A Light in the Window

GIVEAWAY

LESSMAN, JULIE
A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW

One Woman. Two Men.
One stirs her pulse and the other her faith.
But who will win her heart?

Marceline Murphy is a gentle beauty with a well-founded aversion to rogues. But when two of Boston's most notorious pursue her, she encounters a tug-of-war of the heart she isn’t expecting. Sam O’Rourke is the childhood hero she’s pined for, the brother of her best friend and a member of the large, boisterous family to which she longs to be a part. So when his best friend Patrick O’Connor joins in pursuit of her affections, the choice seems all too clear. Sam is from a family of faith and Patrick is not, two rogues whose wild ways clash head-on with Marcy’s—both in her faith and in her heart.

While overseeing the Christmas play fundraiser for the St. Mary’s parish soup kitchen—A Light in the Window—Marcy not only wrestles with her attraction to both men, but with her concern for their spiritual welfare. The play is based on the Irish custom of placing a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome the Holy Family, and for Marcy, its message becomes deeply personal. Her grandmother Mima cautions her to guard her heart for the type of man who will respond to the "light in the window," meaning the message of Christ in her heart. But when disaster strikes during the play, Marcy is destined to discover the truth of the play’s message first-hand when it becomes clear that although two men have professed their undying love, only one has truly responded to “the light in the window.”

My Review:

Fans of Julie Lessman's work will find lots to rejoice about in this angst-riddled but inspirational Christmas tale. Rabid fans will also notice some wonderful personal touches in this story as well. :-) They made the read so much fun!

Lessman's gift of storytelling culminates in this last book about the O'Connor clan. Ironically, it is the prequel and the story that started it all. I appreciated the opportunity to discover Marcy and Patrick's romantic beginnings. Their solid, sometimes volatile and always passionate romance was the glue that bound the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series together for me. But fear not -- you will love this book even if you haven't read any of the others. But, if you have, you'll love A Light in the Window that much more.

Lessman uses the Irish Christmas custom of keeping a lighted candle in the window to welcome the Christ child as the basis for the inspirational thread in the story. Love the imagery of that and how she uses her characters to illustrate that we can all be a light unto the world by reflecting Christ's love and forgiveness. A moving Christmas message that will make my celebrations deeper and more meaningful this season.


Giveaway Opportunity:

NOTE: THIS BOOK COMES IN E-BOOK FORMAT ONLY. I DON'T HAVE A KINDLE BUT IT WAS SIMPLE ENOUGH TO DOWNLOAD ONTO MY LAPTOP. If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Light in the Window, please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 18 2012. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!