"Love is a choice. It's keeping promises when they're tough to keep. It's staying when you want to leave. And it's seeing the other person through the same forgiving lens through which God sees us all." - Chaplain Grant
Description:
After two broken engagements, nurse practitioner Mia Robinson is done with dating. From now on, she only trusts herself and God, and she's focused on her eighteen-year-old sister, Lucy, and caring for patients. Just as she applies to work for an international aid organization, a phone call from Lucy, who's pregnant and running off to marry her twenty-one-year-old boyfriend, throws a wrench into all of Mia's plans.
Jake Tanner may have recovered from the physical injuries he sustained on the job as a police officer, but his heart has yet to heal from losing his former partner in the tragedy. He's poured himself into starting a camp for the sons of fallen officers and mentoring Sam, the adult son of his deceased partner, who's asked him to be his best man at his wedding.
Mia is expecting a mess when she arrives to sort out the situation with Lucy, but she wasn't expecting Jake. And Jake, who can't help envying Sam and Lucy, doubts he'll ever experience their happiness for himself. But maybe Jake's courage and Mia's caring spirit are just what they need to bring them a lifetime of healing and a forever kind of love. . . .
Jake Tanner may have recovered from the physical injuries he sustained on the job as a police officer, but his heart has yet to heal from losing his former partner in the tragedy. He's poured himself into starting a camp for the sons of fallen officers and mentoring Sam, the adult son of his deceased partner, who's asked him to be his best man at his wedding.
Mia is expecting a mess when she arrives to sort out the situation with Lucy, but she wasn't expecting Jake. And Jake, who can't help envying Sam and Lucy, doubts he'll ever experience their happiness for himself. But maybe Jake's courage and Mia's caring spirit are just what they need to bring them a lifetime of healing and a forever kind of love. . . .
About the Author:
Victoria Bylin writes contemporary and historical romances acclaimed for their true-to-life characters and stories. Her work has finaled in contests such as the Carol Awards, the RITAs, Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards, and the Reviewers' Choice Award. A native of California, she and her husband now make their home in Lexington, Kentucky. Visit her website at www.victoriabylin.com to find out more.
My Review: 4 stars
This is only the third book I’ve read from Victoria Bylin and they seem to just get better and better! I believe this one may be my favorite, yet! I do have to say, that the cover is what first drew me to this story! It’s perfect for the tale it contains and it just makes me smile to look at it. I’m often told not to judge a book by it’s cover, but in this case, I think that’s totally acceptable!
It’s been a bit since I’ve read any of Ms. Bylin’s books and I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to pick up another one. I so enjoyed her writing style and just fell in love with Echo Falls and these characters! I loved her details and descriptions, how she brings the story to life with such vivid word images and inspires my imagination. I also so enjoyed the words of wisdom woven throughout the story. This story tackles some difficult topics, such as PTSD and Alzheimer’s, and along with just every day decisions and how to make a new marriage work. I so appreciated how Ms. Bylin handled these things with grace and finesse. I saved several quotes that seemed as though the author was speaking directly to me, through the characters and their situations.
I have to say that the characters were undoubtedly my favorite part of this story! I just adored Mia and Jake, as well as Lucy and Sam. I wasn’t expecting the journey they went on and to so easily relate to their struggles and doubts. Mia has made a commitment and she’s determined that God doesn’t change His mind and neither should she. So when things in her life suddenly begin changing, she’s thrown, unsure what her next step should be, what she should do next. I enjoyed following her as she searched for God’s plan for her life and did her best to prepare for what that plan might entail. Jake is also faced with difficult decisions, as well as trying to heal from the past. He’s strong and stubborn, willing to sacrifice anything for those he loves and incredibly supportive of their decisions. I loved his relationship with Sam and Lucy, offering a bit of advice and mostly just a shoulder to lean on as they figure out marriage and how their life together is going to work out.
And the romance! Definitely worth a few sighs and the occasional frustrated huff as the characters walked the uncertain path toward “happily ever after” and took a couple side trips along the way. I do confess to getting a mite impatient with them a time or two, but looking back, I found even the uncertain moments, the frustrated ones, to be incredibly realistic. If the story had moved any fasted, it would’ve seemed unrealistic and that might have taken away from the journey this story took me on. So I really can’t complain.
Overall, this book is something of a light romance, but intertwined with real life. Messy, unpredictable, sometimes difficult, sometimes blissful, life. And I would highly recommend it!
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and read my review! I hope you enjoyed it! As always, purchase links are below - I'm just going to go stare at the cover a bit longer (isn't it gorgeous?!), before I find it a home in my bookcase. :)
Have a beautiful day!
Great review!
ReplyDeleteI really liked this book too!
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