Love You Truly

by Susan L Tuttle

[phyllish]

A sweet story of salvation and trust


My rating is 4.5 stars

Though their backgrounds were completely different, Blake and Harlow both struggled with the same misconception: that they were responsible for another person's happiness. And, yes, they lived this out in vastly different ways – Blake had no faith in God while Harlow's faith was strong.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect, other than what I remembered of Susan L. Tuttle's previous book, At First Glance, which I recall dealt with deep heart issues and was handled in a sensitive manner. So, despite my aversion to reality shows and the type of people they seem to attract, I wanted to give this story a try.

I found Love You, Truly to be insightful and tender. Harlow had practically given up her own life so that her sister Mae would not feel left out or because there weren't funds available due to the expenses related to Mae's care absorbing all their parent's income. Harlow had a heart for those in need, those she considered "unseen", very likely due to feeling unseen herself. Her heart was not bitter and she didn't even see what she was experiencing to be unreasonable. So when Mae had her heart set on Harlow being on the show, that is exactly what she did.

Blake didn't know what a healthy relationship looked like. He was a stereotypical playboy, experiencing the emptiness of his lifestyle, and was looking for something more. (Yes, you and I know that a reality show isn't where you find that!) I loved watching his change of heart and then his change of mind as he began to realize that not only is love real, God is, too. And that God's love for him supasses any other love and never fails.

There was a good mix of romantic tension, personality clashes, spiritual awakening, and conflict arising from an unexpected place. Love You, Truly is an enjoyable story of learning to trust even when circumstances cause you to doubt, and learning of God's never ending, unconditional love.

Read my full review at Among the Reads