by Margaret Brownley
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: June 28, 2011
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
Trouble may follow Lucy wherever she goes, but with the help of God and the rugged, reclusive David Wolf, she'll never face adversity alone.
Lucy Bradshaw dreams of working as a photographer at the Rocky Creek newspaper. If she can earn money making photographs, then maybe her father will see that what she does is worthy, more than just a distraction. And her deepest hope is that he'll see her as an artist, the way he thought of her deceased mother, a painter. But trouble follows Lucy on every photo shoot: a mess of petticoats and ribbons, an accidental shooting, even a fire.
When Lucy meets David Wolf, a quiet, rustic man who lives on the outskirts of town, she thinks she can catch the attention of the town with his photograph. She doesn't count on her feelings stirring whenever she's near him.
Two things happen next that forever change the course of her life: Lucy meets someone who sees her as no one else has-as the compassionate, creative young woman that God made in His image. And Lucy helps David uncover a secret that forces him to change his perspective on an event that left him deeply-scarred.
God's arms are around this unlikely couple as they discover the truth about long-held assumptions and the importance of forgiveness.
My Review:
This is a darn-tootin good read! There's something for everyone- romance, family secrets, a mystery, great friends, and town gossip. The message is delivered subtly and realistically.
I loved reading about the photography of the time period. The author has a great knowledge of how photography worked back then. I also loved the advice at the start of each chapter given to both photographers and their subjects. The advice was sometimes humorous in how dated it was, and sometimes still true today!
I loved both of the leads, Lucy and David. I especially liked the growth that David experienced throughout the book regarding his reaction to the incident that changed his life. As with a lot of Christian historical romances, the point of view was skewed more heavily towards the female, but in this book, the balance worked.
There were so many characters and so much going on in this town! It reminded me a lot of the town in "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." There was never a dull moment with these folks! I really liked Lucy's younger brother, Caleb, from the start. He was adorable as the teenage future town doctor, so ready to help, but with so much to learn.
Main Characters: 5/5
Supporting Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Romance: 4/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Bottom Line:I loved this book right from the start, it was un-put-downable!