The House that Love Built by Beth Wiseman

The House that Love Built by Beth Wiseman. Thomas Nelson, 2013. 320p. (9781595548894)

This was a new to me author and I wasn’t quite sure how much I would enjoy the story based on the summary. Happily I had no cause for concern and quite enjoyed Broke and Owen’s story.

Goodreads Summary:

Brooke has only loved one man. Owen's heart is filled with bitterness. Can a mysterious house bring them together for a second chance at love?

In the small town of Smithville, Texas, Brooke Holloway is raising six-year-old Meghan and ten-year-old Spencer on her own two years after her husband's death. Being a single-mom and running the family's local hardware store keep her busy.

While Meghan longs for a daddy, Spencer has threatened to run away if Brooke even goes out on a date. But the last thing on Brooke's mind is falling in love. When a stranger moves to town and buys a house with a mysterious past, Brooke can't contain her curiosity. As she spends time with the new owner, she wonders if maybe God is giving her another chance at happiness.

Owen Saunders fled the big city to start over in a small, rural town famous for baking the world's largest gingerbread man. Then he bought an old house to restore-for all the wrong reasons. If anything needs restoration, it is Owen's heart in the aftermath of his failed marriage. With little hope and lost faith, Owen is tempted by happiness when he meets Brooke, but his heart remains sealed shut.

As they learn more about Owen's house, one thing becomes obvious to both of them: God has put them together for a reason.

My Review:

There were so many stories woven into the plot – yet it wasn’t overwhelming as the stories are woven together quite seamlessly and make the tale a lot richer.

I really liked the mystery surrounding the house and the restoration work that was part of the story; those aspects (and a few other plot twists) kept it from becoming a ‘grieving man meets grieving woman and fall in love while helping heal each other’ story.

While writing this review I ended up rereading most of the books since I originally read this back in the spring. And I enjoyed getting to visit again with Brooke and Owen and Hunter and the rest of the characters. There’s a fair amount of kissing but it’s not described in any swoon-inducing detail, just simply and sweetly stated.

This is Christian fiction but it’s not the preachy kind and I almost wish there had been a little bit more about God and/or the Bible. Both Brooke and Owen are mad at God for various reasons and have let their faith take a back burner so there really isn’t much in the story until the end.

If you enjoy sweet, clean, contemporary romance stories where the characters overcome bitterness and difficult situations in their past then you might enjoy this one.

I'd rate it 3.5 butterflies, but since I haven't added .5's into my scale yet I'll let you figure out what falls in between 'It's a fluff book - no real substance, but a fun read' and 'Worth the read and the re-read'.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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