Ginger Winters is a gifted hairstylist with scars no one can see. The last thing she expects from the New Year is a new chance at love.
Overcoming a childhood tragedy, Ginger emerges from the pain and trauma with a gift for bringing out the beauty in others. From the top big city salons to traveling the world as personal stylist to a country music sensation, success was almost enough to make Ginger forget her she would never be one of the beautiful people.
Almost. Now that she's back home in Rosebud, Alabama, and running her own salon, the truth remains: Ginger is still that girl, forever on the outside looking in. But she needs her confidence this weekend. She's the acclaimed "beauty-maker" for the Alabama society wedding of the decade.
When high-school crush Tom Wells Jr. also returns to town and shows up at her shop looking for a haircut, Ginger's thinly veiled insecurities threaten to keep her locked away from love, Despite Tom's best efforts, Ginger can't forget how he disappeared on her twelve years ago and broke her heart. Can she ever trust him again?
When Tom challenges her to see her own beauty, Ginger must decide if she will remained chained to the past or move freely into a new, exciting future.
I absolutely loved Zondervan's first year of the Year of Weddings novellas, and I've been eager to continue with the entries in this second year. While the first entry this year, "Love at Mistletoe Inn," wasn't my cup of tea, "A Brush with Love" more than made up for it.
My favorite aspect of "A Brush with Love" is that, while it does feature a man-woman romance (and a sweet one at that), the main love story is between a scarred woman and the Savior who pursues her heart.
Tom Wells Jr. makes a great hero (who, in my mind, looked like Tom Welling), and the chemistry between him and Ginger was palpable. Yet he was more concerned about Ginger's spiritual state than winning her heart, and that made him even more attractive.
I also loved that there is some genuine meanness in the novella—people aren't always nice to one another, and some hold grudges, just as in real life. It's not a happy-go-lucky love story, but it is incredibly moving. 5 stars.
See what others are saying.
Buy the novella.
Read my reviews of the Year of Weddings (year 1) (year 2) novellas.
Read my reviews of Hauck's Once Upon a Prince (5 stars), Princess Ever After (5 stars), The Wedding Dress (4-1/2 stars), and "A March Bride" (4 stars).
She also penned the Songbird Novels with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Booklist named their novel, Softly and Tenderly, one of 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals.
A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, Rachel worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in an uncomfortable chair to write full-time in 2004.
She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and leads worship at their annual conference. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker.
Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pets, and writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.
"Fire" up the romance in the new year with Rachel Hauck's newest book, A Brush with Love, by entering her Kindle Fire giveaway! And be sure to catch a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-released How to Catch a Prince!
- A Kindle Fire
- A Brush with Love by Rachel Hauck
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Sounds great! I'm hoping to get a copy soon! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to read it soon, Laura! It wasn't what I expected, but it was so much better!
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