As part of my story development process, I create a playlist of songs that mean something to the main characters or that capture a certain theme or emotion of the story. Music enlivens my imagination, allowing me to experience the characters’ fictional world in a real, sense-based way. These songs were among these most heavily rotated as I wrote and edited THE SISTERHOOD OF UNLIKELY FRIENDS.
Greater Than All My Regrets by Tenth Avenue North – Jess, the main character, is starting over after years of poor choices have left her life in ruins. Though she is trying to step as far away from her old life as possible, her regrets haunt her. This contributes to her belief that if others knew the real her, they would reject her too. She is slowly unlearning this lie and starting to see herself as more than the sum of her mistakes. This song captures that sentiment perfectly.
Narrow Road by Josh Baldwin – Despite its angsty tone, this ballad is filled with hope that something stronger can sustain us through the hardest days when we seem to be completely on our own. As I was drawing Jess’s journey, which is wrought with an increasing loneliness, this song became her “voice” put to music.
I Won’t Let You Go by Switchfoot – This song evokes the emotion Jess’s new friends feel when they can see her in pain yet she hides behind self-protection. The lyrics speak of a longing for the hurting soul to let her guard down and learn to trust because the love that would embrace her would be more beautiful than she can imagine. One of the most poignant lines captures the key theme of the book: “That’s where life is born / when our facades are torn / pain gives birth to the promise ahead.”
Always Only Jesus by MercyMe – An important part of Jess’s discovery is realizing she must rely on strength that is not her own, both the strength offered by her circle of women but also, always, from her Savior, Jesus. Ironically, or perhaps entirely appropriately, the Lord had to firmly remind me again and again in the writing of this book that He is my source, my strength, my purpose. This song became the personal ballad for both Jess and me in those often-hard months of bringing the story to the page.
Sweet Ever After by Ellie Holcomb and Bear Rinehart – The twangy flavor of this song puts me squarely in Jess’s small-town, pickup-driving perspective. Meanwhile, the message is about facing an uncertain future together, knowing that what comes after the hard is sweet ever after. Ultimately, that is the hope I want this story to leave with readers.
THE SISTERHOOD OF UNLIKELY FRIENDS by Sara Brunsvold
Narrator: Jennette Selig
Contemporary Women’s Fiction for Book Clubs Set in a Small Town about Multi-Generational Female Friendship and Community
She’s spent a lifetime keeping her heart under lock and key. Now others are reaching out. But is she ready to receive them?
At forty‑two, fiercely independent Jess Becker is starting over in Kansas City with minimal furniture, two houseplants, and a newfound faith. After a lifetime of poor choices, she’s determined to finally get it right.
When she befriends her fourteen‑year‑old neighbor and agrees to drive her to church, she’s swept into a caring community where she meets Reva, a wise mentor figure, and Austie, a troubled young woman. Jess reluctantly opens her home to pizza nights with her new friends, unwittingly opening her heart to a sisterhood of faith.
Just as these relationships begin reshaping her carefully controlled life, Jess receives news that changes everything. Now she must decide whether to accept the very help she’s been trying to give others or risk losing everything she’s worked so hard to build.
“A powerful message of grace and hospitality to new and mature Christians alike, Brunsvold brings Bible application to life through fiction.”‑‑Library Journal
Sara Brunsvold presents an authentic story about the transformative power of community, exploring themes of vulnerability, redemption, and the courage it takes to let others in. Perfect for readers of Christian women’s fiction and inspirational stories about female friendship, faith, and belonging.
Women’s Fiction Friendship [ Revell, On Sale: October 6, 2026, Paperback / e-Book / audiobook, ISBN: 9780800746131 / eISBN: 9781493455515 ]
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About Sara Brunsvold
Sara Brunsvold 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.
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