Reviewer: Trudy Smith
Title: Courting Emma - 3rd Little Hickman Creek trilogy
Author: Sharlene MacLaren
Publisher: Whitaker House
ISBN-13: 978-1-60374-020-3
Release Date: April 2008
Genre/Sub-genre: Inspirational Historical Romance
Year/Setting: 1890s/Texas
Overall rating: 5.0
Sexual Content Rating: None (kissing)
Language (Profanity/Slang) Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: None (implied)
Sharlene's Website:
www.sharlenemaclaren.com
Emma Browning’s old coot of a father, Ezra, was a drunk. All her life, he did nothing but drink and abuse. Emma has been on her own for several years now running her own boardinghouse. Though embarrassed and bitter, she continues to occasionally take in her drunken father to temporarily sober up.
Jon Atkins, the town preacher, has asked Emma numerous times if he can rent a room. Having built a wall around her heart, Emma has no use for Jon’s God or his preaching. Where was He when she was growing up? With much persuasion Jon moves in. He is realizing how much he’s always cared for Emma but Jon can’t begin to move their friendship any further until she has committed to the Lord.
In the meantime, Jon seeks out old Ezra and starts doing little things to help the sick man. Jon talks Emma into moving Ezra into the boardinghouse to care for him when they find out he’s dying. Soon Ezra begins to ponder the things Jon has been telling him about God and His unconditional love and forgiveness. Emma does too but she can’t quite let go of the bitterness.
Ezra’s days are numbered and he knows it so he seeks Emma’s forgiveness and confesses and commits himself to God in front of the whole town! Emma doesn’t quite know what to think of this but Jon and God are working with her and she soon commits herself to Him too.
Jon is thrilled but doesn’t want to move too soon and scare her. Emma knows she loves Jon but is sure she’s not preacher’s wife material. Can God turn her heart so she sees herself as He and Jon see her? Can she finally let go and forgive as God loves and forgives?
I was thrilled to read the final book in the Little Hickman Creek series. As with the other two, Sharlene MacLaren writes to make the story come to life. From the first page I felt I was in Little Hickman watching Emma and Jon and all the characters from the two previous books. Their story of life, love and forgiveness was genuine. Again, these characters have a true devotion to God. Forgiveness is a hard thing to give and sometimes a hard thing to accept but through this story you can see it’s possible.
Courting Emma is a captivating, tender story that will pull at your heart. The Little Hickman Creek series is one of my favorites and I can’t wait to read the next story by Sharlene MacLaren.
Trudy
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