Tuesday, May 04, 2010

That Certain Spark

That Certain SparkIn one hour from when I write this, Molly is taking her driver's test. I'm not too worried, she's an excellent driver. She's very confident, but not overly so, and she has been practicing a lot. Jesse and I are both doing a lot of praying because this means the end of a lot of our running around. She can drive herself to work on Saturday mornings rather than us having to run her in and back, plus she can drive Mia around a bit too! It is a big step for Molly, but it's another major adjustment for me! It seems like just yesterday she was still in a car seat!

That Certain Spark by Cathy Marie Hake is the fourth book in the Only in Gooding! series. Twin siblings, Enoch and Taylor Bestman, come to Gooding, Texas to take on the roles of veterinarian and doctor, respectively. Unfortunately, the townsfolk missed the note in her recommendation that Taylor is a woman and they aren't ready for a lady doctor in 1892. Including the blacksmith Karl, even after she saves his leg from amputation. Even though he doesn't agree with her chosen profession, he finds himself drawn to Taylor's strength and beauty, especially after she comes under attack from someone who wants to frighten her away. Meanwhile, Enoch has fallen head over heels in love with widow Mercy who runs the local boarding house, but their happy ending is threatened when she discovers something terrifying. Hake balances just the right amount of romance, humor, faith, and suspense in this enjoyable read. She handles Mercy's health crisis with a great deal of compassion and tenderness. Taylor is a delightful character full of spunk and intelligence, and the reader won't blame Karl one bit for falling in love with her, nor Taylor for falling for Karl's gentle strength. The only flaw was Taylor's discovery of the wrong-doer which didn't ring true and the revelation that exposed him seemed just strange. Aside from that, Gooding, Texas is a town I would love to visit again soon.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

0 comments: