Oftentimes, novellas aren't really my thing—I think it takes special skill to write a novella that feels complete and not rushed. But when I learned that one of my most favorite authors, Susan May Warren, was putting out a novella collection comprised of some of her earlier work, I didn't hesitate. I knew I needed to read these stories!
We'd all like to believe that there is someone out there, waiting for us. The perfect one, who is exactly the right fit. But sometimes the wait – and the fear of launching out to find that special someone -- keep us from leaping out in faith. From saying hello, accepting that cup of coffee, saying yes to a romantic walk on the beach.
Sometimes it just takes a providential moment to change everything. RITA and Christy award-winning, ECPA and CPA best-selling novelist Susan May Warren brings you three delightful novellas about leaping out into the unknown only to discover that yes, somewhere, my love is waiting.
This Little House of Mine finds confirmed bachelor missionary Paul Stoneman on furlough in small town Oklahoma. He is immediately drawn to interior designer Ellen White—but how could he ask her to give up her comfortable life and career to follow him to Siberia?
This is a sweet novella, and there's a lot of chemistry between Paul and Ellen. I did think it was a pretty swift journey from meet cute to "I'm going to Siberia with you," but overall, Warren makes it work. Paul and Ellen are characters I'd love to spend more time with!
4 stars.
In
Measure of a Man, college sweethearts Calli and Peter are reunited in a place neither would have anticipated: Siberia. Though both Calli and Peter felt God's call to missions in college, Peter ultimately decided to follow his father's wishes and become a corporate lawyer, while Calli became a missionary at a camp in Russia. Calli believes their unexpected encounter in Russia is God's way of trying to get Peter's attention—but could it also be His way of giving her the desire of her heart?
Measure of a Man feels more complete than
This Little House of Mine—and I'm sure part of that has to do with its length. I enjoyed getting to know Calli and Peter, and the novella is full of fun scenes, like when Peter gets stuck in an elevator. There's also a suspense thread, and that's the only part of the novella that fell a bit flat for me. I don't think it was quite suspenseful enough, and I had no trouble figuring out who was out to get Peter. Still, this is an enjoyable novella—perfect for a lazy Saturday or a rainy day!
3-1/2 stars.
In
Proof of Your Love, reporter and aspiring novelist Justine takes a job in Tennessee—a place that's very different from her Minnesota home. Not only is southern living a major adjustment, but she also begins to suspect that someone is out to get her ... or it could just be her writer's brain working overtime. When she meets Patrick, she misjudges him at first but soon begins to fall for him. Then it begins to look like Patrick might be behind some of the things happening to her. Is she trusting the wrong person?
While I enjoyed the first two novellas, I didn't fall head over heels for them in the way I normally fall for Warren's books. But the instant I began reading
Proof of Your Love, I knew it would be a different story. Of the three novellas, this story felt most like Warren's current writing—it grabbed me at the beginning and wouldn't let go until the end. The characters felt realistic, and the suspense was truly suspenseful. While I did figure out who was out to get Justine, I wasn't ever 100% sure until the end of the novella. At the very end of the novella, a few things were left a bit unresolved regarding Justine's tormentors, but that is the only thing I didn't 100% love. I wish Warren would revisit this setting—I'd love to check in with Patrick and Justine again, and I think Patrick's friend ElHannon deserves his own story!
4-1/2 stars.
Overall, this novella collection is very good, and at the pre-order price of $.99, you get a lot of bang for your buck!
4 stars.
Buy the novella. (If you preorder through 5-25-15, it's only $.99!)
Read my reviews of other Warren novels.
Susan May Warren is the bestselling, RITA Award-winning author of more than forty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives. She also runs a writing community for authors.
Find Susan online: website, My Book Therapy, Twitter, Facebook
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from the author. 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."
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