will respond to Ella's horrific news. Easily enough, it changes Tucker's life. While the story is somewhat predictable, there are a couple things about it that scream at me as a writer. The deep religious tones cast throughout the latter part of the story seem more staged by the author than authentic reactions. The second difficulty of the story is its predictability. As the first book progressed, the author kept throwing us all kinds of curves and shocks. In this, one can nearly guess what is going to happen from the outset. The clues are not crumbs to be gathered a bit at a time, but entire seed drops that say, "hey, guess what's going to happen now!!!" While I thought the story was a great one to be told, I was a bit undone about the run away grandson who is just barely mentioned afterward; and the arrival out of the blue of the Judge back into Ella's life was laughable. Perhaps it was his just due. But I wasn't as impressed with this second book, and I'm not sure I will continue with the series.
Profile Image for jimtown.
953 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2017
An Unexpected Frost by David Johnson is the second in the Tucker's Way series.

In this part of Tucker's life, she broadens her learning about friendship. She also learns about life and death. Sickness and death is not something I enjoy seeing, hearing about or reading about, but I do understand that reading about death is one way to learn how to handle it. Therefore, like Tucker, I learned that death doesn't have to be as frightening and tragic as it appears to be when we keep our feelings inside.

Ella makes an end of life decision and is lucky to have her good friends Tucker and Smiley Carter to follow her wishes. Even April comes around after the shock and is more helpful and sweet. I almost gave up on this one at the halfway point and I rarely start a book without finishing it. In this case, I'm glad I read on. The cover, title, August's poem and the ending were the redeeming qualities to this sad, hard story.
Profile Image for Mary Barrett.
800 reviews12 followers
October 1, 2017
Fantastic

After sobbing through the last five chapters I learned why David Johnson has such vivid insight into the human spirit. With a master's degree in Social work and a decade of service as a Minister, who better to be able to write with such a depth of emotion ? This continues the story of Tucker, Ella, Carter and their heart breaks. As a retired Policewoman, I saw so much that these books deal with. Incestuous situations being the most difficult calls I had. Then the calls from battered women, constantly breaking my heart.... These issues are very difficult for me personally, as I spent 21 years handling so many tragic situations. I feel that God has directed David Johnson to write these books as a way to reach out to those whose troubles are so overwhelming that they need the reassurance that with God all things can be overcome. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and compassion, Mr Johnson.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
2,137 reviews37 followers
September 18, 2018
An Unexpected Frost is the second book in the Tucker series. I listened to the first book, Tucker's Way, about a year ago and enjoyed the heart warming story.

I should not have waited so long to begin this book as I’d forgotten the relationships between the characters. The author, David Johnson, did not subtly remind me, but I gradually began to remember.

This book is a short novel about the simple pleasures of family, friendship, caring and honesty. It ends with a strong Christian message.

Neither the writing nor the plotting are strong, but it was an inexpensive, pleasurable, warm and quick read.
Profile Image for Betty.
12 reviews
September 16, 2017
Heartwarming and inspiring.

Quite often sequels do not meeting up to the same standard as the original. This sequel surpassed the original...and that was great. I love the characters. David Johnson described them each beautifully by their roles. No explanation of them was necessary. I cannot say enough how fantastic it was written as it made me become a part of their lives. I was there to hear the Christmas song sung and joined in with Amazing Grace. I never thought once that the ending was predictable because I was there with them. David Johnson did a fantastic job of bringing in the Christian faith without being too much for readers who aren't there yet. I am very happy to have bought this sequel and am encouraged to purchase the remainder
Profile Image for Joyce.
1,253 reviews10 followers
November 2, 2022
This novel is the 2nd book in the Tucker's Way series and I loved it as much as the first novel in the series. Tucker and Ella both face new tragedies in their lives and there is not a happy ever after ending. However, there is so much goodness in the book and I was happy to see Tucker finally come to God near the end of the book. This is not to imply this is a 'preachy' book---not at all.

When the book ends, the reader still doesn't know where Tucker's grandson Marsh is and there are definitely tough times to come for Tucker in the great loss she experiences at the end of this book.
This is probably the best fiction series I have read this year. I put everything aside yesterday and read until I had finished it.
16 reviews
August 19, 2017
A heart wrenching but wonderful book

I have really enjoyed reading this book. You should read the first one in the series to truly understand the relationship of all the people. I say people instead of characters because they seem so real. The author does an excellent job of bringing out each person personality. It is so full of what true love to your fellow man should be but most importantly it brings out the love of Jesus, no matter how bad we think we are and His forgiveness. I hope all who read this review will read the book and enjoy it as much as I have. I can't wait to start the next one in the series.
74 reviews2 followers
March 15, 2018
Tucker remains a fascinating character as her story unfolds with Ella, and others. This book is heart wrenching and hopeful. This book is about forgiveness, surrender, conversion of heart and friendship in ti's truest and most powerful sense. The author is brilliant in bringing Tucker's world to life as the visual images jump off the pages and the life changing events pierce my heart. This 2nd of the Tucker series is a must read for anyone struggling with forgiveness, anyone who longs for a true friend, anyone who wants to be loved unconditionally - this book has it all and more.
Gail
peace.......
52 reviews
September 18, 2024
The miracle of hope in the midst of hopelessness...

An unexpected frost is a poignant event in nature that grieves the heart of those waiting for springs rebirth... there is no explanation for its untimely assault but it happens even as unexplained cruelty of man to his fellow man. i loved that David Johnson has approached God's seeming silence and given His voice sound. Forgiveness and mercy, truth, and justice are measured out in a timely manner in sharing with the reader the Lord's perfect will/plan. "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, THY WILL BE DONE on earth as it is in heaven.... "
Profile Image for Betty Davidge.
100 reviews
April 11, 2018
A wonderful novel...

David Johnson deserves a big praise and thank you for this splendid novel.He brings these folks to life and evokes true caring from its readers. In the end,Ella achieved her mission
And leaves behind a truly blessed new beginning for those left behind. The religious element is so very appropriate and the explanation truly well said. Tucker's acceptance of the lord brought happy tears to this readers eyes. I do have to read on
To the third book.I hope you do also.....
Profile Image for Kendra Gaines.
537 reviews2 followers
June 14, 2020
{Tucker Series book #2}
I read “Tucker’s Way” a couple of months ago and really loved it. This second book definitely did not disappoint. I love how the focus of this story was on friends that become family and ways to deal with loss and forgiveness.
I just adore Tucker and Ella’s characters.
I think we should all live by Ella’s advice when she says “I try hard to live one day at a time and live each day to its fullest. I’m not waiting until a certain position or juncture in my life to start enjoying life. I enjoy today no matter what today brings.”

Profile Image for Beth.
492 reviews23 followers
August 12, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was interesting. It was also sad and emotional. I was disappointed with the treatment of March's character. He made a drastic decision that should have been more of a focus throughout the entire book, but it was treated rather indifferently. There were a couple of pages about it and he was mentioned a few times, but it was almost like he never existed in the first place.
Profile Image for Karen Prive.
285 reviews5 followers
January 6, 2019
Not so Simple

I fell in love with the characters in Tucker's Way, and the same characters redeemed some value in the second book of the Tucker series. It seemed that halfway through An Unexpected Frost the plot fell apart, with simple unquestioned answers to complex issues and a dismissed character to boot. Disappointed, but still fond enough of the characters to want to read the third installment of the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews

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