Publication Date: January 16, 2024
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.
Through the ages, when women need to work out their emotions, they’ve turned to cooking. Nikki Warner is a perfect example.
Still reeling from her parents’ divorce and her own lukewarm relationship, Nikki retreats to the family farm. Author Sara Brunsvold highlights the importance of heritage in The Divine Proverb of Streusel.
With the discovery of a handwritten journal filled with recipes and wise sayings amongst her grandmother’s belongings, Nikki finds a renewed connection to the past. The finished product of each recipe is shared with others, building camaraderie and friendships with the community.
The story’s premise brings forth simpler times when sharing a meal was a prime opportunity for fellowship and face-to-face communication.
The Divine Proverb of Streusel delivers a beautifully written story about a hurting woman who finds solace from the past.
Sara Brunsvold is the author of The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. She 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, Missouri, where she can often be spotted writing at a park or library. Learn more at www.SaraBrunsvold.com.
