Title: THE HOUSE THAT LOVE BUILTAuthor: Beth WisemanPublisher: Thomas NelsonApril 2013ISBN: 978-1595548894Genre: Women’s fictionBrooke has only loved one man, her late husband. Owen’s rebuilding after a painful divorce. Can a mysterious house bring them together for a second chance at love?In the charming town of Smithville, Texas, Brooke Holloway is raising two young children on her own, supporting them by running the family hardware store. The last thing on her mind is falling in love. But she’s intrigued when a stranger moves to town and buys the old Hadley mansion. She’s always heard that house holds a secret—maybe even a treasure—and she can’t wait to see inside. When she meets the new owner and they spend time together, she can’t deny the attraction. Could God be giving her another chance at happiness? Or is she betraying her late husband’s memory by even thinking that way?Owen Saunders bought the Hadley place to spite his cheating ex-wife. She’d always wanted to restore an old house in Smithville. Now he’s going to do it without her. But if anything needs restoration, it is Owen’s heart. Then he meets Brooke and her kids and finds himself tempted by love. Can he bring himself to trust a woman again?Throw an eccentric uncle into the mix, along with the town’s teenage troublemaker, and even a finicky cat—and one thing becomes clear: God is bringing them all together for a reason.THE HOUSE THAT LOVE BUILT is the second contemporary Ms. Wiseman has written. I didn’t quite enjoy it as much as I did Need You Now, but it still sang. Brooke and Owen are both still madly in love with their former spouses, one lost to death, the other to divorce. Owen put a lot of effort into doing things to spite his ex-wife, and maybe if he’d put that much effort into being a “yes-man” and trying to please her, they could’ve stayed together. Also, Brooke is very bitter and judgmental about her mother’s decisions, so she doesn’t even make an effort. I can’t blame her mom for moving out. There is some distance between us and the characters. I didn’t connect with them the way I’d hoped, but it’s not as bad as some books I’ve read. At least it held my interest. Since Beth Wiseman is Beth Wiseman I’ll give the book 4 stars. Looking for a bunker hidden in the house, a hurting teen, and a finicky cat adds to the story line. $15.99. 352 pages. Brooke still mourns the death of her beloved husband. Owen has moved to her small town to spite his ex-wife who always dreamed of living there. Will they find healing in each other's arms?It's hard to summarize this book because while it's mainly about Brooke and Owen, there are several side characters who get chapters throughout the book. Brooke's mom gets a second chance at love. Owen's uncle moves to town. And, probably my favorite is Hunter, the young man with a horrible past who finds a future for himself while he helps remodel Owen's house that holds a secret from the past. The characters were all complex and deserving a book of their own, so some of the book felt rushed because there were so many stories and layers to each character. Some major events were glossed over because there was so much to cover. Because I loved the characters so much, I wish this had been stretched out to two books or for Hunter to get his own book. Overall, I enjoyed this book full of great characters. Fans of contemporary Christian fiction will enjoy this one.I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.
Do You like book The House That Love Built (2013)?
What a wonderful book. I enjoyed the love story.
—stevie
