I apologize for the radio silence on this blog for the month of June. From busy times in my own life to personal things, I had to take some time off. Thank you all for respecting my privacy. Despite the recent tough times, I am grateful for books.
This month’s book is no exception.
Love’s Prayer by Melissa Storm has been a book on my to-read list for over a year now. I first stumbled upon the book when I saw a great deal online and purchased the eBook version. Unfortunately, the novel was left untouched on my tablet until I recently got rid of 20 eBooks I no longer wanted to read.
The book was worth the wait.
Before I go on, here’s some information about the author, Melissa Storm. She has a vast number of book series to choose from including the Finding Mr. Happily Ever After series, The Alaska Sunrise Romances, The Sled Dog Series, and The First Street Church Romances. Standalone novels include A Colorful Life and A Mother’s Love. You can purchase her novels wherever books are sold and follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Check out her website for more too!
Love’s Prayer takes place in the small town of Sweet Grove, Texas, and is the first book of The First Street Church Romances series. Centering on main protagonists Summer and Ben, we have a story that balances humor, loss, love, and faith. Summer is in town watching over her Aunt Iris’s flower shop and trying to figure out the next chapter of her life. Ben is struggling with past demons that have haunted his family, especially his mother, Susan. When a desperate plea to God brings these two together under unexpected circumstances, their lives change, and love may be in the air.
From the very first page, I was hooked on this story. Having finished college two years ago, I still wonder now and then about where the future may lead me and what may be in store for me. I related to Summer a lot, and even to Ben through trying to make peace with his past and learning to trust God anew. The colorful, and quirky, cast making up the town of Sweet Grove also made the novel charming. I was reminded of the Hallmark Publishing books I’ve been blessed to read and review since the beginning of 2018.
Lately, I’ve been trying to read more wholesome novels as a reminder of goodness in the world, the power of community and family, and relationships that grow because of overcoming barriers that hinder them. The pace of this book was also quite fast and the alternating scenes between Susan and Ben kept me engaged. Storm also does an excellent job of balancing lighthearted scenes and parts where things get serious and difficult. The key is you don’t feel preached to, but find yourself relating the struggles of these characters back to your own life.
Ben’s mother, Susan, became a memorable character for me, too. Her development throughout the book was real, complicated, and understanding. I wasn’t too crazy about her in the beginning, but as the story went on and we had more scenes revolving around Ben, I changed my mind. Summer’s efforts to also help Susan and extend kindness to her stayed with me as well. Again, I learned a lesson in not judging characters too quickly because some of them turn out to surprise you by the very end. I do wish there was more focus on other characters like Kristina Rose, but the great part about having a series of books? You get to read about them! Kristina Rose is the focus of book two, Love’s Promise.
I’m not going to lie. I want to revisit the town of Sweet Grove again after reading the epilogue. You’ll see why when you get to the end I’m not saying any more than that ;). If you want something wholesome with small town feel and charm, check out this book.
Happy reading!
The Writer's Soul 