Book Review~A Stitch and a Prayer

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Stitch and A Prayer Abingdon Press (May 20, 2014) by Eva Gibson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

(No image available) Eva Gibson is the author of twenty books, including A Stitch and a Prayer, the latest release in the Quilts of Love series from Abingdon Fiction. She currently teaches Writing Your Life Story classes for Portland Community College and is an active member of Oregon Christian Writers. She has lived most of her life on the family farm in Wilsonville, Oregon, which is the setting for her novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After her fiancé returns from the Klondike gold rush in 1897, Florence Harms sets about building a new life in her new marriage—even though the lingering effects of illness have left her weak and vulnerable. She and her young husband, Will, work tirelessly to clear the land around their Northwest cabin, content with their modest life. But then a stranger comes knocking and Florence suddenly senses a restlessness in Will’s spirit that she had never seen before. When he leaves her with only a note that tells her he will return before their baby’s birth, she is devastated, and the illness that stiffened her joints returns. Counting the days until Will walks back through her door, Florence busies herself with a Tree of Life quilt displaying a map of the farm they call home. Doubts claw at her heart as Florence struggles to believe Will’s promise to return to her. Will her labor of love—and faith in God—sustain her as she waits to see her beloved once again?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Stitch and A Prayer, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS: A Stitch and A Prayer is part of the Quilts of Love series, a series of books by various authors, with quilts and quilting as the central theme of the stories.  I've read several of them, and have really enjoyed them.  Although I'm not a quilter, I'm fascinated by quilts and quilting.  A Stitch and a Prayer was a sweet story of a fragile young woman who is newly married and living in the woods in a cabin.  I enjoyed the story for many reasons, as it had several components of things I love reading about-new settlers in the West in the 1800s, pregnancy and birth, and quilts.   At the start of the story, there were several characters introduced and I had a hard time keeping them straight.  For a moment, I thought maybe this book was  a sequel.  As I got further into the story, I was able to keep everyone straight.  The story was a quick read at just 197 pages, with discussion questions after as well as a sneak peak at a new book, Rival Hearts.