I really didn’t want to like this book. I’m not often a fan of romance, especially Christian romance, mostly because I find them to be predictable. But I actually did like My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade. While I found the prologue to be a bit unnecessary and possibly giving away too much of the story, the rest of the book was a pleasant read.

I found myself interested in these characters in spite of myself. The prologue, unfortunately, made me believe that I was reading a stereotypical Christian romance novel. But once I got past it I was quickly captivated by the characters and their complicated back stories. Ex-hockey player and young widower Matt Jarreau; and feisty social worker Kate Donovan  have great chemistry on the page. Kate’s grandmother, Beverly, and her cohort of friends provide an amusing cast of minor characters and the renovation of Beverly’s childhood home a believable premise upon which the book is based. I found the constant description of clothing and physical appearance of characters to be a bit unnecessary, but it certainly didn’t detract from the story. On the other hand, the descriptions of the architecture and landscaping  were enchanting. As a native of Eastern Pennsylvania, I found myself wondering where Redbud is meant to be. I would love to visit.

The problem I sometimes have with romance novels is that the ending feels predictable but if it happens any other way than expected I find myself disappointed. I won’t give away the end of this one, but I’ll say that Wade does a good job keeping the reader guessing.

I was not compensated for this review but I did receive a free copy of the book to review.

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