The Hearts We Mend

GIVEAWAY

SPRINGER, KATHRYN
THE HEARTS WE MEND

Planning and post-it notes are the epitome of Eric's life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.

Thirteen years ago, Evie's firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie's heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.

Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raise quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Bannister Falls. Where Evie's life is stream-lined, Jack's approach to living is moment-by-moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack's world -- a world that isn't as safe or predictable as the one she's worked so hard to create -- he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn't make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn't felt since Max passed away -- or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn't anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.

My Review:

This is the second book in The Bannister Falls series, and while it can be read as a standalone, it will be helpful for you to know the key players in order to understand the first few pages.

Evie Bennett -- our heroine
Max - Evie's deceased husband
Gin(Ginevieve) Lightly (heroine of first book, The Dandelion Field)
Raine Lightly - Gin's pregnant teenage daughter
Cody Bennett - Evie's son and Raine's fiancé.
Dan Moretti - Evie's long-time friend and Gin's boyfriend

Real life. Real faith. A winning combination that lured me in and held my hostage right to the delectable last page.

Wounded characters accomplish astonishing things as they stretch their faith and place their trust in God. A blessing of a read because I lived their fears and insecurities and grew right along with them. I so appreciate a solid inspirational thread in a Christian fiction novel!

Evie and Jack are navigating life after living through some difficult circumstances. What's really interesting is their diametrically opposing ways of coping. Evie has boxed herself into a protective bubble. Everything in her world is contained. Planned. Deliberate. No surprises mar her future...until her son announces he's going to be a father and a whirlwind wedding rocks Evie's predictable pattern of complacency. You can read that whole story in The Dandelion Field. This one takes off just days before that wedding. On the day Evie suddenly starts to feel like Alice falling down the rabbit hole.

Free-spirited Jack takes life as it comes, content to allow God to guide his footsteps as he tries to put his splintered family back together. I fell hard and fast. He's rough around the edges but has a heart for service and an easygoing way of accepting opportunities the Lord sends his way. I was as flummoxed as poor Evie when she suddenly finds herself swept into Jack's world. But I was excited too. Jack really opened my eyes to ways we can live the Savior's love in order to bless others. Some of my favourite scenes take place at Jack's ramshackle apartment. They're some of the funniest scenes too.

Love and laughter and plenty of unexpected twists make this an exceptional, faith-filled read.

My thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Zondervan Publishing for providing me with a review copy of this book.

http://litfusegroup.com/author/KSpringer

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  The Hearts We Mend please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, 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 March 13 2016 . Offer open to international readers. Good luck!