KatLynne's Reviews > Morning Glory

5++ stars

This is my first book by this author and I was completely enthralled! From the very first page this book sparked my attention and I don't know when I've been more immersed and involved in the lives of the characters. I know I will never forget Will Parker and his utterly lonely existence until he meets Elly Dinsmore.

A few of the things I loved.

(1) I liked this book so much I did not want to put it down. This is no light & fluffy read but one of intense emotion. I liked that I did not have to wade in and read a few chapters before my interest was aroused, and soon as I met Elly I was drawn into the story and quickly became immersed as if I had become part of this small town in Georgia in 1941.

(2) Even though the hero & heroine are different than most that I have read, I liked them from the start. LaVyrle Spencer has a wonderful way of expressing her characters emotions so that you feel a part of their lives. And as the story progressed and I got to know them better, I found myself loving Will Parker and Elly Dinsmore. These are two very lonely people, both prisoners of their past and carrying deep emotional scars.

First we meet Elly, who the town more often refers to as “Crazy Widow Dinsmore,” As a child she suffered cruelly at the hands of those who were suppose to love and nourish her. She is content to live in isolation away from the town where she is taunted and tormented due to the horrendous circumstances of her childhood. Now, a young widow with two small children and one on the way she is in need of a husband to help around her farm. Becoming desperate, she resorts to placing an add for a husband in the local paper, all the while knowing the odds were against anyone responding.

I cannot fathom the pain in Elly’s heart. The cruelty she suffered and endured has clearly left scars and insecurities that are more than understandable. They also have molded her into the kind, loving person she has become. And while I loved this courageous and resourceful woman my heart belongs to Will Parker! He is a hero that I’ll always remember.

Upon first meeting him you know he is a manly man. Unfortunately, he is a shell of the man he could be. A drifter, down-trodden with a near broken spirit; tired in his soul, poor, hungry, mistreated by many and judged unfairly and harshly; he is a man much in need of a break from the hard knocks of life. He needs a place to settle down and longs for enough food that there will be no more skipped meals. And deep down he yearns for that something he’s never had....love! And it is soon evident the caliber of the man he is; smart, handsome, with a hard muscled body that isn’t afraid of hard work; faithful, patient, and ambitious with a need to prove his worth. I admired most everything about him:)

(3) For me this was not only a beautifully written, poignant love story, but also one of Metamorphosis. From the moment Will answers Elly’s add, I was taken on a remarkable journey into the lives of two broken individuals and witnessed the transformation when trust and understanding is given, hope is restored and the other half of your soul is found!

I loved their story; I enjoyed the secondary characters; I laughed, I cried and hated for this book to end. Thank you Jill for recommending this one and I hope you have more:)