The wind is howling dramatically outside and I’m cold because our house is cold. It feels like I should be drinking a hot cup of coffee while I write this, but I already drank coffee today.
I have been reading a ton of books lately. Most of them rather nominal Christian Romance novels that were ok, but didn’t exactly turn my world upside down. Not to mention that I get really annoyed with certain things that a lot of romance novels do, but I’ve already written on some of those things, so we won’t get into all of that again.
Instead lets talk about a book I just read that was way above nominal and not a romance novel either (although a hint of romance), but still Christian contemporary.
Martin Hospitality by Abigayle Claire
The following is a summary as found on Goodreads.
“Gemma Ebworthy is eighteen, pregnant, and alone. Now that she’s been evicted, she finds herself sleeping in a barn, never dreaming that tomorrow could bring kindness of a life-changing magnitude.
The Martins aren’t a typical family—even for rural Kansas. With more kids than can be counted on one hand and a full-time farm, Gemma must make a lot of adjustments to fit in. But despite their many differences, Gemma finds herself drawn to this family and their radical Christian faith.
When Gemma’s past collides with her yet again, she must begin revealing her colorful history. With every detail Gemma concedes, she fears she will lose the Martins’ trust and the stable environment she desires for herself and her unborn child. Just how far can the Martins’ love and God’s forgiveness go?“
My Review
This was a super sweet, cozy, Christian Contemporary fiction, but not a mushy romance.
I loved the farm and country life descriptions, the large homeschool family (not seen enough in books), and a theme of hospitality. It also had strong Christian themes without coming across as preachy.
The Characters were well written, although the many siblings did get confusing at times and I was always trying to guess their ages (There is a chart of the family member and their ages at the beginning of the book that I missed until I had already finished reading).
There were a few spelling errors, but it was not overly distracting. There were also a few times I was a little confused about what was going on, but could generally make a guess. There were a few parts that I felt moved a little slow, but I was still curious and wanted to keep reading.
Over all I really enjoyed this book and I really want to read more by this author! And would highly recommend!
What are some books you have read recently? Any book that stands out from the rest? What is your favorite genre? Have you read Martin Hospitality yet?
Random Musing: After finding the above picture on Unsplash, I am now really missing the countryside in America. I miss driving through winding country roads, passing corn fields and meadows, red barns and old farm houses.
Hannah Foster 