Blue Ruin

Lynette Brooke is heading to Europe amid uncertainty. How could her long-time beau have become a stranger? Who is that child-like flirt staying in his family’s house? Dana Whipple is quick to blame all his recent troubles on Lynette. Who else could be to blame when he had his life so neatly mapped out? But with Lynette away, Dana soon begins to veer from the straight and narrow under the influence of city girl Jessie Belle. Will the life and love Lynette and Dana always envisioned together remain strong or fall to ruin?

“If she only, only could get away and hide, far, far, far away till that terrible, cheap girl was gone!”

The path couldn’t be clearer for Dana Whipple and Lynette Brooke. Close throughout childhood, the two have always envisioned their future life—and love—together. Then Dana returns home from seminary a changed man whose goal is to instill some “poise” in Lynette so she will be the appropriate compliment to his as yet illustrious career. Although she’s disturbed by Dana’s changed demeanor, Lynette clings to the love that once existed between them. . .

. . .until a brazen young woman shows up as a guest at the Whipple house for the summer. Suddenly Jessie “Belle” Smith’s childlike flirtation starts to create a rift in Dana and Lynette’s childhood romance.

At her mother’s insistence, Lynette heads to Europe trusting God to sort out the problems back home while Dana heads deeper into trouble. But will their love remain strong—or fall to ruin?