Her Heart's Desire by Shelley Shepard Gray follows a young woman, Mary Margaret Miller, who seeks a fresh start. Mary craves a break from her life in her small Amish community. She decides to take a bus alone to enjoy her vacation in Pinecraft, Florida. On the bus, Mary meets Betsy and Lilly, and she is delighted to connect with them.
Mary feels thrilled to have made two new friends, discovering they share a lot in common. The trio quickly bonds and decides to spend two weeks together, determined to make the most of their time. Mary feels excited when she meets Jayson Raber. He is handsome and charming and works as a carpenter. They are drawn to each other, but Jayson is hiding a secret—he is promised to another girl back home in Kentucky. Mary enjoys her newfound freedom until someone from her community unexpectedly appears in Pinecraft. She feels that her vacation, which was going perfectly, is now ruined.
I thought the book was an okay read. It didn’t have many twists and turns. I have read a few of the author’s other books, and I didn’t really like the characters in this one. The conversations and behaviors of the characters felt quite juvenile. I think Mary’s new friends, Betsy and Lilly, shouldn’t have pushed her to become friends with someone before she was ready, nor should they have expected one “I am sorry” conversation to mend years of hurt. I wish the back cover didn’t spoil Jayon’s secret, and that it was revealed to us in the story. The book features multiple storylines with different romances unfolding simultaneously. I felt that some of the storylines could have been more fleshed out. While this isn’t my favorite book by the author, I would still read more from them.
No comments:
Post a Comment