A Match for Emma (Mitchell's Crossroads, #3)

by Pepper D Basham

[phyllish]

An amazing story that will touch your heart!

Pepper Basham's books are like comfort food for the soul.

I had just finished a story that was tough to read as it contained difficult subject matter and I was, frankly, a little disturbed despite the happy ending. I knew what I was supposed to read next; in fact, I had five books that I was "supposed" to read before A Match for Emma. Nevertheless, I knew I needed a book that would make my heart happy and so I cheated and snuck this one in instead. And it was exactly what I needed!

My mascara is now slightly smeared and my throat is a little sore from holding back deep, gulpy kinds of tears. Yes, I should have expected this. Having read as many of Pepper Basham's books as I have, I knew it would be heart-warming. I knew it would deal with deep heart issues in a sensitive way. And I knew it would be sweetly romantic and even swoony. It caught me by surprise anyway.

Emma's intentions were good and she did care about others. Really. Yet in the midst of her best intentions, pride got in the way. As a result, she treated someone in a manner that was filled with hurt, resentment, and unforgiveness. When she was given a glimpse of her heart, she broke. She saw her sin the way God sees it and was sorrowful for it.

I have always loved Jane Austen's Emma and honestly never dreamed I would read anyone's retelling of any of her stories and like it more than the original. A Match for Emma has exceeded my expectations and I do indeed love it more. This could be because of Emma's heart change and how clearly it points to Jesus. Truly, I cried through this entire portion of the story. If you have ever dealt with pride and mistreating others, this will both convict and encourage you!

If you have read many of my reviews, you may have noticed that I don't talk about kisses the way some reviewers do. Honestly, that isn't something I'm comfortable with generally. Unless they are inappropriate, in which case I will alert my readers. I do have to say that Jon and Emma's first kiss was greatly anticipated and was one of the sweetest kisses I've ever read about and, it almost brought me to tears. And this was even before I got emotional about Emma's heart issues! I don't remember ever having this reaction to a kiss before. I won't explain why it was so moving because I want to let it be a complete surprise for you when you read it yourself!

Aside from the amazing heart lessons, incredible characters, and overall fantastic writing, I really appreciated that the author didn't find it necessary to try to make this a retelling that simply changed the time and place but kept all the other details. There were enough similarities but not so many that it was predictable. And some familiar parts of the story were reworked in such a way it created a mystery that was solved and resulted in a surprising revelation. And how can you not appreciate the plays on the names? Mr. Knightly – Jon Noble, for example!

If you enjoy Christian romance that is more than just a sweet story, be sure you read A Match for Emma. And make sure to keep lots of tissues handy!

Read my full review at Among the Reads


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.