Love Comes Softly

Love Comes Softly (Love Comes Softly Series, Book 1) by Janette Oke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this in a single afternoon and evening - while still taking care of kids and chores. So obviously a very easy read. But I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Could I predict a lot of the story and know how it was going to basically end? Of course. Romances tend to be like that. The enjoyment of a romance novel comes from the different paths taken from point A to point B.

Love Comes Softly is a very gentle book that takes you from a very painful point in the main characters lives, through the process of healing from the heartbreak of tragedy and finally to the point where they have the ability to love again. I particularly enjoyed Oke's telling of such a basic story because of her use of faith in God throughout the book without making it felt forced. The story is not preachy, it feels completely natural and in place when the characters pray and read scriptures.

I also enjoyed the clean, wholesomeness of the book. Too many romances are just trashy smut. This book has none of that, but leaves no doubt of the feelings the characters develop one for another. I'd have no problem letting my 9-year-old read this if she so desired.