Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: Leaves of Hope
Author: Catherine Palmer
Publisher: Steeple Hill
ISBN: 0-373-78560-7
Release Date: May 2006
Genre/Sub-genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance
Year/Setting: Current/New York, Lake Palestine, TX
Overall Rating: 4.9
Sexual Content Rating: Very subtle
Catherine's Website: None found
Jan Lowell is facing a new life without her husband by her side. She has sold everything they owned in Tyler, TX and moved to their lake home in Lake Palestine, TX. The memories were too much to bear. After taking early retirement from her teaching position, she felt it was time to concentrate on just being peaceful, quiet and maybe paint some roses (a life time hobby).
Beth Lowell is Jan’s adult daughter. As she comes to visit, Beth runs across a box in the guest room with her name on it. Granted, her mother had told her not to touch any boxes, much less open them, but it did have her name on it. Little did she know this one act would forever change her life.
Inside the box is antique tea set with a note in the teapot to Beth from her mother (obviously meant to be read after her mother had passed away). Beth is shocked to learn John Lowell (he was her daddy and she was his Bethy-poo) was in reality not her father. A faceless man, Thomas Wood, was her biological father. In spite of her shock, Beth begins a quest to find him. This search takes Beth as well as her mother down some interesting paths including how they deal with each other, how they deal with life, and how they deal with God.
Catherine Palmer has created a timeless piece of art with this story. You could substitute different names, different locations and different times in history and still follow this same story. However, the added, wonderful twist with Leaves of Hope is the story of the Lord walking the path with you.
Catherine introduces some great characters in the story. Obviously Jan and Beth Lowell are at the fore front and while being strong women at heart they each have their own weaknesses to deal with. Jim Blevins, the kindly widower, lives down the street from Jan and provides her with some friendship during the first hard days and kept her from being withdrawn from society in spite of her best efforts.
Miles and Malcolm Wilson become an integral part in Beth’s life and it all started with annoyance at the airport between Miles and Beth. Miles and Malcolm bring a bit of levity to the story through the camaraderie they share and their easy jesting.
Then, of course, there is Thomas Wood. He displays an openness and a steadfastness in the Lord that draws the people in his community towards him and the ministry he offers.
Leaves of Hope is a written illustration of allowing the Lord to guide your life. The Lord will walk beside you throughout the trials you will face and will be there in good times and bad. Plus you are often sharing Christ with others without saying a word – your actions or even what you carry can do it for you. Just by Miles seeing a Bible constantly with Beth, he began to ask questions which led to his new walk. We don’t know who we will touch or how and this story quite effectively shows that point.
This book would also be a great book for a book club or a Bible study. The way it is written lends itself well to this type of study. The motto for Steeple Hill truly fits Leaves of Hope – "Fiction that inspires".
Lori
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