Monday, April 22, 2013

Tea and Read: My Stubborn Heart


Title: My Stubborn Heart
Author: Becky Wade
Genre: Christian fiction, women's fiction
Rating: Two cups of tea (★★★★)

This is the first book from Becky Wade I’ve read, so I went into it without any real expectations. I wanted to be entertained, at least, and this book turned out to be quite delightful.

Blurb:
Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks her to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.

Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can't help being attracted to him, drawn by both his good looks and something else she can't quite put her finger on. He's clearly wounded--hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light...whether he likes it or not.

When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed?

Wade pulls off a feat in this book that I really enjoy: she took a common plot (at least common to Christian fiction nowadays) of a widower finding love again, and infused it with freshness. I love the tone of this book, which the setting lends itself to well. I also loved the writing, almost poetic.

In addition setting and tone, Kate and Matt made this book sing. Their struggle with their feeling about their lives and each other help earn the book the title. They are stubborn, but it’s not an annoying kind of stubborn. I also liked the development of the characters. The progression of their relationship was believable and enjoyable. I also quite enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Velma and Morty. 

This is a very cute enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next book from Wade. 

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