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Book Review of A Blessed Life (Hickory Ridge, Bk 1) (Love Inspired, No 188)

A Blessed Life (Hickory Ridge, Bk 1) (Love Inspired, No 188)
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Serena Jacobs is trying to do it all: she's a single mother to Tessa, a sweet little girl who's developed juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; she's also a freelance writer looking for assignments; she's also a committed Christian whose church attendance has slipped of late.

Enter youth minister Andrew Westin (riding a Harley, no less!) who asks Serena to help with the teenagers at their church. She agrees and she and Andrew become close friends. However, this sets off pseudo-Christian Charity, who is a caricature of a gold-digger (although in this book, it's not money she's after, it's being a minister's wife). Charity tells a lie about Andrew and Serena that threatens their relationship and his job.

However, Andrew and Serena are protecting a secret about the reverend's daughter, Hannah, and neither is at first willing to come forth with any information. Andrew's behavior here is also silly, as it wouldn't have been any breach of confidentiality on his part. His faith is a little too simplistic.

Watching the growing attraction between Serena and Andrew is sweet. However, where Charity's concerned, she should have (at the very least) been censured or even expelled from the congregation for slander. And Andrew's passive aggressive behavior where she's concerned is infuriating. Look, if you're not interested, tell the person you're not interested.