Name: A Love Surrendered
Rating: 5.00 (2 reviews)

*This review is from my blog and originally published in 2012*

This is going to be a hard review for me to write. No,no, it’s not a bad book. It’s one of my favorites. It’s bittersweet because this is the ending to one of my favorite Christian Fiction series. I fell in love with Ms. Lessman’s work when I read book 1 in this series, A Hope Undaunted. Ironically, it’s not the first in the O’Connor clans stories…there was a series previously written called The Daughters Of Boston. This particular series is so emotionally moving, so deeply intense that you get to become a part of the story. You can feel yourself being pulled deep into the heart of the story, becoming the characters, feeling every pain, every laugh, and every tear drop that falls. It’s absolutely an amazing feeling when reading a Julie Lessman novel.

I’ve been dying to read this book. This one is Steven O’Connor’s story. He’s the baby boy of the O’Connor family and, while I adored each of the others that I read about, I felt that Steven was the most deserving of having his story told. He was quietly awaiting his turn through out all the other books and it’s finally here! And oh what a turn it is! We get a bit of background on Steven in the other books, having a broken relationship with his ex fiance. Now, he’s a respectable man of the law and 25 years old. What he’s not expecting is for the arrival of Annie, a young impressionable girl of 17…..and his former fiance’s baby sister. Or the protectiveness he feels for her.

Susannah “Annie” Kennedy has left her home in Iowa to move on from her past and embrace a future in Boston. Her parents are dead now, her sister has raved about Boston and she’s ready to embrace a life out side of her straight and narrow past. When an circumstance arises and Annie finds herself face to face with Steven O’Connor, her sisters ex, she’s embarrassed…..and highly attracted to him! There’s just one little problem with that….he doesn’t realize that she’s Maggie’s baby sister.

Watching as these two came to terms with their past, and seeking forgiveness to over come it, and move on to a life filled with love and happiness was absolutely tear jerking! I loved every minute of this amazing 5 Book conclusion to my favorite series. Ms. Lessman kept the intensity woven through out as she did with the previous books. Her messages of forgiveness, letting go and seeking His love are just as strong and sweep through the reader instantly. If you love passion, if you love heartbreaking redemption and amazing historic detail, then look no further than the author who can create an unforgettable, un-put-downable novel that will spin the readers mind out of control. Well done Ms. Lessman and I am anxious to see what you have in story for your fans next…will we get glimpses of the O’Connor’s? Will we get to fall in love with another amazing family? Keep up the amazing writing, Ms. Lessman!

*sigh* It cannot be over! It's okay really. Another series is coming. Yes, yes I know it's not the O'Connor clan in Boston, we're jumping to San Francisco, but it is the heart and the artistic quill of Julie Lessman putting ink to the page, so I will survive. A Love Surrendered is amazing, but why am I surprised? Oh, well I mean I'm not surprised, it is just that I really wish I had a better word that amazing. I suppose you could read this one alone, but why deprive yourself of the rest of the "whole family" story? Yes, yes, you could definitely read this one and go back and delve into the rest, but you might spoil the surprise that is really in the pages of the first one. Now, now... I will review this book - but this is the end, the sixth book of a saga, and the third and final book in this trilogy (The Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change). If you are a mature reader ready to open up your imagination to the wonders of romance and how it can be used when in the proper avenues that God intended, you will be surprised and enthralled at the wonderful peace and love that God will provide.

A Love Surrendered is the story of the second of the brothers O'Connor, a story of past mistakes, present trials, and future blessings to join that of his sisters and other brother. Throwing in a flavor of Irish Boston and a hint of small town newbie Julie Lessman weaves an amazing canvas that reminds me a bit too much of a past that I'd rather forget. Julie does that. She finds plots and characters that are so real and jump from the page into the reader's heart and imagination and cause a relationship that only helps one to grow both in their own spiritual presence but also in the emotional well being as well.

Annie, Gracie, Suz or Susannah Grace is an amazing woman learning who she really is and where she is going in life. I've found myself relate to Julie's heroines in the past, but never before was there one so dead on that it was a bit shocking to see how much I could relate. (If only I read this before certain events in my life...) Oh to the blessing that this book and story might provide for such gentlemen and ladies to truly glean from others mistakes, or almost mishaps instead of making their own.

Steven is probably my favorite of Julie's heros to date. (Is that possible?) From the very first scene I knew that I loved him, and I did through out. Now I want to go back and read the entire saga and search the pages for the bits and pieces of him that came onto the page interwoven in the rest of his family's story. How amazing is it to be able to relate so much to a male character and really know all the bits of his heart both to the unforgiveness to his own mistakes as well as the thought that there is just no point. Watching Steven be able to grow and learn the true love of Christ brings a sigh to my heart and it's the kind of thing I just want to give this book to everyone I meet and scream, read it! Read the whole series! Your life will change!

The kicker for me is that I downloaded this book as a galley and converted it for my Kindle, it's not even out yet (well I suppose you can buy a Kindle copy now, early) but I cannot wait to get my hands on a real copy, because you better believe this is going on my keeper shelf. The desire for this journey started around my birthday in 2007 shortly after I first started reading and reviewing as Creative Madness that Makes Me Myself (now Creative Madness Mama). It was in 2008 when I really found Julie's writing, and in 2009 when I met Julie in person. I have to say that she is the most amazing prayer warrior I have ever met and it shows through on her pages. They are not preachy in an overwhelming way, but it brings through and highlights the scriptures in an enlightening way just begging for more.

I think I read once that someone said if only we could get another story from Julie once a month. Oh if that would even be enough?! A Love Surrendered is one of those stories that is a perfect example of why I read and the types of things I want to share and promote in Christian Historical Fiction.

While this is Annie and Steven's story it's also more than that. This is a touch on Katie and Luke, Emma and Sean, Charity and Mitch, Faith and Collin, Marcy and Patrick and of course Gabe the addition as well. It's amazing what Julie packs on a page, and boy would I love to go to one of those Thanksgiving dinners!

*Thanks to Revell Books for loaning an eBook through Netgalley, you better believe I'm going to add a real one to my shelves!*

posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2012/11/21/a-love-surrendered-by-julie-lessman/

A Love Surrendered (Winds of Change, #3)

by Julie Lessman

A Love Surrendered (Winds of Change, #3)

by Julie Lessman

Reviews

Molly J(Cover To Cover Cafe)

cherryblossommj