Love's First Bloom...Review

About the book:
She must conceal her past, her identity. What hope can there be for love?

Life changes drastically for Ruth Livingstone the day her father puts a young child in her arms and sends her under an assumed name to a small village in New Jersey. There she dutifully awaits his acquittal, certain that her father, Reverend Livingstone, soon will be cleared of the outrageous accusations against him.

When tragic events transpire, Ruth finds solace tending a garden along the banks of the Toms River—a place where she can find a measure of peace amid her growing heartache. It is also here that she meets Jake Spencer, a man who both frustrates and intrigues her. Fearful of the newspapermen intent on tracking her down and unsure of whom to trust, Ruth knows she must carefully maintain her identity as Widow Malloy. But as love begins to slowly bloom, can the tenuous affection growing between Ruth and Jake withstand the secrets that separate them?

Delia Parr seems to like unconventional heroines and unusual settings!  Hearts Awakening was that way, and so is Love's First Bloom.  When Ruth Livingstone's father is accused of murdering a prostitute, he sends Ruth into hiding with the murdered woman's secret child.  With journalists on her tail, Ruth integrates herself into a new community even as she awaits word of her father's trial.

Like Hearts Awakening, this is a light Christian novel.  Even with its theme of murder and reformed prostitutes, it's not heavy handed or preachy.  With twists and turns and secrets, the book is nothing stellar, but still an enjoyable easy read.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for the opportunity to review this book.  You can learn more about Delia Parr here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 10/10

* * *
3/5 Stars

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