The Heart Stone
by Sherry Kyle
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Release Date: April 1, 2013
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Book Description:
When the biological father of Jessica MacAllister’s son decides to break their custody agreement, Jessica and her son visit her Uncle George for advice and refuge…
Following a year of grief, Evelyn Sweeney is finally ready to move on. Pondering her new path in life, her mind drifts to her first love, George MacAllister…
When the lives of these two women cross, they discover that one heart-shaped ring binds their stories together. But will the results be a rekindled faith and new hope, or will it lead them both back into the darkness they’ve fought for so long?
My Review
Faith,
forgiveness, second chances and following your heart play a key role in Sherry Kyle’s
contemporary Christian romance, The Heart Stone. Filled with likable characters, good dialogue
and plenty of emotional angst, Ms. Kyle’s book explores the themes of letting
go of the past, moving forward after loss and learning to trust again. Taking place over a short period of time, the
author weaves the story of three
families together , whose past and current interactions will change their future.
Single
mother Jessica MacAlister planned to
spend the Easter holiday at home with Jacob, her six year old son and Melissa,
her roommate. When she’s contacted by
Andrew Lawson, Jacob’s biological father , a man who abandoned her once he
learned of her pregnancy and gave up all of his parental rights, Jessica
decides it’s time to get out of town. Visiting
her uncle George in Santa Cruz will not only give her a chance to get away, it’ll
give her a chance to reconnect with her uncle, the man who played the father
figure in her life.
Recent
widow Evelyn Sweeney is having a hard time coping with her life. Married for forty years, she never imagined
she’d be facing life on her own in her sixties.
Deciding it’s time to move on with the next chapter of her life, Evelyn
plans to take a vacation in Santa Cruz, where she spent her youth. Evelyn even begins to wonder whatever
happened to George, her first love.
When
Jessica and Jacob visit her uncle George, he’s temporarily living in a nursing
facility. Bitter and angry over the loss
of his life as a missionary, George is also dealing with the recent loss of one
of his legs. Determined to help her
uncle, Jessica needs to find a place for him to stay. Accepting an invitation to spend Easter
Sunday with the manager of the nursing facility and her family, Jessica meets Nick
Fuller, a firefighter, who just might be the answer to one of her prayers.
When
Jessica and Evelyn meet, they realize their lives are connected because of
George. They’re also connected because of
a ring, with a heart shaped stone, that George had bought for Evelyn and which
he had later given to Jessica. While
Jessica is happy getting to know more about her uncle’s past she’s not sure
that Evelyn belongs in his future.
Ms. Kyle does
a job developing the characters and weaving their stories together. While both George and Jessica have forgiven
the people who disappointed them in the past, they’ve been unable to forgive
themselves for the decisions they’ve made in their lives. Evelyn has to decide if she’s willing to move
on with her life and take a second chance on love. Nick has to decide if he wants to get
involved with Jessica and Jacob while dealing with the news that Andrew Lawson,
his childhood friend, is the man who abandoned Jessica and Jacob and is now a
wanted man.
Will
Jessica learn to trust and give Nick a chance to win her love? Will Evelyn and George learn to accept their
second chance at love? Will Jessica
forgive herself long enough to give Andrew a chance to meet his son? You’ll have to read The Heart Stone to find
out. I enjoyed this well written romance
and think you will too.
My
rating: 4.5 out of 5 Crowns
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour. I was not compensated for my review, it is simply my opinion of the written material.
Nice review Maria...now I really want to read it!
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