Capturing Beauty

GIVEAWAY

ANDERSON, BRENDA S.
CAPTURING BEAUTY

He's a nature photographer returning to make amends. She's a camera-shy naturalist seeking privacy. Their love for a boy brings them together, but the camera could drive them apart.

Photographer Haven Carlysle is a changed man. Six years earlier, he had run from his tragedy-filled life in Duluth. Now he's back in town to capture the North-Shore's beauty...and to recapture the love of his son. But that means making amends with his ex-girlfriend too. When camera-leery Callie Beaumont steps in to bridge the relationship between Haven and his former family, he's wary, but she's his only hope.

Callie Beaumont is surrounded by beauty. Her parents are local news celebrities. Her sister is a model. And Callie is...Ordinary. All her life, Callie has longed to work outdoors soaking up God-breathed beauty, and the opportunity is finally on the horizon. But being the liaison between the handsome photographer and his son has thrown her dreams, and her heart, into chaos.

Can Haven capture her heart when she won't let him capture her image? And will his poor choices cost Callie her dream job and him the love of his son?

My Review:

My emotions ran high right through this entire read. Once I started, I couldn't stop, even though my bruised heart begged for respite a time or two. :-) I guess you could say I wear my reader's heart on my sleeve when I connect with characters as real life as Haven and Callie.

She's an interesting mix of burning bright light shadowed by insecurities. An 'ugly duckling' surrounded by a family of swans. She's learned to take the backseat, to sacrifice for the greater good and to believe the lies of her youth. She's a dutiful daughter and an outstanding friend. An exceptional 'auntie' to her best friend's son. She can be smart-mouthed and sweet and funny. Snapping out the most outrageous exclamations that always brought a smile to my lips and kept me scribbling my own Callie-isms for the fun of it.

Haven's wounded but rallying. He's done a lot of stupid things in his life but he's found faith and is moving on. Making amends. Determined to reconnect with his young son despite the obvious reluctance of the boy's mother who will only allow visitations if Callie supervises. An interesting way to develop a romance. And a complicated one. And goodness, but Anderson knows how to weave an artfully complicated plot!

There were times I wanted to throttle a few characters. One in particular got my dander...and my blood pressure up. Gah! The scathing things I yelled at her during the read aren't worth repeating in this review. Like I said, it's complicated.

As much as I love frothing at the mouth while rabidly turning pages, I also love being challenged and convicted by a solid inspirational thread and Capturing Beauty is an amazing testimony of the transforming love of Jesus Christ. It's about human perceptions -- how we feel about ourselves and how we convey how we feel about others. And the power those both have on our lives.

If you like feeling emotionally sucker-punched by a good book -- this one is for you!

My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book.

Giveaway Opportunity:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Capturing Beauty please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you post a comment and add your email address please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 19 2017.  Offer open to international readers. Good luck!