Hello there girls! Welcome to the summertime! This is probably going to be my last Revell review for a while. I’ve needed a break from review due dates for the last year and I’ve finally caught up fast enough not to have ordered any more. I have 30 books in my physical TBR and I plan to read them this summer. Some other plans I was pretty excited about fell through, so I have more free time this summer than I thought I would.
Anyway, that being said, I’m still working on my writing and reading and I am thinking about starting other projects. I’m not ready to share what they are just yet, but keep an eye out for any updates.
Additionally, I did end up going on the trip that I mentioned a couple weeks ago went really, really well! God was with me every step of the way and I got to experience some things I’ve never done before! I also got to spend some time with my best friends, and witness God’s work all over the place. The weather was perfectly and exactly what I wanted it to be, and the bugs (which were a MAJOR concern for me) were there, but I did NOT GET BITTEN. Hallelujah for that. I may share some pictures in a future post, but for now…. Onto the review!
Initial thoughts on this book was about three stars. It was interesting enough to for me not to force myself to not DNF. But I was bored.
Stories usually come in one of two plot lines (in my mind). There’s the basic setting-problem-climax-resolution. And then there is the gradual linear plot line with many small climax and resolutions that eventually build to a dynamic plot line. I almost alway have a hard time sticking with these gradual plot lines as there’s rarely anything to keep me really interested. That was basically the case with this story.
If any place on God’s earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland. Surely here, at her brother-in-law’s Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can recover from the events of the recent past–the loss of her husband during the 1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at a sanatorium, and her girls’ experience in an orphanage during her illness. At Meadowland, hope blooms as their past troubles become rich soil in which their faith can grow.
Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother’s widow and her girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep, and the evidence of it is written across his face. Badly scarred by a fire and abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt again. But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and unlock the secret to true healing.
THE CHARACTERS:
Rose, Calla, and Sienna were cute characters. I did like their individual personalities. Rose was a generic mom-figure. Her voice was unique enough to recognize, but not really unique enough for me to really care for her.
Calla seemed younger than her 14-15 years of age, but she was sharp and curious and made me like her.
Sienna was cute, but she was a bit too insistent on her wild child personality to feel genuinely wild. There was too much telling, and not enough showing that part of her.
Dirk was fun. I actually did enjoy getting to know his introverted brain and his backstory. I wasn’t disappointed with the way things turned out and how they got to that point. He was a broken dude and I liked him.
THE PLOT:
What to say about the plot. It was slow. There was a story. Things happened. It was entertaining in the moment. I’ll probably never think about this particular book again. To me it felt like a combination of a book I read as a kid called The Breathing Room, and literally any other historical fiction with a young widow.
The relationship between Dirk and Rose was kinda odd to me. I mean, on one hand, Rose was pretty kind to Dirk and sensitive to his normal schedule of being are recluse. And Dirk put a good amount of genuine effort into adjusting to having his routine thrown off by three girls. But in general, I didn’t see the romance the author said was there. Dirk was still stuck on Annalise the entire book, and Rose wasn’t in a place where she needed or wanted a husband. And not like in the cliche don’t-want-anyone-oops-he’s-perfect. Her character was literally written strong and content and sufficient on her own, and she didn’t need Dirk at all. In all honesty, they could have gone through the entire plot without bothering to make it seem like Rose and Dirk had anything going on romantically, and it wouldn’t have taken anything from the story.
I think my favorite part was Annalise. She was a mystery and a sassy one, and I really liked getting to know her character through Dirk’s memories. I was happy with the way things turned out in the end, even if it was really sad and she deserved better.
THE CONTENT:
Um. Well. There wasn’t anything concerning enough to mention. I think there may have been two or three kisses in the story. There was a potentially destructing scene when Sienna’s ravens found some things and seem to have implied a buried body had been uncovered. Sienna and Calla were not treated well at the girls home where they were staying while Rose was in treatment for tuberculosis and they talk about the bruises on their arms and legs. And in one scene Calla is almost kidnapped.
THE VIBE:
There’s nothing really unique about this book’s vibe that will have me coming back. *shrugs*
Sometimes I find stories that I don’t particularly like but I know I’ll want to come back just to experience the vibe again. This one just had the basic historical fiction vibe, and I am probably not going to keep this book on my own shelf.
IN SUMMARY:
There was nothing wrong with this book. It was fun. Like a clementine I guess. It’s good, tastes yummy. But why would you reach for a clementine when you can literally have anything else for dessert? XD
Thank you to the author and publisher for a free copy of this book. A positive review was not required and all opinions stated here are my own.