Category Archives: Banister Falls Series

March 6, 2016 · 11:27 pm

Review: The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer

Title: The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer
Banister Falls Series Book Two
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary, Christian, Romance
Length: 317 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Planning and Post-It notes are the epitome of Evie’s life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.

Thirteen years ago, Evie’s firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie’s heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie’s life is stream-lined, Jack’s approach to living is moment-by-moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack’s world—a world that isn’t as safe or predictable as the one she’s worked so hard to create—he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn’t make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn’t felt since Max passed away—or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn’t anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.

Review:

The Hearts We Mend is the second heartfelt installment in Kathryn Springer’s delightful Banister Falls series. It is another emotional novel of healing and while it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend the entire series.

Evie Bennett is putting the finishing touches on her son Cody’s upcoming wedding when she is dismayed to discover the church’s regular custodian has been called away on a family emergency.  She is even more distraught when she realizes his temporary replacement, Jack Vale, is the man she and her friend Gin previously met under rather inauspicious circumstances while delivering groceries to someone in need. A newcomer to town, Jack is a bit of an enigma and Evie is a little nervous around the handsome but rough around the edges handyman. There is much more to Jack than meets the eye and the pair form an unlikely friendship. Evie and Jack are surprised to discover their feelings run deeper than friendship but are either of them ready for a romantic entanglement?

Evie is definitely at a crossroads in her life. Long widowed, the main focus of her life has been her son and now that Cody is moving on to the next stage of his life, she is feeling a little lost and lonely. She is intrigued by Jack but he so different from anyone she knows, she is uncertain what, if any, place he has in her life. Quickly realizing she might have misjudged him, Evie is surprised to discover he has a strong faith and a very open and giving heart. She soon realizes she is attracted to Jack and she is willing to explore the possibility of a future with him.

Jack has put his wild days long behind him and his strong faith guides him as he helps others in need. He has collected a rather motley assortment of friends and he opens both his home and his heart to them (and anyone else in need). He is only planning on staying in town temporarily while he helps his troubled brother Travis and sister-in-law Cheryl get back on their feet. He is hoping that Travis is finally going to keep a job and maintain his sobriety but sadly, this is not the case. After the two end up in trouble, Jack becomes temporary guardian for his young niece Lily and his life becomes further entwined with Evie’s when her daughter-in-law becomes Lily’s caregiver.

One of the most enjoyable aspect of reading an novel by Kathryn Springer is her characters and their relationship with God. Her characters are ordinary everyday people with messy lives. They make mistakes. They make questionable decisions. Their families are imperfect. And yet, they still find love, acceptance and forgiveness through God’s love. Their faith might sometimes falter, but they have confidence that God will guide them to the right path. Sometimes that path is not what they expected, but they trust that everything will work out in the end. In The Hearts We Mend, both Evie and Jack discover that God’s plan is definitely not what they expected, but rather, what they need. Their road to happily ever after is not always smooth, but it is a healing journey that makes them stronger as a couple and as Christians.

Like the previous installment in the Banister Falls series, The Hearts We Mend touches on some very tough, true to life subject matter. Kathryn Springer handles these topics with sensitivity and she never downplays the difficulties associated with these issues. The storyline has depth and the faith aspect of the novel is subtle and enriches the overall plot. The characters are complex and richly developed with realistic strengths and weakness that are easy for readers to relate to. An absolutely marvelous addition to the Banister Falls series that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance with a realistic storyline.

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Filed under Banister Falls Series, Christian, Kathryn Springer, Rated A, Review, Romance, Zondervan

February 9, 2015 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer

dandelion fieldTitle: The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer
Banister Falls Series Book One
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary, Christian, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

This handsome firefighter makes a living coming to the rescue, but Gin doesn’t need a man to fight her battles.

After Raine’s dad walked out, Ginevieve Lightly never lived in one place too long, a rambling lifestyle that defined her daughter’s youth. When their car dies in Banister Falls, Wisconsin, Gin promises Raine they can stay until she finishes her senior year of high school. Gin will do anything to make sure her daughter has a bright future . . . a future that’s compromised when Raine reveals she’s pregnant.

Dan Moretti has only ever called Banister Falls home. After losing his best friend in a tragic accident, Dan devoted himself to responding to fires, rescuing the helpless, and guiding Cody Bennett, his best friend’s son, through life. With Cody being the epitome of the good kid, it was an easy job. Until he says four little words: “The baby is mine.”

Knowing gossip of Raine’s pregnancy will erupt sooner or later in the small town, Gin’s reflex is to grab the suitcase and escape to a new city, a new life. But with each passing day, Gin’s feet stay rooted in Banister Falls, and she falls a little more for this local firefighter who shows her not all men abandon women at the first sign of smoke.

As Gin and Dan do the best they can to guide the two teenagers through their early entry into adulthood, they discover together that romance can bloom in the rockiest of situations. And God can turn the pieces of a broken past into a beautiful new beginning.

The Review:

The Dandelion Field is an incredibly heartwarming and moving novel. Kathryn Springer deftly weaves relevant social issues with a gentle undercurrent of faith and the resulting story is realistic and easy to relate to.

Ginevieve “Gin” Lightly never stays in one place too long and she never relies on anyone but herself. All of that changes when she agrees to stay in Banister Falls, WI until her daughter Raine graduates from high school. Gin is devoted mother and she wants Raine to have all of the options she herself never had. But in the months before Raine’s graduation, Gin is dismayed to learn that history is repeating itself when Raine announces she is pregnant.  As Raine and her boyfriend Cody Bennett try to decide what comes next for them, Gin fights the urge to flee when she begins to fall for Cody’s mentor and surrogate father, Dan Moretti.

Although both Gin and Cody’s mom, Evie, are both single mothers, their circumstances are completely opposite. Evie is a widow and her childhood friend Dan has always been there for both her and Cody. Gin has never been married and Raine’s father was never a part of their lives. Evie has deep roots in Banister Falls and she has the full support of the local community. Gin is an outsider and many of the townspeople fully blame her and Raine for “ruining” Cody’s bright future. Evie has a strong faith and she is very involved in the local church while Gin feels like God has abandoned her. Their reactions to their children’s impending parenthood are also very different and while their relationship gets off on the wrong foot due to Evie’s antagonistic and judgmental attitude, Gin and Evie unexpectedly find common ground.

Dan has a very loving family and he is as reliable as the day is long. He is shocked at Evie’s unfair attitude and he finds himself playing mediator between the two women. Even more surprising is how drawn he is to Gin. She is very different from anyone he has encountered, but Dan sees the vulnerability she hides behind her independent facade.

Dan is unlike the men Gin normally deals with, but her trust issues run pretty deep. He slowly but surely slips past her defenses, but her insecurities make it impossible for her to believe he could want a relationship with her. She also knows how intertwined his life is with Evie’s and Gin believes that Evie is who Dan wants. Growing increasingly uncomfortable with her deepening ties to Dan, his family and her co-workers, Gin reverts to old habits, but is Dan willing to let her go?

The Dandelion Field is a captivating novel with an appealing cast of characters and a fully developed storyline.  Kathryn Springer does not gloss over the difficulties of teenage pregnancy and the resolution of this part of the storyline is very thought-provoking. The heartfelt conclusion is incredibly sweet and immensely gratifying. An absolutely brilliant story that is impossible to put down and one that I highly recommend.

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Filed under Banister Falls Series, Christian, Contemporary, Kathryn Springer, Rated A, Review, Romance, The Dandelion Field, Zondervan