Over the years I’ve found several authors whose books I’ll buy sight unseen. It doesn’t matter what the book is about, if I see it, I buy it. Jen Turano is on that list. So when I saw the opportunity to review To Steal A Heart through CelebrateLit, I jumped at the chance, and I wasn’t disappointed.
I can’t say this is my favorite Jen Turano book because every book of hers is a favorite while I’m reading it. I can say that for the first time in a long while, I found myself unable to put a book down. This story kept me riveted to the pages long into the night. I loved everything from the situations the characters find themselves in, to the characters themselves, to the setting, to—yeah, all of it. And I love how Ms. Turano takes the more unseemly characters—the quiet, bumbling, clumsy, shy, poor, etc—and turns them into heroines. She gives them a story that brings their good points out and leaves you cheering them on.
And amongst all of that, she effortlessly weaves in subtle messages. Underlying themes that pop up every once in a while and remind you that yes, this is a Christian fiction novel, or yes, this character did/does struggle with this or that issue. And I love that because while you’re reading, you don’t always remember these things are going on in the background, yet when they’re pointed out you aren’t surprised because you knew they were there. You just didn’t know you knew.
I also loved the fact that the moment I finished this book, I went looking for the next in the series. That speaks for the quality of the book and the awesome story contained within its cover. I wanted more.
Now.
Unfortunately, I have to wait. I will be buying the next book though, as soon as I can. And… don’t you just love her covers? They’re so fun and quirky, and I really hope she doesn’t change that. They’re unique, which sets her books apart from all the others (and I might have started buying her books for the covers).
I requested a copy of this book to review. The opinions expressed here are my own.