Sunday, September 28, 2014

"The Widower's Second Chance" by Jessica Keller

About the Book

Learning To Love…Again 
Idyllic Goose Harbor, Michigan, offers a fresh start for broken-hearted Paige Windom. In addition to securing a teaching job at the high school, she'll fulfill her dream of helping at-risk teens in a nearby inner-city mentoring program. But Caleb Beck, a handsome yet overprotective widower and the center's founder, doesn't want Paige anywhere near the place. He's afraid she'll get hurt—just like his late wife. Paige knows she can do a lot of good—for the kids and Caleb himself. If only she can show him how to let go of his fear, maybe they'll both find a way to reopen their wounded hearts. 

Goose Harbor: Love is in big supply on the shores of Lake Michigan.



This book was released in August 2014
This was a loved library book that was reviewed
 

My Review

“The Widower's Second Chance” by Jessica Keller is the first book in her Goose Harbor series and it was a wonderful start to the series. I really hope that the future books are settled around Amy, Maggie and Shelby. Those three young ladies really touched me even as the simple secondary characters that they were.

This is a story that deals with guilt and past hurts, hurts so deep that they are almost crushing of the spirit. These hurts are different for both Paige and Caleb and it is how they both react to those hurts that makes these two so interesting. Though each have been hurt in different ways, there is one common thing they have which is the fear to trust and that fear holds them back in so many ways.

It is not often that I actually quote from the book, but there was a statement made that was so beautiful that the image that was created, created such a warmth within myself, that it will stick with me for sometime. The statement can be found on page 222, “[...] I like to picture God as my dance partner leading me in all sorts of new and fun steps. Sometimes I mess it up, but He's right there to catch me in the midst of those stumbles.” I have always known God is there for me, no matter what I do, but to think of this life as one big dance with the greatest dance partner who will always catch me when I fall is just another wonderful reminder that I am always caught when I fall.

Paige is a woman who frankly is a mess in the opening scene and that was so refreshing for too many times the heroine or hero is well past the point where they are that kind of a mess, but not this time. To watch her to work through that pain to the point where she is at the end of the story was so beautiful for she was a work in progress the entire story and some of that progress was done subtly while some progress was forced out in the open.

Caleb is a man who is carrying the world on his shoulders it seems like and because of that people treat him a certain way, that bothered him but he wasn't sure how to change it. Caleb also was a typical stubborn character for he didn't want to listen to those around him even when what was said needed to be said until things got to the point where he was about to loose so much. Regardless of his flaws this is a man who was so caring and only wanted to help and protect those who he cares about.

There is conflict within the story but in the end the conflict was actually a benefit more than just helping Paige and Caleb to realize they are meant for each other, but the conflicts (yes there are a couple going on) are used to improve the characters and strengthen them. Truly the story with all that was going on, was not overwhelming with just interesting enough to keep me turning the page to see what was going to happen.

I hope all who read this book enjoy it as much as I did.

 

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