I enjoyed every moment: My review of "Adoring Addie" by Leslie Gould @lesliejeangould

about the book...

Not Since Romeo and Juliet Has a Couple Faced Odds This Long

The Cramers and Mosiers have been angry with each other for as long as anyone can remember. Things had cooled to a simmer...until Addie Cramer and Jonathan Mosier fell head over heels for each other. Now old tensions are renewed, and Addie's parents insist she marry stolid and uninspiring Phillip Eicher.

Distraught at a future apart, the two decide their best hope is to reconcile the two families...but that means digging into the past to see what tore them apart. Will their love be enough to keep them together or will long-held secrets ruin their chance at happiness?

 my review....

The age-old tale of Romeo and Juliet takes on new life in Leslie Gould's "Adoring Addie", and I must say that I entirely approve! While I am not normally a fan of romances per se, I formed an immediate liking to the character of Addie Cramer and so enjoyed every moment of this story. The characters tread through some deep waters, including family feuds and bitterness, generational sin, the impact of depression, the difficulty in discovering who we are and that God has a purpose for our lives. Addie's relationship with Jonathan not only adds a beautiful romantic flavor to the novel, but serves as a catalyst to bring light into the darkness of the characters' lives, exposing secrets long-held and ultimately allowing sin and shame to be vanquished by grace and forgiveness.

"Adoring Addie" is very well-written, and the story unfolds smoothly from scene to scene. It is every bit as good as the first addition to the series, Courting Cate, and fans of the first novel will be pleased to see that Cate does make a minor appearance in this novel so they can get a glimpse into how her life continues to unfold. Readers who enjoy either Amish novels or just contemporary novels in particular will no doubt enjoy Leslie Gould's latest novel, and should plan on adding this book to their "must read" list. I award this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

about the author...

Leslie Gould is the coauthor, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 CBA bestseller The Amish Midwife, a 2012 Christy Award winner; ECPA bestseller Courting Cate, first in the Courtships of Lancaster County series; and Beyond the Blue, winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice for Best Inspirational Novel, 2006. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She and her husband and four children live in Portland, Oregon.

Learn more about Leslie at www.lesliegould.com.