Book Review: Family Lessons

Author: Allie Pleiter
Title: Family Lessons
Publisher: Love Inspired Historical
Publish Date: April 2, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley

Book Blurb: 

Next Stop: Home After a catastrophe strands a train—and eight orphaned children—near Evans Grove, Nebraska, schoolteacher Holly Sanders sees hope in the chaos. These children are the new start her community needs. And Holly is stubbornly determined to give the townspeople, the children…and even gruff sheriff Mason Wright…the happy families they deserve.

How can anyone so petite have so much gumption? Watching Holly rally her young charges wins Mason's admiration—and reminds him of his own failures. No matter what Holly or the orphan boy Liam think, Mason's no hero and he doesn't merit a second chance. Can Holly's faith, Liam's trust and God's grace open Mason's heart to love's greatest lesson?

Review: Love Inspired Historical is my favorite line and Allie Pleiter is on of my favorite authors. She really creates stories that pull you in and make you feel a deep connection for the characters, although sometimes the characters aren't the ones you'd expect to fall in love with.

In this case, it is the orphans, all of them. In fact their story along with everyone who dealt with the train robbery and murder of Mr. Arlington take precedent over the romance. The emotions between Mason and Holly seem secondary to the plight of the children and the town, and do you know what? It isn't a bad thing.

It is nice to see Holly and Mason get together, but it really feels more important to see the children find homes and for Beatrice Ward to shut her trap.

I don't think I've ever read a story with a character I wanted to pop in the nose as much as I did Beatrice Ward.

She was one bitter, nasty old lady masquerading as a good Christian. (There are a lot of Beatrice Wards in the world)

I would have loved to have got a bit more back story on her, to find out why she was the way she was. Just as I would have liked to have known what brought Holly to Evans City when she had family in St Louis.

But in the long run, that isn't the stuff that mattered. It is the happiness of the children, though the end results are just the perfect happily ever after.

This was such a sweet story that you won't be able to put down.

Rating: 5 flowers