I have included links to this review in a couple of past posts already, but I decided to copy and paste it here today--as part of my determined efforts to find a wider audience for this novel, which my publisher Cheryl Dickow believes would be especially appealing to Catholic parents and homeschoolers for their teen/young adult readers (or to readers of any age who are tired of modern mainstream fiction). I also just wanted to show off my recently acquired mastery of this magical copy and paste tool, which my husband tried to teach me to use years ago, but which I finally got the hang of when my daughter-in-law helped me with my first link-up at Conversion Diary for "7 Quick Takes Friday" back in January.
I realize I've been talking about FG a bit too much lately, and if you're getting tired of hearing about it, please accept my apologies. But Therese has been so inordinately kind to me--posting my title on her website even before she had a chance to read the book, and then reading it and writing this positive review. She's a writer as well as a mother of young children, and yet she took time out of her busy life to help someone she's never even met. My association with Therese has been one of the greatest blessings I've received in the wake of the publication of my book.
So, without further ado...
“Finding Grace” by Laura H. Pearl
Laura H. Pearl’s first novel, Finding Grace, was a pure delight to
read. The story is absorbing on so many levels.
The main character, Grace, is thirteen at the beginning
of the book, but her story spans the years of 1972-1980 as she becomes a young
woman in a world fraught with challenges. She strives to live as a good Catholic
so that she may one day become a saint; but goodness doesn’t come easily, and as
she struggles to live her faith, she encounters life in all its many facets of
good and evil, joy and disappointments. Add to this the pain of falling deeply
in love with a young man who sees her only as a friend, and I had to keep
turning pages, staying up late, to find out how everything turns out.
The characters are fully developed, easy to relate to, and real. Grace’s relationships with her parents, her many brothers, and her friends, are genuine. Readers will become invested in Grace’s fate, and yearn for her to win her true love in the end. While this book is a wonderful coming-of-age story for teens, it is also great for adults looking for a romantic story that is deep and meaningful. Not a shallow romance, Finding Grace has all the hallmarks readers could want: romance, conflict, humor, life, love, laughter, and tears.
Parents can feel confident in buying this for their teens. Finding Grace is a moral read, without being bland or boring. The importance of family and faith is highlighted. Yes, there are lessons to be learned, but readers will be highly entertained along the way.
I laughed out loud. I shared in the heartaches as Grace learned who she is, and who she can be, with the grace of God. I really do miss the characters and I’m sad to be done with the novel, even though it has a beautiful ending! This is a book that I will definitely recommend to my own daughter someday.
Finding Grace is available in paperback and as a Kindle ebook.
Thanks, Therese!
The main character, Grace, is thirteen at the beginning
of the book, but her story spans the years of 1972-1980 as she becomes a young
woman in a world fraught with challenges. She strives to live as a good Catholic
so that she may one day become a saint; but goodness doesn’t come easily, and as
she struggles to live her faith, she encounters life in all its many facets of
good and evil, joy and disappointments. Add to this the pain of falling deeply
in love with a young man who sees her only as a friend, and I had to keep
turning pages, staying up late, to find out how everything turns out.The characters are fully developed, easy to relate to, and real. Grace’s relationships with her parents, her many brothers, and her friends, are genuine. Readers will become invested in Grace’s fate, and yearn for her to win her true love in the end. While this book is a wonderful coming-of-age story for teens, it is also great for adults looking for a romantic story that is deep and meaningful. Not a shallow romance, Finding Grace has all the hallmarks readers could want: romance, conflict, humor, life, love, laughter, and tears.
Parents can feel confident in buying this for their teens. Finding Grace is a moral read, without being bland or boring. The importance of family and faith is highlighted. Yes, there are lessons to be learned, but readers will be highly entertained along the way.
I laughed out loud. I shared in the heartaches as Grace learned who she is, and who she can be, with the grace of God. I really do miss the characters and I’m sad to be done with the novel, even though it has a beautiful ending! This is a book that I will definitely recommend to my own daughter someday.
Finding Grace is available in paperback and as a Kindle ebook.
Thanks, Therese!
Another day, another fan. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful review. And true!
ReplyDelete