A Passion Most Pure – A Novel: A Novel (The Daughters of Boston, #1)

by Julie Lessman

Refusing to settle for anything less than a romantic relationship that pleases God, Faith O'Connor steels her heart against her desire for the roguish Collin McGuire. But when Collin tries to win her sister Charity's hand, Faith isn't sure she can handle the jealousy she feels. To further complicate matters, Faith finds herself the object of Collin's affections, even as he is courting her sister. The Great War is raging overseas, and a smaller war is brewing in the O'Connor household.
Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, A Passion Most Pure will captivate readers from the first page. Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series.

• ISBN10: 0800732111
• ISBN13: 9780800732110
• Publish Date: 1 January 2008
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Imprint: Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 480
• Language: English

Reviews

[ladygrey]

The problem with ebooks is that you don't always know what you're getting yourself into. This turned out to be more of a saga than I was expecting. But a good one.

Because when I thought I was nearing the end and it turned out I was only a little over halfway through there was still time for a happy ending, and a lot of turmoil before getting there. But all of the significant characters are well developed so it wasn't difficult for it to feel like such a long book, like so many things just kept getting drawn out.

In fact, by the end I somehow kind of loved the characters. I liked that they (almost) all grew and changed and that God moved in their lives. I know it's the author writing it all out, but when an author does faith and God well it feels the way it feels when He moves in this world. I liked how [a:Julie Lessman|965709|Julie Lessman|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-e0ba3b90c110cd67123d6a850d85373e.png] used scripture because it didn't feel superfluous or like she was including it just to make sure if felt like a Christian novel. It was natural and spoke to where the characters were in those moments and believably gave them peace.

Admittedly, sometimes it did feel like struggles were being drawn out too far and too long but then, when I got to the end, I was more than willing to dive back into another story with these characters.

[Page-Turners]

I loved this book. It's another great by Julie Lessman. It's so easy to be captivated by her stories. I highly recommend this, a MUST read.

[cherryblossommj]

Passion is an amazing gift that has been granted to us mere beings from our heavenly Father. It is a story set in Southie Boston and Ireland during the time of the First Great World War, but the issues broached are timeless in the worlds of men and women. When I first saw the cover of this book, it looked like something that I would enjoy. It was when I first got my hands on a copy and read the back and examined the cover in more detail, that I was fairly certain that this story was definitely something that I would enjoy. A Passion Most Pure is by far, one of the best books that I have ever read in my entire life. I like it better than I liked Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love (Now that's saying a lot). My favorite Christian Historical Fiction novel that actually was my gateway to my current addiction was Liz Curtis Higgs' Thorn in My Heart. I literally consumed the entire series within days of their publish-ment and cried when I had to wait months for more. I doubt than anything can replace my love for Liz' books, but this book sure does come close and I can hardly wait the next few months until the sequel A Passion Redeemed is released! This story told by fabulous debut author Julie Lessman involves many lives and all the intricate parts of each individual. Meaning, each heart and daydream, every fear and nightmare, as well as every prayer and hope is brought to life and is completely real. On a personal note for me, I can really relate to portions of the storyline (and I am sure that other readers can as well). This book is full of lessons and full of scriptures of life that are so relevant and will be a blessing to any reader. I strongly recommend it.


More detailed:

When I first saw the cover of this book, it looked like something that I would enjoy. It was when I first got my hands on a copy and read the back and examined the cover in more detail, that I was fairly certain that this story was definitely something that I would enjoy. Shortly after it came out, I heard some people talking in conflict over a partial plot, but did not understand what all they meant until I was able to read the book for myself. (I'll get to that in a second).

A Passion Most Pure is by far, one of the best books that I have ever read in my entire life. I like it better than I liked [a:Francine Rivers|6492|Francine Rivers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1358956670p2/6492.jpg]' Redeeming Love (Now that's saying a lot). My favorite Christian Historical Fiction novel that actually was my gateway to my current addiction was [a:Liz Curtis Higgs|6492|Francine Rivers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1358956670p2/6492.jpg]' Thorn in My Heart. I literally consumed the entire series within days of their publish-ment and cried when I had to wait months for more. I doubt than anything can replace my love for Liz' books, but this book sure does come close and I can hardly wait the next few months until the sequel A Passion Redeemed is released!

This story told by fabulous debut author [a:Julie Lessman|965709|Julie Lessman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1425660250p2/965709.jpg] involves many lives and all the intricate parts of each individual. Meaning, each heart and daydream, every fear and nightmare, as well as every prayer and hope is brought to life and is completely real. On a personal note for me, I can really relate to portions of the storyline (and I am sure that other readers can as well). In my case it was not a sister, and I was not eighteen or engaged, but the heartbreak and broken trust was the same. I had a friend who had a hard home life, and learned at a very young age that negative attention was still attention. I befriended her and found out time and again how badly I was able to be betrayed and hurt. Every boy that I even thought was cute, she would make it a point to steal or "taint" them. Most of the time, they were little crushes and I got over it quickly with a shrug, but once it was "the boy", the absolute "love of my life" at my early teenage years. It was well known my feelings for him, and he was just starting to notice me, and I then "interrupted" them. Much like in the story. I can completely relate to the shock, hurt, and anger that Faith went through. In my life it took years, and there is still a slight sting, but from that one I never fully recovered our friendship, hers and mine, as well as his and mine.

This story hit me on a personal note. It takes place at the beginning of the First World War in Southie Boston and Ireland, but it could equally occur in everyday life today. The characteristics of people is still so much the same. The animosity between the sisters reminds me much of the feelings between the sisters in Liz Curtis Higgs' series (first two books), and then further to the jealousy and scorn of two very real Biblical sisters Rachel and Leah. When you open your eyes, it is incredible how the Biblical tales can teach you lessons for your own life.

A Passion Most Pure is about passion, the loving mental and physical kind. But it is also at it's heart and all the way through about the kind of passion that is pure. The kind of passion that God gives us to share with the one that he picked for us. Some people will be/ and are taken aback and the obvious amount of intimacy that is portrayed in this book. But the title tells me and should tell you as a reader the real point of it all. There are things that in this day and age especially are so tainted and twisted from the will of our Lord God, and this story is a wonderful telling of how things are and how to act within them in how they should be.

I do recommend this book. With younger girls (tweens and teens), I think that it should be read and discussed with a loving mother/mother-figure who could answer questions and share encouragement of how to be the woman that God wants you to be. Be strong and pray, and follow His way. He is out there and listening, and does want you to have the desires of your heart when you follow Him and His way.