Every Perfect Gift
Every Perfect Gift (A Hickory Ridge Romance)
“Whoever says nothing ever happens in a small town ought to spend a few weeks in Hickory Ridge.” Do you feel like nothing ever happens in small towns? This story could easily change your mind!
I know a few of you have read this one (as I finally decided to take the time to read it thanks to your reviews!) so I'd love to hear more from you in the comments about this story.
And I have to admit, I didn't realize this was the final book in a
series right away, so don't feel like you have to read the first two before
reading this one - granted I'm sure the first two are good stories also (have
you read either of them? Let me know what you think!)
I was personally
drawn to this book because of the setting - there is something about stories
written in the "west" between 1850-1920 that really captivate me. And
when the female protagonist is strong-willed and independent (at
least considering the time) - well it will find its way to my reading list!
Sophie Caldwell is
such a character - and full of spunk. She has returned to her hometown to start
a local newspaper. She is returning to a mountain of emotions, hardly any good,
by taking such a venture, but she feels compelled. Sophie's biggest
hangup is her lack of knowledge surrounding her ancestry- she was an orphan
until Wyatt and Ada took her in - and the very real possibility of having some
African blood in her. Hateful words from fellow orphans haunt her through most
of the story, and keep her from being completely honest.
Ethan Heyward is
in Hickory Ridge to help with the creation of Blue Ridge - a luxury resort for
the extremely wealthy. He had the "confidence of a man who understood his
place in the world and reveled in it." At least Sophie thinks in one of
their early encounters.
It is easy to see
how quickly Sophie and Ethan fall in love, but their pasts keep them from being
honest and open with each other. And that is what keeps them from fully falling
in love!
Doesn't that just
sound like real life?
Love does include many breaks in Sophie’s story to fill in with
her previous heroines, however, I didn’t mind the interruptions, and it just
gave more depth to the town and story. If I had read the previous stories, I’m
sure I would have loved the updates on characters. Still this could be a little bit of an issue
to some, as it does interrupt the flow and add length to the overall story…
Running throughout this story is the common thread that these
characters know to look to God for answers. Love does a great job of showing
how these characters are sinners that are in continuous need of Grace, and know
to look for it.
One bit of advice Sophie receives from Robbie stood out to me. He
told her, “Our Lord is the master of the impossible fix.” (click to tweet this quote) Isn't that a bit of
truth we could all use on a regular basis?
And my personal favorite quote, “Maybe what you really need is the
courage to believe that you are a perfect creation just as you are. That our
Creator knew what he was doing when he made you.” This is just a piece of
wisdom that I think so many women need to hear today – and to think that maybe
past generations also needed reminded is somehow comforting.
Overall, the plot of this story had some surprising twist – I won’t
ruin it for you – and an expected ending. And I did enjoy it. However, there
was just something missing often for me. I think it was the issue with Sophie’s
fear over her past. I understand how that is a huge life issue, and should make
for a wonderful character, yet something in that was missing, for me.
But still this was a fun read, and I would recommend it for anyone
who loves historical fiction pieces with strong female characters.
Reading List Rating
Have you read Every Perfect Gift? Did you enjoy it? Have you read any other books in the Hickory Ridge series? What did you think?
** I received a free ebook of Every Perfect Gift for an honest review from the publishers. All opinions are completely my own. There are affiliate links in the above review.
Linked up with: http://www.raisingmightyarrows.blogspot.com/, http://blog.jennimullinix.com/, http://www.oursimplecountrylife.com/
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