That Brings Hope
It's 1954 and Perla Long's arrival in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle.
Casewell Phillips has resigned himself to life as a bachelor . . . until he meets Perla. She's everything he's sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. As the drought worsens, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith.
ISBN-13: 9780764212253
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Publication date: 8/5/2014
Pages: 304
My Review: I am so glad I read this book! It was absolutely fantastic! We first met Perla in Sarah's novella Appalachian Serenade. (If you haven't read it yet, don't worry! You don't need to, but I highly recommend it! It's fantastic!) The plot of the story was unique to me. I haven't read many books set in the 1950's era. It was well written and kept my interest page after page.
The characters were fantastic! It was nice to catch up with Delilah and Robert, who play a prominent role in this story. Perla Long is a unique heroine because of her past and her special gift with food. Perla becomes the "miracle" in Wise's "dry season," much to her dismay. Then she meets Casewell Phillips. I loved him as a male hero because the author gave him pride and humility, braun and brain, and most importantly, a sense of right and wrong. Watching their feelings blossom amidst the division of the town was sweet. The secondary characters (Casewell's father, the twins, and Frank) provided the perfect mix of humor and seriousness to the story.
The message read much like a story from the Bible. In every season, there is a time to learn. The town of Wise had to learn that judgement comes from the Lord, it's not for us to dish out. Yet, when someone comes among you that is unique, it's easy to judge. Perla had to learn to forgive those who hurt her, let go of her anger at her past, and most importantly, forgive herself. Casewell, even with his great qualities, had to face his flaws and overcome them in order to get what God wanted him to have.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to more from this upcoming author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Bethany House Blogger program in exchange for my honest review.*
About the Author: Sarah Loudin Thomas grew up on a 100-acre farm in French Creek, WV, the seventh generation to live there. Her Christian fiction is set in West Virginia and celebrates the people, the land, and the heritage of Appalachia. Her first novel, Miracle in a Dry Season, releases August 2014 through Bethany House. Sarah is represented by Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary Agency.A graduate of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC, Sarah once dreamed of being a marine scientist. But her love for words won out and she has spent much of her career in public relations and marketing. She currently oversees fundraising and communications for a Christian children’s home in Black Mountain, NC.
Sarah and her husband Jim live in the mountains of Western North Carolina with Thistle–the canine equivalent to a personal trainer pushing them to hike, run, and throw sticks. Sarah is active in her local church and enjoys cooking and–you guessed it–reading.
Thanks for the lovely review!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! It wasn't hard to give a good review! It was a great book!
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