My Review: A Love Like Ours

Another gorgeous cover from Bethany House!  All of Becky's books are beautiful!  I love that this one follows the same theme as the previous books in the series, making it obvious they tie-in.  I can't wait to see the cover of Dru's book!

Description:
Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.

When Lyndie James, Jake’s childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion’s reluctance to run.

Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake’s will, Lyndie’s sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he’d thought he’d lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

 

About the Author:
Becky makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children. She's the Carol Award and Inspirational Reader's Choice Award winning author of contemporary Christian romances, My Stubborn Heart, Undeniably Yours, Meant to Be Mine, and A Love Like Ours.

 

 

My Review: 5 stars

Caution: This book may cause sleep deprivation!

There are so many things I could say about this book! I could tell you how I loved every minute of it, or how the characters tumbled off the pages and straight into my heart, or how I wanted to cry for Jake, or how a year is way too long for me to wait for the next one . . . Many, many things I could say and I probably will end up saying before I’m finished. In case the 5 stars didn’t clue you in, I adored this book! After reading Becky’s very first book, My Stubborn Heart, I’ve been a huge fan. She has not disappointed me yet and I can’t see that she will until she stops writing.

Her writing as always, was wonderful! I was drawn in from the first page and often had to remind myself that I wasn’t in Holley, Texas. I love the descriptions that bring every scene to life. There are just enough to give a good basis, but not enough to overwhelm. The story never once lagged for me and I saw midnight more than once, wanting to find out what would happen next. I was scooping up the book at every opportunity and woe to anyone who interrupted me.

I adored the returning characters from previous books, especially Amber from Undeniably Yours. The Porter brothers have such distinct personalities that it was fun to have them all together again. I know Dru’s book will be next, so it was fun to get to meet her again, but it was also bittersweet, because hers will be the final book. I’m anxious to read it, but at the same time dreading it. I don’t want the series to end! I suppose it’s a good thing, then, that I’ll have around a year to accept the fact it will be ending.

Lyndie James was such a sweet heroine, but with a very stubborn streak, making her perfect for Jake. I fell in love with her at once! She and I are alike in many ways, though very different in just as many. She’s one of those characters that you know if they were real, they would make a wonderful friend. She challenged me more often that not, her unshakable faith in God showing me things in a different light. There are so many other things I’d love to say about her, but I’ll stop here, so I don’t give any spoilers.

Jake Porter is the kind of hero I just want to hug. Like Lyndie, my heart broke for him. There is so much pain shown on every page of his point of view. It shows Becky’s talent, that she is able to take such a difficult theme as Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder and bring it to life. Jake’s real-life pain is never glossed over, never softened in a way to give less impact or insult those who face it every day. There were a couple scenes that were uncomfortable for me, because they pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me take notice. My heart was breaking for Jake, for everyone who struggles with the disorder. I have such respect for them, now, if I didn’t before.

Jake also challenged me. He asks questions: real, heart-wrenching questions, about God, life, and living. Sometimes, they’re ones I’ve thought, but never voiced, others gave me a whole new perspective on things. I loved following his story, because there is hope. Throughout the story, he’s growing, changing, finding answers, asking new questions. I was encouraged so much through his journey.

The spiritual aspect of this book was fantastic! I generally don’t elaborate too much on this, but I have to at least a little bit here. Even though God isn’t mentioned on every page, He is there, woven throughout the story. I loved the discussions the characters had, the way Becky didn’t gloss over anything but led me on the journey with them. Trust is a huge part of it. Trusting God in the hard times. This is something that really hit home with me and a few times I had to just stop and think about some point or another. Mrs. James plays a large role in this part of the story and I really appreciated the fact that her faith stands the test of time. She is no stranger to heartache, making her the perfect person for Jake to confide in and I loved the wisdom she imparts not just to him, but to the reader as well.

There is literally nothing I didn’t like about this book. I have no nitpicking comments, nothing that bothered me. From the first page to the last, I loved it! The ending was wonderful, perfectly written to give us a “happily-ever-after,” but also show the reality that everything doesn’t become perfect because you’re in love. The romance was also excellent, with the main story, but also a side story coming into play, too. I adored the chemistry between them, which was almost palpable. It was also incredibly sweet and found myself smiling quite a bit.

I’ll stop here, because I could go on and on, but then no one would read it. One final thought, if you haven’t read any of Becky’s books yet, you are definitely missing out on some wonderful reading!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review!  I'm sorry it's so long!  I really did try to shorten it, but that obviously didn't work out so well.  I can't help blathering on about books I love.  I hope you enjoyed it, anyway! :) 

If you'd like to look into the book some more, maybe see what others are saying, here are some links to get you started. 

 

Amazon

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