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On a Someday
In this delightful new novel, popular author Roxanne Henke (the Coming Home to Brewster series, Learning to Fly ) strikes a familiar chord with readers as she introduces us to the Westin family and their "someday" plans. Claire Westin has spent her adult life being a wife, mother, and college professor. The last thing she expects as she nears retirement status is to have a whole new career open before her. Her husband, Jim, has spent his life growing his chain of grocery stores. He has a grand plan to restore an old Dodge Charger...someday when he retires. Someday soon , he hopes. If his son Drew would only agree to take over the family business. Drew, however, has plans of his own. And Claire is busy climbing the ladder of her new career. She can't bear the thought that she might have to say "no" to the exciting new opportunities she's pursuing and simply sit around and watch her husband tinker on an old car. What happens when plans collide? When dreams don't materialize? How do you know when your work is done? Or is it ever? On a Someday asks the big questions of life...and tries to answer them. "...A CBA novelist to watch." -- Publishers Weekly
- GenresFictionChristian Fiction
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 6, 2018
On a Someday is a novel about the challenges faced by fifty-somethings. An empty nest, busy lives, looming retirement, aging parents - the main characters in this book, Jim and Claire Westin undergo a series of struggles and decisions.
Henke is a North Dakota author who has written about some of her own life experiences, albeit in fiction form. Her first novel, After Anne, was loosely based on her coping with the death of a close friend. I had already read that book when Henke came and spoke to our mom's group at Church. Little did I know that I would be living out an After Anne story of my own before long. Henke's ability to touch on the things that women grapple with, and find a way to see God's grace throughout, is one of the charm of her books.
Despite my enjoyment of her novels, On a Someday sat on my shelf for years. I was never in the mood to read it. I wasn't fifty-something then. It didn't apply to me. But now I am that age, and the book really hit home. I'm grateful for Henke's perspective, and her ability to point out what truly matters.
Henke is a North Dakota author who has written about some of her own life experiences, albeit in fiction form. Her first novel, After Anne, was loosely based on her coping with the death of a close friend. I had already read that book when Henke came and spoke to our mom's group at Church. Little did I know that I would be living out an After Anne story of my own before long. Henke's ability to touch on the things that women grapple with, and find a way to see God's grace throughout, is one of the charm of her books.
Despite my enjoyment of her novels, On a Someday sat on my shelf for years. I was never in the mood to read it. I wasn't fifty-something then. It didn't apply to me. But now I am that age, and the book really hit home. I'm grateful for Henke's perspective, and her ability to point out what truly matters.
October 31, 2016
Anyone nearing retirement age needs to read this very entertaining book about a couple both thinking about retiring and neither really wanting to do so. New opportunities appear to both in their respective work fields. How they handle the rest of their working days is a great learning experience for all of you wanting to retire. I loved every page of this book even though I have been retired for over 25 years. Have you lived your life to the fullest? Are you really ready to start a new period of your life? Are you satisfied with what you have accomplished during your working years? Great questions to ask yourself as you enter the 60th years in your life.
November 5, 2019
It was a great book. It wasn't necessarily in my age group but that's okay because it was still good.
December 6, 2021
I always enjoy Roxanne's books - real characters facing real situations. Good story with lots of food for thought.
June 4, 2010
Title: ON A SOMEDAY
Author: Roxanne Henke
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
January 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7369-1703-2
Genre: Inspirational/women’s fiction
Claire Westin is a wife, a mother, and a college professor. She dreams of the day when she will have time to write the book she always wanted to write. Not the “publish or perish” book, required by professors, but the book of her heart. The last thing she expects is for a new career to open before her.
Her husband, Jim, owns two grocery stores, and suddenly he is faced with the option of buying a third store and serving on a bank board. Jim had been thinking more along the lines of retirement, not adding more work to his already busy day. He wants to restore an old Dodge Charger—someday.
Drew, their son, works in New York City, as far away from North Dakota as he can get. But he’s beginning to think that maybe there might be something good about being closer to family. Though he isn’t quite sure the time is now.
An unexpected crisis force Claire, Jim, and Drew to choose their futures—now.
ON A SOMEDAY is the first book I’ve ever read by this talented author, though she has several rave reviews that I perused. I can see why some people look forward to reading Ms. Henke’s books. She is very talented, able to draw the reader completely into the character’s world and make them think about their own at the same time.
I enjoyed reading ON A SOMEDAY and getting to know Claire, Jim, Drew, and various other characters. Ms. Henke is an author that is able to create a compelling world that the reader can’t wait to escape to. Discussion questions are included. $13.99. 366 pages.
.
Author: Roxanne Henke
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
January 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7369-1703-2
Genre: Inspirational/women’s fiction
Claire Westin is a wife, a mother, and a college professor. She dreams of the day when she will have time to write the book she always wanted to write. Not the “publish or perish” book, required by professors, but the book of her heart. The last thing she expects is for a new career to open before her.
Her husband, Jim, owns two grocery stores, and suddenly he is faced with the option of buying a third store and serving on a bank board. Jim had been thinking more along the lines of retirement, not adding more work to his already busy day. He wants to restore an old Dodge Charger—someday.
Drew, their son, works in New York City, as far away from North Dakota as he can get. But he’s beginning to think that maybe there might be something good about being closer to family. Though he isn’t quite sure the time is now.
An unexpected crisis force Claire, Jim, and Drew to choose their futures—now.
ON A SOMEDAY is the first book I’ve ever read by this talented author, though she has several rave reviews that I perused. I can see why some people look forward to reading Ms. Henke’s books. She is very talented, able to draw the reader completely into the character’s world and make them think about their own at the same time.
I enjoyed reading ON A SOMEDAY and getting to know Claire, Jim, Drew, and various other characters. Ms. Henke is an author that is able to create a compelling world that the reader can’t wait to escape to. Discussion questions are included. $13.99. 366 pages.
.
November 9, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyable and made me think what do I want to finish on a someday? or before I have no more somedays?
In this delightful new novel, popular author Roxanne Henke (the Coming Home to Brewster series, Learning to Fly) strikes a familiar chord with readers as she introduces us to the Westin family and their "someday" plans. Claire Westin has spent her adult life being a wife, mother, and college professor. The last thing she expects as she nears retirement status is to have a whole new career open before her. Her husband, Jim, has spent his life growing his chain of grocery stores. He has a grand plan to restore an old Dodge Charger...someday when he retires. Someday soon, he hopes. If his son Drew would only agree to take over the family business. Drew, however, has plans of his own. And Claire is busy climbing the ladder of her new career. She can't bear the thought that she might have to say "no" to the exciting new opportunities she's pursuing and simply sit around and watch her husband tinker on an old car. What happens when plans collide? When dreams don't materialize? How do you know when your work is done? Or is it ever? On a Someday asks the big questions of life...and tries to answer them. ..".A CBA novelist to watch." -Publishers Weekly
In this delightful new novel, popular author Roxanne Henke (the Coming Home to Brewster series, Learning to Fly) strikes a familiar chord with readers as she introduces us to the Westin family and their "someday" plans. Claire Westin has spent her adult life being a wife, mother, and college professor. The last thing she expects as she nears retirement status is to have a whole new career open before her. Her husband, Jim, has spent his life growing his chain of grocery stores. He has a grand plan to restore an old Dodge Charger...someday when he retires. Someday soon, he hopes. If his son Drew would only agree to take over the family business. Drew, however, has plans of his own. And Claire is busy climbing the ladder of her new career. She can't bear the thought that she might have to say "no" to the exciting new opportunities she's pursuing and simply sit around and watch her husband tinker on an old car. What happens when plans collide? When dreams don't materialize? How do you know when your work is done? Or is it ever? On a Someday asks the big questions of life...and tries to answer them. ..".A CBA novelist to watch." -Publishers Weekly
February 22, 2014
I really like Roxanne Henke's work and wish she hadn't stopped writing. Ahh well, she deserves her retirement. And, awkward segue notwithstanding, that's essentially what this book is about: the plans we have for our lives 'when we get older', 'when we retire', 'when we have more money', etc. The 'someday' plans that sometimes take us to places so far from where we expected, or sometimes, even want, to be that it's hard to figure out how we got there.
I like how the author used the viewpoints of Claire, Jim, and Drew to tell the story, to give us insight into what each of the main characters was thinking, feeling. I'm glad that they all finally got it right in the end.
(4.5 stars)
I like how the author used the viewpoints of Claire, Jim, and Drew to tell the story, to give us insight into what each of the main characters was thinking, feeling. I'm glad that they all finally got it right in the end.
(4.5 stars)
February 16, 2014
On a Someday is about the dreams we all have and wonder if we'll they'll ever come true. As Claire finds herself facing some very tough decisions, I could relate to her dilemma and wondered about my own path. Told in three points of view, you see a family striving to make their individual dreams come true while contending with the relationships that enrich their lives.
Roxanne Henke is a master at writing stories about deep friendship and family, and each of her books has been filled with memorable characters that live on after you turn the last page.
Roxanne Henke is a master at writing stories about deep friendship and family, and each of her books has been filled with memorable characters that live on after you turn the last page.
April 15, 2009
The characters in this book are in their fifties--like me and my husband. They are busy working, taking care of a parent and a grandchild arrives on the scene. Work get more demanding. How do you balance work and family? What if you think you are doing the right thing and following God? The characters in the book have a wake-up call--health concerns. What is the right balance? I like the conclusion and the book.
March 4, 2010
2-1/2 stars is more like it. I liked the characters and the wholesomeness of the story, but the way it unfolded felt relentless to me. As if I were living this too busy life and everything was the endless grind that it seemed to be for the couple. While I don't mind shifting viewpoints, the pacing of the changes from one character to the next undermined the action for me.
August 16, 2011
Claire and Jim had plans of visting places, and doing great things, but now eventhough their kids are gone, and they are soon going to hit retirement age, they are both going full force, in the midst of all this Claire does get her book published, but what will that book cost? And what will have to change, before they are going in the same direction?
November 25, 2016
I had high hopes for an easy read, as I needed one, but sadly, this book really dragged for me. I could easily predict the ending, so it felt like it took forever to get there. I stayed with it, but was relieved to finish it and move on to something else.
June 19, 2019
A family all waiting for "someday" to accomplish their dreams. Have to learn to make them happen.
Want to Read
January 27, 2009I've been living 'on a someday' for a while now and things are as they were. I need to read this book.
September 15, 2009
Personally autographed by Roxy and her dog Gunner!! :)
November 1, 2009
I am not in this stage of my life..considering retirement, grandbabies but I enjoyed the book.
February 27, 2012
Great book. Might read it again...someday.
December 12, 2016
Some of the book is sad. Its such a great book.
March 16, 2015
Didn't finish this one...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews