Book Review: Bending Toward The Sun by Mona Hodgson

NOTE: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah in return for my honest review. The opinions contained in this review are completely my own and have not been influenced by WaterBrook or the author.
Book Description: Can the Divine Quilter stitch together the torn pieces of Emilie’s heart?

Divided between the love of her father and the desires of her heart, Emilie Heinrich must rely on the love and wisdom of the women in her quilting circle for support. Since Emilie is dedicated to her education and to helping her father in his general store, she is convinced she doesn't have time for love. But when a childhood friend returns to St. Charles, Missouri, after serving in the Civil War, his smile and charm captures Emilie’s eye and her heart.

Quaid McFarland has a gentleness and humor that causes Emilie to question her indifference toward romance. But her German father sees only one thing when he looks at the young man: an Irish teamster. And Johann Heinrich is not about to let such a man court his beloved daughter.

Her father’s prejudices test Emilie’s faith in God’s ability to mend the patchwork pieces of her life. Will she be forced to choose between honoring her father and a future with a husband and family of her own?

Book Review: Initially I was disappointed that this book didn't focus on Maren and Rutherford, but my disappointed didn't last. I enjoyed the first book in Mona Hodgson's The Quilted Heart series, but I enjoyed the second installment even more. I think part of the reason was because I had been introduced to the characters in the first book and had a better understanding of them, their surroundings, and the era in which they lived. The author does a magnificent job of painting the picture of St. Charles, Missouri, just as the Civil War comes to a close and many families in the area are dealing with devastating losses. As the series continues, I find myself becoming more and more emotionally attached to the characters, even those that are on the fringe of the story. Their troubles become my troubles, their joys are my joys. It sounds silly, but it was so easy to get completely lost in this book. The only issue was that it was much too short. As in my review of the first book, I will have to say again that I think this book would have benefited greatly from being written as a full-length novel.
Jessa's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Want to read Bending Toward the Sun by Mona Hodgson? Get your copy HERE. The first book in the series can be found HERE and the third book is available now HERE. Want to know more about the author? Check out her website HERE.

Note: This post originally appeared on Once Upon A Book HERE on June 21st, 2013.