The future should be bright for Deborah Vandermark, who is now pursuing her interest in medicine alongside Dr. Christopher Clayton, who is courting her. But the lumber town is resistant to the idea of a woman physician, and she feels thwarted at every turn. A more devastating blow occurs, however, when Christopher breaks off their relationship to return home to his troubled family.
Despite her own love life going awry, Deborah is still intent to be a matchmaker for both her widowed mother and her brother, who has caught the eye of the spit-fire daughter of the local pastor. But what will Deborah do when faced with the truth about Christopher's family? Is there hope for the two of them...or will Jake Wyeth's attentions finally catch Deborah's eye instead?
The first book in this Striking a Match Series [b:Embers of Love|7794853|Embers of Love (Striking a Match, #1)|Tracie Peterson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435810806l/7794853._SY75_.jpg|10760056] was a good Tracie Peterson read. It was a different narrative voice than what I am used to with her but I take that with it being in Texas as opposed to Montana, Pennsylvania or Alaska. However this second book in the series [b:Hearts Aglow|8125720|Hearts Aglow (Striking a Match, #2)|Tracie Peterson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435464147l/8125720._SY75_.jpg|12921385] is purely dreadful. I do not read Tracie Peterson's contemporary novels because every one that I have tried was pathetically depressing such as [b:A Slender Thread|360011|A Slender Thread|Tracie Peterson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1397600211l/360011._SY75_.jpg|350127]. The last series that I read from her was a historical and most of the books were fine, but the last one was just bad in [b:Twilight's Serenade|6973766|Twilight's Serenade (Song of Alaska, #3)|Tracie Peterson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1454562478l/6973766._SX50_.jpg|7213846]. Yet I am not certain, but I do believe this book may have been worse.
First off, you definitely cannot read this book without the lead up of reading Embers of Love first. Starts off very fast paced and horribly sad. Depressed very much on the issues and problems of slavery as a topic in depth. I hope it gets "happier". The reading in order is not a problem, but starting a book so deep and heavy is... By about page 63 I was having a hard time with this one. There is about 90% depressing material with about less than 10% romantic and happy. Around 100 pages in, I was not sure if I could finish it and said I am so bored and frustrated with this novel. Nothing is drawing me in and it is just sad and depressing. I do like the new character of the preacher's daughter but I am not sure if even she will convince me to finish this one.
Honestly my last statement about this book is that if you enjoy racial hatred, mean spirited revenge, devastating natural disasters, domestic cruelty, outright depression and broken hearts then by all means read this book immediately.
With all that said, I love most all of Tracie's older historical series and will not hesitate to continue to buy her books. There is bound to be a book here and there that I do not enjoy, but that doesn't make up for missing out on all the others that I love.
*Thanks to Bethany House for providing a copy for review through the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.*
Originally posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2011/03/08/hearts-aglow-striking-a-match-2-by-tracie-peterson/
Reading updates
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Started reading
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7 March, 2011:
Finished reading
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7 March, 2011:
Reviewed