Reviewed by phyllish on
She’s back and everything is the same except the boy next door.
Though its heart had been burned out by a fire, the “miracle tree” still lived and grew and even thrived. As children, Eli and Laura marveled at the tree and loved to hide inside it. As adults, the tree became a metaphor for hope and life after tragedy.
Some books just reach out and grab me from the very start and don’t let go until long after they have been consumed. They make me completely rethink my rating system and wonder how I can give it only 5 stars because it is so far and above any 5-star book I’ve read.
The Miracle Tree did exactly that! With beautiful descriptions that made me want to slowly savor the experience, sweet romance, hearts turning to God and some mystery and cattle-rustling mixed in, this story had the right combination of everything. Despite some adrenaline-producing scenes, the overall tone was one of peace and quiet strength.
I love the way my heart was so heavily invested in this story. The characters were so richly developed I felt that I had known them forever. They were broken but not defeated. Hurt but hopeful.
As Laura and Eli are reunited after twelve years, having only known each other as teenagers, the bond they had experienced in the past was strong enough to allow them to practically pick up the relationship as if it had never ended. Laura needed to learn how to put the pieces of her life back together again – learn to soar on the current and rise above the troubles that attempted to hold her down.
Eli felt that he was only half a man because of the loss of an eye and a foot. I loved the way that Laura almost didn’t even seem to notice these things. When she caught him without the eye patch, she never recoiled or even reacted momentarily. What a wonderful loving heart she had!
As I read, I was torn between wanting to know what would happen next and a need to read slowly to luxuriate in the telling. It was tempting to set it aside and just ponder for a while before picking it up for more.
The author’s love for cowboys and all things ranch-related and her heart for the Lord shine through so clearly and make the reading all the more enjoyable. This is a book that will quite probably visit my thoughts for a while, even once I’ve started a new one.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
I would like to thank Davalynn Spencer for giving me a copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- Finished reading
- 24 August, 2018: Reviewed