Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

A dramatic supernatural tale of death and rebirth, Janet Rebhan’s Rachael’s Return tells the story of Caroline Martin, a successful middle-aged woman who undergoes a hysterectomy at the opening of the novel. With two teenage sons, she had hoped of having another child—a daughter this time. Little does she know that she is pregnant, and a clerical error has overlooked her gestation. Mary Anne Maynard, on the other hand, fights to keep the child alive inside her after she was brutally assaulted and shot by her abusive boyfriend. Behind the crisis these two women face, an unseen soul patiently watches, waiting for the opportunity to be reborn. Thor and Aurora, the spiritual guides, or if you want to call them angels, provide crisis intervention to ensure that this soul finds an ideal host. How Caroline's and Mary Anne’s respective lives will connect makes this supernatural drama appeal to readers' emotions.

Janet Rebhan writes with clear intentions. New Age undertones are evident in certain descriptions, but it manages to sustain the drama and tension. The supernatural elements blend well with the narrative in the way that Thor and Aurora’s imperceptible meddling appears as an act of fate. It does require reading with sharp focus as the multiple perspective narrative becomes an essential technique to better understand character sentiment. Rachael’s Return hints of teaching spirituality so that it reads like a cross between The Alchemist and the parables of Jesus. It has a unique plot and is guaranteed to be a different book from what you have read lately. This is a recommended read to anyone who enjoys spirituality and emotional stories.