Book Review by @ColleenChesebro of “The Scent of Lilacs” @AnnHGabhart

(Image credit: Amazon)

www.annhgabhart.com

Title:  The Scent of Lilacs (The Heart of Hollyhill #1)
Author:  Ann H. Gabhart
ISBN: 978-0800730802
ASIN:  B007TV0OMM
Published:  May 1st 2005 by Revell (first published January 1st 2005)
Pages:  352
Genre:  Christian/Historical Fiction, Women’s fiction

What the book is about:  At 13 years old, Jocie Brooke learns the true meaning of faith and the love of family when her sister Tabitha, suddenly returns after fleeing their home in Hollyhill, Kentucky with their mother many years ago.  It is 1964, and Jocie’s divorced father, preacher David Brooke, and his Great Aunt Love, strive to care for Jocie with kindness and affection.  Aunt Love struggles to keep her senility in check, as the family struggles with a past that threatens to engulf them.  All is not what it seems in this quiet small town, as deep secrets surface to lead the family on a quest that leads them to many unforeseen truths.

Book Highlights:  As the secrets of the past come to light, it was a joy for me to watch the inner workings of a faith based family deal with the realities of their past choices, good and bad.  All the characters were realistic and believable in the way they dealt with their emotions while their lives unraveled around them. It was easy to empathize with the trials the family endured through the years.  I found myself drawn to the characters and the story. I did not want the book to end.  I was ecstatic to learn that this book is part of a series by Ann Gabhart.

Challenges of the book:  I had no challenges with the characters within the story.  The Christian elements in the book were tasteful and authentic.  Ann Gabhart channels her own knowledge of small town life centered on a strong Christian church element making the characters realistic and credible.  These characters could be your neighbors.

What do you get from it:  Love, family, and faith combined can conquer the troubles of the world.

What I would change if anything:  Ann Gabhart is a true story teller.  Her work stands alone and needs no changes.

Who would I recommend this book to?  I would recommend this book to all women, young and old.  There is knowledge about life, love, and forgiveness which should be passed on to all generations so that others gain an insight on how to deal with the tribulations that life sometimes holds for all of us.

Ratings:
Realistic Characterization: 5/5
Made Me Think: 4/5
Overall enjoyment: 5/5
Readability: 5/5
Recommended: 5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5

Buy it at:  Amazon
Format & Pricing:
Paperback:  $12.98 New
Kindle: Free

Review By:
Colleen Cheseboro
@ColleenChesebro 
silverthreading.com

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Author: Colleen Chesebro

Colleen M. Chesebro hails from the heartland of the Midwestern United States. After graduating, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, launching a lifelong journey of self-exploration. Following a successful career in accounting, Colleen returned to her creative roots, reigniting her love for poetry. Today, she enjoys crafting poetry, flash fiction, and both creative and nonfiction works. Explore her writing world at Colleen Writes & Publishes at www.colleenchesebro.org. In addition to her poetry books, Colleen has contributed to numerous anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She actively supports her writing community on tankatuesday.com, by hosting a community syllabic poetry challenge called Tanka Tuesday, and by co-editing the Sunflower Tanka Anthology with Robbie Cheadle. This annual syllabic poetry anthology celebrates tanka, tanka prose, and other experimental tanka forms. Residing in her dream home in mid-Michigan, Colleen enjoys the beauty of the Great Lakes with her husband and their two (unicorn) cats, Chloe and Sophie. You can find her at The Evergreen Hedge on www.colleenchesebro.org and Tanka Tuesday on www.tankatuesday.com. View all posts by Colleen Chesebro