A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

Julie’s characters feel like family since I’ve been reading her books for a while. A Love Surrendered released October 1, 2012.

Let’s begin with the summary:

Orphaned in Iowa, Annie Kennedy moves to Boston to stay with her spinster aunt. She longs for romance to fill the void left by her parents' death. But when she falls hard for Steven O'Connor, the man who broke an engagement to her sister, Annie is worried. Will he break her heart too when he discovers who she really is?

With heart-pounding romance, intense family drama, and emotional twists and turns, A Love Surrendered is everything Julie Lessman's many fans have been waiting for.

And now, my review: 

Julie remains a unique voice in Christian fiction.

I love Julie’s prose. She has such a way with words. They flow on the page and reading is almost effortless. Her characters are well drawn, and I enjoyed getting to see Steven in action more in this story as we work our way through the O’Connor clan. Steven is facing a lot of guilt over his past. That’s a relatable theme many readers will connect with.

Annie is coming of age, and watching her struggle was a bit painful. We also watched her heroism, though, as when she compassionately ministered to her hurting aunt. Such a good balance. Steven’s best friend, Joe, is a well-drawn secondary character. I liked how he held up a mirror, even while he nudged him in a different direction.

I liked the setting of the story as well—the boardwalk and beach.

Though we’re mostly zeroed in on Steven and Annie’s relationship, at times we zoomed out and watch the other O’Connor couples moving on with their lives—like Marcy and Patrick in their quest to adopt Gabe, the orphan girl who desperately needs a loving family. “Family” is a theme Julie returns to again and again in her novels, and one I truly appreciate.

This story read quickly and because we’ve come to care for these characters, it’s an enjoyable read. Newcomers to the series will be lost in the sea of characters, though, without having read the earlier books. I recommend beginning with her first (A Passion Most Pure) and gobbling up every title from there to here.

Enjoy!

(print version)          (e-book version)