Book Review: Scattered Petals by Amanda Cabot (Blog Tour)

Priscilla Morton and her parents traveled to Texas from their hometown of Boston to attend the wedding of Clay Canfield and his lovely bride, Sarah. But before they get to their destination, tragedy strikes in the form of three bandits who rob Pricilla, her father, and her mother of more than just their physical possessions.

When Zach, a worker at Clay's ranch, meets Priscilla, he is instantly drawn to her. However, his attempts to get closer to her are rejected. He begins to believe that Priscilla will have nothing to do with him because he is nothing more than a common ranch foreman. He resolves to be her friend, even though he would prefer to be more than that.

When circumstances force Priscilla to agree to Zach's proposal of marriage, it is a union not of love, but of convenience. Then, as time goes by, they both find themselves to be growing more in love with each other.

There is one problem. Zach has a secret from his past. And it threatens to tear them apart forever.

Review:

Although this seems like just another Christian "prairie novel", I actually enjoyed it. There are many thing in the plot I could not reveal because they are spoilers. So, you'll have to believe me when I say that the plot was actually much better than a lot of books in this genre.

It is an emotional read. The author gave me many reasons to be sympathetic to the main characters in their fight for joy. I think the book also helped me to see more clearly the situations in the lives of my friends where I need to be more loving and willing to comfort them in their times of need. Yes, it is a "sweet" story with a happy ending, but I learned some valuable lessons from it. And that made it worth the read.

I would recommend this book to all romantics, lovers of a good, clean story, and those who are struggling with finding God in hard circumstances and those who want to help others in those same circumstances.

Scattered Petals is Book #2 in the Texas Dreams series. Paper Roses is the first in the series.

(Remember, you can click on the book images to read more about the book(s) on Amazon.)

From the publisher:

Amanda Cabot is an accomplished author under various pen names and a popular speaker. The author of Paper Roses, she is also a charter member of Romance Writers of America, the co-founder of its New Jersey chapter, a member of the ACFW, and an avid traveler.



Endorsements


"Crafting characters rich with emotion, Amanda Cabot pens a compelling story of devastation and loss, of healing and second chances. But most of all, of transcending faith."--Tamera Alexander, bestselling author, From a Distance


"Scattered Petals is an exceptional book! Insight into situations that sometimes appear unfathomable, the healing power of God's love, and the consolation he provides so magnificently are written with heartfelt emotion that brings the characters' romantic love to life. Do not miss Scattered Petals. Reading it is an experience that fills the heart with joy."--Elaine Barbieri, New York Times bestselling author


Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

(I received a complementary copy of this book from Revell for the purposes of this review. I received no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.)