Reviewer: Trudy Smith
Title: Lilac Spring
Author: Ruth Axtell Morren
Publisher: Steeple Hill
ISBN: 0-373-78550-X
Release Date: November 2005
Genre/Sub-genre: Inspirational Historical Romance
Year/Setting: 1861
Overall rating: 4.5
Sexual content rating: None – a few kisses
Ruth's Website:
www.ruthaxtellmorren.com
Cherish Winslow and Silas van der Zee have almost grown up together. When Cherish was 5 years old Silas came to work for her father as a 12-year-old apprentice in his shipbuilding business. They were best friends as they grew up, both loving all aspects of shipbuilding as well as learning the Christian fundamentals in Sunday School. Now she’s a grown woman just back from a 2-year tour of Europe and maybe more in love with Silas than she was when she left. Will he notice how she’s grown up and become a lady? Will he see the love in her eyes for him and return that love?
Silas is stunned at just how much a lady Cherish has become. He sees her in a social status that is way above the shipwright he has become. Silas can’t seem to understand the feelings he has every time he sees her nor how the smell of lilacs linger long after she’s gone.
Now that Cherish is back home she has a few situations come up that make her realize she may have drifted a bit from her relationship with the Lord. Has she really become selfish and uncaring of other’s feelings? Is this how Silas sees her? Can this be why the Lord doesn’t seem to be answering her prayers?
Silas is fighting a battle of his own. After being sent away from home after losing his father, Silas is afraid to really open his heart to love. It’s always seemed to cause him pain. He can’t get Cherish out of his heart but is it love? Besides she’s way out of his league, Cherish is too good for him. He’s a mere shipwright in her father’s shipbuilding yard.
Can Cherish release her will to the Lord’s and let Him take total control of her problems? Can Silas come to realize what it can be like to have a true relationship with the Lord and let Him direct him in all things? Can both Cherish and Silas let Him lead them in their relationship with Him and each other no matter where that is?
All of the characters in Lilac Spring are painted with a very vivid brush, as are the descriptive scenes in the book. Ruth Morren includes a variety of secondary characters that help Cherish and Silas answer the above and other questions. One of these characters is Pastor MacDuffie. Though for me he gets a bit "preachy", most of what Pastor MacDuffie says if very thought provoking.
Ruth writes a very strong story on our human relationship with God. The writing leads you through very real circumstances and feelings that I’m sure most of us have felt. Some that Ruth shares are the impatience we have with God when the situation isn’t going our way or the anger we may have toward Him when circumstances seem so unfair. I’ve felt these myself.
Lilac Spring was a very enjoyable read. It started a little slow for me but it didn’t take long for the speed to pick up. If you enjoy inspirationals, take the time to for this one; you’ll be glad you did.
Trudy
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