I was excited to get this book, since it was my first Advance Reader Copy! This means that the book is not yet published but is sent to reviewers and others in order to get the word out before the actual publication date. So, here I am…getting the word out about Susan May Warren’s latest novel about the people of Deep Haven, Minnesota.
In “My Foolish Heart” we meet Isadora Presley (“Issy”), a 20-something girl who grew up in the small lakeside town of Deep Haven in northern Minnesota. Issy has been through a lot in the past two years, and along with battling those demons, she also hosts an online/radio show where she is known as Miss Foolish Heart. Through this program, she gives advice on love and dating….even though she has never really had a date!
Enter Caleb Knight, a newcomer to Deep Haven who is up for the position of the new high school football coach. Caleb has his own troubles to face, ranging from the physical to just the fact that he is an outsider in this close-knit town.
For someone who usually reads historical fiction, I was a little bit leery about this book. I don’t usually go for the typical one-plot-line, boring-character, sappy love story that sometimes takes place in contemporary romance novels, even Christian ones. Let me tell you…I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed this book! There were several other stories going on that kept the main plot going, and the characters had more depth than what is true of your typical romance. Christian values were also shown in the lives of the characters in what I felt was a good way. Plus, this book had football in it! From the description on the back cover, I had no idea that football would be a theme, but it was! (And anyone who knows me at all knows that adding football to a romance novel definitely scores one in the win column for me!!!)
While this novel did occasionally slip back into the “eye-rolling” category for me (you know, the main character noticing how ‘his broad shoulders filled out his shirt’), I still enjoyed it. The book, while addressing serious themes, was refreshing rather than depressing.
I may not give every contemporary Christian romance a try, but I would enjoy reading more from Susan May Warren.
I will give “My Foolish Heart”… 4 BookWorms!
*Note from Shoopette:
This book is not scheduled to be released until May, 2011. (Click here for more information). While “My Foolish Heart” can be read as a stand-alone novel, the author has three previous books in the Deep Haven series that take place in Deep Haven, Minnesota. Information about these books can be found here. I have not read these previous novels, so if you have or if you do, leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale through Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale through Litfuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Oh wow, I loved this review, it really made me want to read this book!
ReplyDeleteI think I once saw a movie where the character used to give love advices on the radio.
Can't wait until May :)