Destiny Springs

Destiny Springs is the third book in a trilogy by author Elliott Foster following Panic River and Reckoning Waves. The protagonist Corey Flanagan, now Fisher, is being hunted by a woman named Cecelia Jackson. Even after Corey is exonerated of the charges stating that he raped and killed her husband, Bennett Jackson, Cecelia is still sure that he is guilty and wants revenge. I liked that the book jumped right into where Reckoning Waves left off, even though it could also be read as a standalone. The chapters are told from alternating points of view, that of both Cecelia and Corey, which allows readers to see both sides of the story as it unfolds. There is no doubt, however, that Cecelia is out of her mind as she follows Corey and ends up killing innocent people along the way due to her clumsiness and negligence. Readers follow her as she becomes more and more obsessed with finding and killing Corey, driving around in her Chevy Malibu with her dead husband’s ashes in the front seat, his picture duct taped to the dash.

The character development in Destiny Springs is much like that of the first two books. The author allows each character to come to life with detailed descriptions of each move and thought the character has. This lets the readers into the heads of the characters, and whether or not you agree with them, you understand them. Corey, for example, has made many mistakes in his life. Mistakes that have ended relationships and caused death. In this book, it seems like Corey has grown up a bit and finally wants to settle down with the love of his life, Miguel. He also ends up reconnecting with a past lover, Nick, during the course of the story. His mother, Ginny, and best friend, Billy, are also integral parts of the story. There are many secrets in Corey’s family, and he ends up uncovering these along the way as well.

I found Destiny Springs to be an easy read that flowed well from one chapter to another. As the story moved along, the characters moved as well. The cat-and-mouse chase takes Cecelia from her home in Arkansas to Corey’s new home in Southern California to Minneapolis, where Corey is visiting Billy.

Mimicking real life with themes such as family and romantic relationships, friendship, and justice, Destiny Springs is a book that most adults will enjoy.