It Happens Every Spring

The Four Seasons of Marriage #1

by Catherine Palmer

Meet the characters that live, work, dream, and love in the community of Deepwater Cove. Best-selling authors Gary Chapman and Catherine Palmer team up to show how four married couples, all in different stages in life, experience the joys and hardships of marriage as examined in Gary Chapman's The Four Seasons of Marriage. In book one, Steve and Brenda face a common problem among middle-age empty nest syndrome. Steve works too much, and with their two children out of the house, Brenda feels lonely and unfulfilled. In order to save their marriage, the two must learn to reconnect. Readers are also introduced to many charming characters, like Cody, the mentally challenged homeless man that shows up on Steve and Brenda's porch; Pete, who owns the Rods â N' Ends tackle shop; and Patsy Pringle, who owns the Just As I Am beauty parlor, where much of the action takes place.
The series is based on the marriage principles found in Gary Chapman's non-fiction book The Four Seasons of Marriage. Similar in tone and light-hearted, quirky humor as Jan Karon's Mitford series, Fannie Flagg's books or Steel Magnolias. Each book has a study guide that talks about the four seasons of marriage and the healing strategies depicted in that volume's story.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Romance, Marriage, Contemporary, Chick Lit

Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Catherine Palmer lives in Atlanta with her husband, Tim, where they serve as missionaries in a refugee community. They have two grown sons. Cathy is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University and holds a master's degree in English from Baylor University. Her first book was published in 1988. Since then she has published over 50 novels, many of them national best sellers. Catherine has won numerous awards for her writing, including the Christy Award, the highest honor in Christian fiction. In 2004, she was given the Career Achievement Award for Inspirational Romance by "Romantic Times" magazine. More than 2 million copies of Catherine's novels are currently in print. The Author's Work With her compelling characters and strong message of Christian faith, Catherine is known for writing fiction that "touches the hearts and souls of readers." Her many collections include A Town Called Hope, Treasures of the Heart, Finders Keepers, English Ivy, and the Miss Pickworth series. Catherine also recently coauthored the Four Seasons fiction series with Gary Chapman, the "New York Times" best-selling author of "The Five Love Languages."

Reviews

[Freda Mans-Labianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful read!
How I love Cody. He is so sweet and just wants to be helpful.
Brenda knows this and lets him help, not realizing she needs more help than she even knows. Her marriage is rocky, she's an empty nester and life is not where she thought it would be.
Steve, her hubby, is a good guy. He has no idea what the issues are. But that's totally a guy thing.
These characters feel so real. Like my neighbors, whom I have known my whole life and can see the stress in their lives. I feel it.
Definitely love the ending! I love when things come together just as you would expect them too.
Yup, people are gonna love this one!!

[Cathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a wonderful surprise! I started reading it and could not put it down.

The story is about a couple in their mid-forties dealing with the empty nest syndrome. Brenda Hansen who is married to Steve Hansen, is dealing with anger, depression and loneliness that sets in when the children are gone. Steve Hansen owns and operates a Real Estate business that is taking his time and attention away from his marriage. His wife, Brenda, focuses her "empty nest" feelings towards her husband Steve for his lack of interest and support in her needs. Steve is unwilling to admit that he is partly at fault for the direction their marriage is headed and blames it all on his wife. A young man with slight mental disability shows up on Brenda's door step one day and brings with him a belief in God and being a good Christian. Several ladies in town with varying ages gather together at the hair salon and form the "Ladies Tea Club" to meet once a week to be helpful and do good Christian things.

This story brought back so many memories and feelings for me as I was reading. Maybe, if I had read this book many years ago when I was dealing with all the same feelings and emotions, the path I eventually followed would have been a different one.

The author, Gary Chapman, is a marriage counselor and this book is the first in a series that is based on his "The Four Seasons of Marriage". I am so looking forward to reading his next book.

This is a heart warming Christian story that every Christian should pick up and read. Especially those who are finding themselves dealing with an "Empty Nest".

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok read. Brenda who is married to Steve is struggling with being alone after their 3 grown children have gone off to do other things. Steve works ALL the time and Brenda is stuck at home alone not sure what to do with herself.

I was not a fan of Steve for most of the book. I think the way he handled the situation with Brenda was a little harsh. He never really seemed to show compassion or any real understanding of how she might be feeling.

The ending was ok. It seemed a little abrupt and forced. I would have liked to experience them both sitting down with the Pastor or counselor instead just all of a sudden everything's ok. Steve finally came around to admitting his faults, but in my opinion, it took too long.

There were a lot of other fun (if not a little gossipy) characters throughout the story. This is a 4 book series. I don't see continuing them at this time.

I read this book as part of the Spring Christian Fictio-thon that Katie from Paperbacks and Ponytails is hosting on her YouTube channel.

This book is for the prompt: Spring Fever: Read a Romance Book, or a book that has a minor romantic plot.

Rating: PG
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes

[Brenda Thiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, thought-provoking read. Fictional story that makes you consider personal priorities and how you view others. Bit of an emotional roller coaster in parts! :-)
"If you want a full, beautiful flower bed in the summertime," Esther said, "You need to treat it right... If you want a summertime marriage - even when you're as crochety as Charlie and me - you need to do what it takes."

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute read. It was sweet all the while talking about marriage and problems that they may have. That no matter what God is there and will help you through all things.

[Ellouise Tubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read with so many real life situations written beautifully and stirs your heart! Loved Cody and the way Brenda took the initiative to help

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked this better than I thought I would. A charming story about a couple going through a difficult time in their marriage and the friends and neighbors who try to help them.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Print/audio

[Unsolved ☕︎ Mystery · Rating 4 out of 5]

My least favorite character was Brenda.
She was whiny and a drama queen.
I get it; she wanted attention.
She went overboard with it.
She was a bit of a ....Desperate Housewife.

Both her and Steve were empty-nesters. All of their children had either gone off to college or had a career.
If Brenda had a job and kept herself busy, she wouldn't have been so worried about what Steve was doing or not doing.

She complained that Steve abandoned her. I honestly don't believe Steve was at fault.
I think he tried a lot more than she did to make it work.
I think she abandoned him and the notion of their marriage.
When he would get home from work, she would have some snarky thing to say.
Who wants to come home to that?
He would go watch Tv to wind down for the night. She was in the kitchen, feeling sorry for herself.

I thought she was going to flip her gourd when her daughter chose to spend Easter with her soon to be-fiance and his family.

Maybe if they both had jobs; Steve wouldn't have had to work so hard at his.
They have a nice beautiful house, their childrens' college tuitions are paid.
That's a lot to provide for only one person. That's a lot of stress; a lot to think about for only one person.
Then Brenda wants to complain he's not spending enough time with her; giving her enough attention?
Well, what was your first clue, Sherlock? Of course he's not.

See what I mean...? Desperate, much.

Anyway, I'm excited to read book 2, but that won't be until Summer.
The books are all Season related. I'll be reading them in accordance with the seasons. =)

[David B Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple, generally charming tale that grows stronger as it develops. Steve and Brenda are in the throes of a typical marital crisis: he’s a chronic overachiever and her feelings of neglect have caused her to grow hostile and cold toward him.
There’s not a lot of dramatic tension in the story since there’s very little suspense to the obvious plot and solution. Of course the couple works things out by compromising in the middle; he eases up at the realty office; her affectionate former self returns. Both realize they have some serious forgiving to do.
There are minor flaws throughout, as pointed out by some reviewers. The cast is lily-white, and for sure having a small-town beauty parlor as a setting is the oldest cliché in Christian publishing. Some of the dialogue seems firmly set in the 1950s rather than 2007, when this was published. There’s a lot of “Howdy” and “I declare, Mary Sue.” That kind of thing.
The book does offer one perhaps unintended blessing. Some readers appreciated the mentally challenged “Cody” character, a simple fellow who intrudes into the tale and keeps punctuating it with his endless pronouncements about chocolate cake and how Christians owe him a big square piece. Truth be told, in the audiobook version, I found those scenes more than a bit tiresome. Which served as a poignant reminder to me that this innocent naïf is a child of God and worthy of our care.
By the way, Jill Mueller gives a bravura performance as the narrator, capturing the angst of the two main characters, the hands-on-hips sassiness of those in the hair salon, and Cody’s soliloquys about more cake, please.

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle freebie. I tried this book because I had heard how poor the counseling in the five love languages book was, but I had never read the book. I wanted to see what Chapmans approach to a broken marriage was. This was an interesting read. I could see so many of these women after personally living in and being married to a pastor in missouri (where this is based). But I have to say that this book was just okay. Not much talk about the gospel. The scarlet Thread by rivers is MUCH better and more biblical (although this novel had many scripture verses thrown in). I did not really see much counseling happening from any of the characters. The pastor never once visited or addressed the issues with Steve and Brenda, of which he was in full awareness. The friends tried hard to just hope they were giving good advice and try and distract the depressed character. The women were afraid to pry, but Brenda was falling very fast into a very, very dark place. I am not sure how one can really align this book with biblical truths, but it certainly reflects the state of the american church with acuracy. Not a fabulous read, but culturally relevant and very educational about the way most church people view their lives and problems.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gary Chapman and Catherine Palmer's Four Seasons quadrilogy deals with both environmental seasons as well as seasons of life; this premier novel focuses on two empty nesters who have lost their focus after the departure of their kids. Although I'm not part of the target audience for It Happens Every Spring, I actually found it to be good, enjoyable reading. It was light-hearted, yet serious; funny at times, touching at others; and, it also showed very well what happens to people who lose their focus on what is truly important. Fans of cutesy Christian literature will probably love this.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this story. I could truly identify with Brenda Hansen as every marriage has it's dry spells for one reason or another and with Gods help you can find your way back to one another. The TLC group was wonderful and I love how the ladies supported one another. My bible study group is like that. All around good read.

[Audry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got frustrated with this story. Brenda and Steve are having trouble in their marriage. Steve's job is his mistress and Brenda's broken heart is almost taken by the handyman. Sorrow and sadness pervades the story. Steve blames Brenda completely. The ending is totally unsatisfying, except in the case of Cody, who now has many friends.

[Marlena · Rating 3 out of 5]

what I loved about this book is that it's Christian based. I would read the other books in the series for sure.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The story line was something that most people can relate to whether you have children or not, are in a new relationship, have been in one for many years, aren't interested in one or newlyweds. It was told from each persons perspective and gave you everyone's view. I liked how it gave you an insight into how men think one way and we see it another way, and vice versa. Life has it's ups and downs, as does every relationship and marriage. I appreciate the authors putting it all into a story that was enjoyable and easy to associate with. I wish I had a ladies club like they do in this book, I think every woman should have a good group of kind hearted women in her life, a regular group that stays friends through the good and bad of life. How wonderful would that be?

[Stephanie Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost dnf’d this book after the first couple of paragraphs. Some of the character and location names felt odd and the writing felt forced like vocab words were randomly thrown in. I’m glad I stuck it out though. I’m not sure if I got used to the writing style or if it got better, but it seemed easier to read after the start. The conflict between the main characters was frustrating and drawn out, but the overall story and town development were charming. The added storyline about Cody was interesting/novel and heartwarming. The book emphasizes the value of a support system during things like medical issues, marital problems, and courtship. I was invested in finishing this book and will consider reading the others in the series.

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 1 in a series of 4 about marriage. The couples in the series all live in the community of Deepwater Cove. Each book focuses on a different stage of marriage. In this one, the story revolves around a middle-aged couple suffering from empty nest syndrome. Husband Steve throws himself into his work, while wife Brenda isn't quite sure what to do with herself. Deepwater Cove is also comprised of many interesting characters that the reader will get to know. This series is loosely based on Gary Chapman's nonfictional book "The Four Seasons of Marriage.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Co written with a marriage counselor this book realistically shows how even a strong marriage can grow stagnant and distant as walls are built up one hurt and misunderstanding at a time till they become cell walls. It also shows how with lots of hard work,support and Gods grace the walls can be torn down one brick at a time if both are willing to try and not give up and pay the cost of laying down hurt and pride. Very clean. no bad language.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up as an audio book for a trip with my nephews (thinking it wouldn't be too inappropriate). I knew nothing of the book when I grabbed it.

It's VERY Christian and a bit repetitive at times, but overall it was a fun story and easy to get into. I love the uniqueness of the characters, with each one being so distinct and easy to identify. Even my 10 yo nephews got sucked in by the creative characters.

Pleasant, easy-to-listen-to, and heart warming. I enjoyed this book a lot.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise in the best way. This is not my preferred genre to read, but it was very well written and the flow was good enough to keep the pages turning, without getting stagnant. I absolutely adored Cody, and wished I could adopt him and take him in. I liked that the author didn’t minimise Brenda and Steve’s problem or just end the book with a quick fix. It was very insightful and an enjoyable read.

[Stacey E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this gem thrift shopping. Gary Chapman being named as one of the authors caught my attention with this being a fiction novel. Curious, I couldn't pass it up for 50 cents! Im glad that I didn't leave it behind because I enjoyed the folks in the quaint town of Tranquility. I enjoyed this so much I immediately purchased the rest of the series and can't wait to read more. Cody touched my heart from the beginning. A great wholesome and clean read.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book, fairly fluffy and amusing, yet filled with enough truths to cause one to pause and reflect. Co-authored by Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, and The Four Seasons of Marriage. This book is supposed to be about a marriage in the "spring" season according to Gary's relationship book, but the main characters are actually in winter and needing desperately to find their way back to spring. A good read for anyone who has had hard times in marriage.

[Virma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice little read about what is important in life and how you need to treat it well. Sometimes it dragged in the middle and Brenda’s self pity lasted a little longer than necessary but it was still a nice read. I liked the other supporting characters as well. Most people should enjoy this one.

[Dodger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to give this book a 5, but it's a little long winded with continual repetitive thoughts and feelings. Even though there's a love story involving a marriage in crises--it's not one of the stupid and ridiculous love stories that most Christian books are these days. I'm about to read the second book.

[Jennifer Bell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overtly religious

The story might have been cute if every other line wasn't about how good of a Christian someone was. It felt like indoctrination and really distracted from the story. It read like a junior high student was writing for Sunday school. Talk about being force fed. Definitely not for me.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was truly pleasantly surprised by the depth of this book. I had thought it would be one cliche after the other, but the setting and the characters were exquisitely drawn. Now I have to read the other 3!

[Donna McPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of the "Four Seasons" fiction series, based upon Gary Chapman's non-fiction book "The Four Seasons of Marriage". The setting and characters are charming, and the ending was happy. I am looking forward to book #2.

[Mary Elizabeth Morton · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 Stars. This book is mostly sad and depressing, but with a few heart-felt moments, I increased my rating a 1/2 star. Despite my lower rating, I still plan to read the rest of this four part "seasonal" series.

[Zsofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book. It was about redemption and forgiveness, as well as the kindness of humanity.

Via a marriage breakdown we can see what can go wrong in a relationship and gets tips on how to fix it. The characters aren't flawless, which makes this read especially realistic. .