Header PromotionFinally a Family
Book Fifty-two: “Finally a Family”, Carolyne Aarsen, Steeple Hill Love Inspired, June, 2008, Larger Print
This is a ‘forced to live together’ theme romance, This is not my favorite theme especially when the “forced arrangement” is the result of someone’s attempt at matchmaking. I like this theme best when the ‘forced situation’ is accidental like when two people are mistakenly assigned the same cabin or condo and there is no available alternative other than sharing the accommodations. However, if you like this theme, ”Finally a Family” is a very good example.
”Finally a Family” is very interesting and well written. The “page-by-page” reading enjoyment is very high. There is always something happening that makes you want to read the next page. The author is a very good writer. While I don’t feel the inspirational part played a very big part in the characters’ development, the story is still clearly an inspirational.
In a special “Dear Reader” note, Carolyne Aarsen writes that she wanted to tell the story of what happens to a child when a man and woman end a relationship and the child’s life is turned upside down. That child is the heroine in ”Finally a Family”. The heroine’s mother had a “live-in-lover”, Sam, who the heroine sees as the only father she has ever known. (He was not her father.) Sam was a good man but had to leave the relationship because of a family emergency at home.
After Sam left, the heroine and her mother had a very hard life with her mother moving form man to man. This was a very sad situation for a little girl to suffer. Later her mother dies and the heroine is out on her own. Next, her old “father figure”, San dies. This leaves the heroine alone in life. Sam, however, leaves a half-interest in his farm to the heroine in his will -- if the heroine will live on the farm for six months. This is Sam’s attempt at matchmaking.
The hero has put his life and soul into building the farm and was long promised the farm when Sam died. However, nothing was in writing so Sam’s will was a complete shock to everyone. Of course, the family is very upset. The hero has put a great deal of his own money into the farm so he rightly views Sam’s last minute will as unjust. The heroine has little money and really needs a place to stay, so she stays even knowing how unfair it would be for her to kept a half interest in the farm. Living together on the farm and getting to know each other leads to the desired conclusion.
I would say that 95% of this story is excellent and a great read. However, there is one problem. As I was reading it, towards the end, I noticed that only a few pages remained and the relationship between the hero and heroine had not developed far enough to justify an ending. I was wondering, “How is this going to conclude?” Unfortunately there was a rather contrived, “hurry up”, ending which had very little foundation to support it. I just wish the author had another 30 to 40 pages to end the story more organically. But this is just my opinion.
I am sensitive to this kind of ending. For example, I do not like reading most of a mystery only to find out that the killer was a character introduced into the story for the first time on page 280 of a 300 page novel. That’s how I felt. You might like the ending, however. ”Finally a Family” is an enjoyable and excellent read until just before the ending. And if you like the ending, it’s a great read!
Excellent Inspirational Story with a Rather Contrived Conclusion.
Thanks,
Vince
“Romances are the emotional vitamins of the soul.” Vince
Add new comment
