Helpful Score: 1
My Comments
I fell in love with Petersons writing after reading her books Her Best Catch and Summers Song. Even though I didnt immediately connect with Anns story, I had to know what happened next.
Anns mom (Trixie) is a missionary and has traveled all her life. Even though Ann doesnt share this calling of being a missionary, she does routinely take her mom to the airport and picks her up whenever she returns. Ann isnt close to her mom, but she strongly desires her moms love and affection. Ann has never met her father and according to what goes on, she never will. Will Trixie ever answer Anns questions about her father or will Ann have to find out about him some other way?
Ann is unexpectedly called to Florida for the reading of her fathers will and her world is suddenly turned upside down. When she arrives she learns she has to spend 1 million dollars in a hurry on HERSELF (being frugal minded and practical have to be reconsidered as she goes on a massive shopping spree in order to achieve this inheritance), she is not allowed to handle the money herself so she must go with CPA Brett Hamilton, she learns her name is Angelina, and she has a half sister named Anastasia who miraculously gets engaged after learning about the will.
While Ann QUICKLY learns to spend 1 million dollars on shoes, purses, clothes, jewelry and other such items, she also does all she can to learn about her father who had two daughters with two different women. Ann also considers how her own mom ran from the situation while she was an infant, her relationship to Christ after refusing missionary work into her teens, her feelings towards the impulsive and dramatic half sister she is eager to be friends with, and her feelings towards Brett as he balances a younger brother and the legal paperwork on becoming a missionary himself.
At first Ann feels strange about the money, then she learns to enjoy it, but little by little she comes to resent having to spend the money so quickly and she cant spend it on anyone else, only herself (that would get old in a hurry). Then she gets this brilliant idea on how to spend the money on herself, but also blessing others with her purchases.
The romance between Ann and Brett also confused me at times. Theyre both fighting their feelings and then theres a powerful scene of kissing in the rain. However, this does not make their situation any less confusing and I wondered throughout how they would resolve the complications.
Ricky, Bretts younger brother from a mentoring program, brought most of the fun to the plot. His soccer games, his friendship with Lauren, and the dilemma of whether or not hed make it to prom makes for some interesting scenes and a great diversion for Ann and Brett. I also wished Brett had been more involved in the shopping, but after seeing how busy he was putting the missionary trip together and helping out Ricky, its understandable why he handles the shopping the way he does.
An overall great story with closure, forgiveness, acceptance, an extremely uncomfortable situation that becomes a real family, romance, and the assurance that God never stops pursuing us because of His great love. Ann doesnt make it to church in this book, but her heart receives healing and a solid transformation that makes her story more enjoyable than I believed it would be. I love that this book mostly takes place in Florida, I love the cover, and I continue to bless God for authors like Peterson.
I want to thank the author and publisher for sending me a review copy. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
I fell in love with Petersons writing after reading her books Her Best Catch and Summers Song. Even though I didnt immediately connect with Anns story, I had to know what happened next.
Anns mom (Trixie) is a missionary and has traveled all her life. Even though Ann doesnt share this calling of being a missionary, she does routinely take her mom to the airport and picks her up whenever she returns. Ann isnt close to her mom, but she strongly desires her moms love and affection. Ann has never met her father and according to what goes on, she never will. Will Trixie ever answer Anns questions about her father or will Ann have to find out about him some other way?
Ann is unexpectedly called to Florida for the reading of her fathers will and her world is suddenly turned upside down. When she arrives she learns she has to spend 1 million dollars in a hurry on HERSELF (being frugal minded and practical have to be reconsidered as she goes on a massive shopping spree in order to achieve this inheritance), she is not allowed to handle the money herself so she must go with CPA Brett Hamilton, she learns her name is Angelina, and she has a half sister named Anastasia who miraculously gets engaged after learning about the will.
While Ann QUICKLY learns to spend 1 million dollars on shoes, purses, clothes, jewelry and other such items, she also does all she can to learn about her father who had two daughters with two different women. Ann also considers how her own mom ran from the situation while she was an infant, her relationship to Christ after refusing missionary work into her teens, her feelings towards the impulsive and dramatic half sister she is eager to be friends with, and her feelings towards Brett as he balances a younger brother and the legal paperwork on becoming a missionary himself.
At first Ann feels strange about the money, then she learns to enjoy it, but little by little she comes to resent having to spend the money so quickly and she cant spend it on anyone else, only herself (that would get old in a hurry). Then she gets this brilliant idea on how to spend the money on herself, but also blessing others with her purchases.
The romance between Ann and Brett also confused me at times. Theyre both fighting their feelings and then theres a powerful scene of kissing in the rain. However, this does not make their situation any less confusing and I wondered throughout how they would resolve the complications.
Ricky, Bretts younger brother from a mentoring program, brought most of the fun to the plot. His soccer games, his friendship with Lauren, and the dilemma of whether or not hed make it to prom makes for some interesting scenes and a great diversion for Ann and Brett. I also wished Brett had been more involved in the shopping, but after seeing how busy he was putting the missionary trip together and helping out Ricky, its understandable why he handles the shopping the way he does.
An overall great story with closure, forgiveness, acceptance, an extremely uncomfortable situation that becomes a real family, romance, and the assurance that God never stops pursuing us because of His great love. Ann doesnt make it to church in this book, but her heart receives healing and a solid transformation that makes her story more enjoyable than I believed it would be. I love that this book mostly takes place in Florida, I love the cover, and I continue to bless God for authors like Peterson.
I want to thank the author and publisher for sending me a review copy. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
