Customer Reviews

Love's Pursuit

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First off, I've always found the time period Love's Pursuit is set during to be very interesting so was instantly excited about that. Ever since the success of Beverly Lewis' books, most of the inspirational fiction that's been coming out lately is about the Amish so it's refreshing to read about another religious sect. I had just read A Constant Heart-by Siri-thought it was excellent, and was looking for another great novel to follow in its footsteps. Well, I saw Love's Pursuit in the store and picked it up hoping it would be just as good as the previous book. I wasn't disappointed. I really love the way Siri got into the character's heads and brought out the emotions of how they could/would have felt during that era. Being able to hear the vivid thoughts of Susannah and Small Hope made the contrast of their simple lifestyles, plain dress, and expectations of "proper behavior" all the more stark. It made you feel their sense of confinement, frustration, and need to break free but without knowing how. They reminded me of caged birds, locked in prisons of self loathing and guilt wanting to be let out, yet afraid of the consequences. I thought the parallels of grace and Christ-like sacrifice were well emphasized and only added to the richness of the story. My heart ached for Susannah toward the end as she finally realizes her own efforts will never be enough to earn God's love and favor, nor do they need to be. The physical and spiritual love story between Susannah, Daniel, and ultimately God brought me to tears...it was beautiful. I won't spoil the ending for anyone but it was truly thought provoking. Maybe not the conclusion readers were expecting-or hoping for-but it tied the story together amazingly well and left a lasting impact. As Susannah finds, we don't always get the things we want or think we need to be happy. That's how I felt when I read the last page and closed the book. I sat reflecting, feeling some sadness that the ending hadn't been the "happily ever after" I wanted. But it was realistic of how life really is and I appreciate that Siri was brave enough to challenge readers expectations and write honestly. It was quite refreshing to read something with a level of maturity and emotional authenticity rarely seen in most Christian novels to date. This story has some real "meat" to it, something that will stick to your heart long after wards. When I invest time in a book I want to come away more knowledgeable having learned something, having grown as a person. And after reading Love's Pursuit I know that I have. Thank you Siri Mitchell...I'm really looking forward to your next story. Hurry and write another one!

I found this book a little hard to get into at first. As it went along I got into it and was really enjoying it. The ending ruined it for me. It may have fit the story as another review wrote, but I was disappointed with the ending. I've read Siri's books before and enjoyed them very much. I had a hard time with A Constant Heart but it had a good ending and I enjoyed it. This one left me feeling let down.

"Love's Pursuit" is filled with emotion--lives intertwining, beliefs being challenged, dreams being pursued and yes, even hearts being broken.
Siri Mitchell beautifully captures life in Stoneybrooke Towne in the 1640s: the strict religious beliefs, the daily life--and raises the question "What happens if someone wants something more, something different?"
While I loved the characters of Susannah and Daniel, I was equally intrigued by Small-hope. And even though the book's ending was not the one I imagined, it was the right ending for the book.
Siri Mitchell is a gifted writer.

I purchased this novel for 2 reasons: first, the cover was lovely (hah), and second, because I love to read about Puritan New England. The summary blurb drew me, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be a good read or not. It could've gone either way, but I was VERY impressed with Mitchell's writing style, character development, and the conclusion. It was NOT your normal tied-up-with-a-big-red-bow happy ending. The main character endured tragedy that shaped her, and in the end, the story was truly about Redemption more than it was about the romance. I admit, I'm a sucker for romance, but contemporary Christian chick lit is so full of drivel I can barely stand it. Give me something real! Give me something that teaches me about God! Siri Mitchell's novel did exactly that, and I'm very glad I purchased it. I'm sure I'll read it again.

Unfortunately, the two novels that follow this one, She Walks in Beauty and A Constant Heart, were pretty disappointing. Both were terribly shallow, though perhaps that what writing about each time period required. She Walks in Beauty was better than the other, but neither can compete with Love's Pursuit.

I am very glad I purchased this book. I was looking for an excellent story that takes place in Puritan times and covers their way of life along with an interesting story and this story really satisfied. This book is an easy read and keeps your attention all the way through. The characters are execellent and there are parts that are comical. The book does an excellent job of describing what the Puritans did to survive in their community and their overall attitude as a group in upholding Puritan values. It really gave a sense of living back then. As you read the book you almost feel like you are a part of the community itself. It was an excellent love story and it conveyed that message without being overt the way a lot of romance novels are. This book was more of a historical novel than a romance and that's what I liked most about it. It is the kind of book that can be enjoyed by everyone of all ages and both sexes. I highly recommend this novel.

I have read a few of Siri's books now and I really do think that she is just so original in her writing that I always wonder what she will bring me, the reader, next. In "A Constant Heart" she took us inside Queen Elizabeth's England and the unbelievable trends and lifestyles that went along with being a part of her court. In "Love's Pursuit" we go into early America and a Puritan community where Susannah is considered one of the ultimate, perfect Puritans. Only she knows better, she has many flaws but she really tries to please. All she wants is to get married to John and start a family like her friends. It seems so simple until life starts to get very complicated. A non-Puritan comes to the community to train the militia against the threat of savages. The captain lives with them while he trains the men and Susannah starts to feel things for Daniel that she has never felt for John. But wait, Susannah's betrothal to John gets foiled by the one person she can't stand and things go from bad to worse. Can Susannah ever find happiness in her pursuit of love? A story so well written that it will catapult you through time to join Susannah as she struggles to find her true love. I really enjoyed it!

Susannah Phillips lives in a Puritan community. She loves her family and friends. She's hoping soon to settle down and start a family of her own with John (but he has yet to ask). Then Daniel (the Captain) comes to help protect them against the savages and throws Susannah Phillips' world into a tailspin. She is drawn to him because he makes her laugh and feel things she's never felt before but according the the "puritan" way of thinking he is a heathen. Then there is Simeon. He is not what he seems and more. His sights are set on Susannah. Who will win her hand? Or is her future chosen for her? Will she discover what real love is? How does a woman Small-hope help her?

This was a good story but in the beginning was a bit confusing to read because both Susannah and Small-hope were written in first person. I have to say that I fell in the love with Daniel. He's the one that made me keep reading. The ending was good but very bitter-sweet for me. All-in-all in was a good read and worth the time.

Love's Pursuit
by Siri Mitchell
Bethany House Publishing

Love's Pursuit takes place in Massachusetts during the Puritan era. Susannah is a puritan girl who on the outside seems to be the eye of perfections. However, Susannah thinks herself to be a sinner and judges herself harshly. A captain from the "King's army" comes to their village because he has heard reports of savages. I do not want to give too much away, but will Susannah fall in love with a man from her own puritan village or with the Captain and his heathen ways? You will have to read to find out!!
This one was a bit hard to get into at first because I have not read much about the Puritans and was a bit confused at firs by some of the goings on and their language. I wished that the author had given a bit of an introduction, perhaps a bit of actual history, before delving into the story.
However, that does NOT mean I did not like it, I really enjoyed this story. It gave me a bit of what life was like for the Puritans. It also kept me driven to read to the end, because I had no idea how the end would turn out. I must say I was disappointed in the ending, but that is just me. Leave a comment here after you have read it and let me know how you liked the ending!

I don't often give 5 stars on book reviews, most often, if I enjoy the book, I will give it a 4 star rating. I reserve 5 star ratings for books that are, in my opinion, exceptional and worthy of reading over and over. To me, this book met all of those standards. I thoroughly loved the book and I look forward to reading it many more times in the future.
This book is set in the time of the Puritans. I so enjoyed reading about their society and how they functioned as a community. The love story was beautiful. As the captain led Susannah to the knowledge of the grace of God and how her works would never be enough to earn God's love, the picture that Siri Mitchell painted with her words was so eloquently stated. I also loved the side story of Small Hope and Thomas and how, in my opinion, also painted a story of love and grace. The title of the book was so fitting in that love's pursuit was more than just a man pursuing a woman, but God pursuing mankind.
I was so surprised at the twist in the plotline with Susannah. And while her ending with the captain was not "happily ever after," it did much to further the story and to convey to point the author was conveying. Personally, I lliked the fact that the author chose to end their union in tragedy. As a reader, I was glad that the story was not predictable.
Love's Pursuit is beautifully written and I highly recommend it, especially if you are in need of a good cry! I have to say that I have really enjoyed everything that Siri Mitchell has put out that I have read and I am eager to read her books that I have not got read yet!

I chose this book expecting it to mirror the other Christian-historical-romances in the market, especially with the Amish-looking girl on the cover. Boy was I surprised! I finished it in one day. This novel is so much more than a romance adorned with Christian platitudes. It is emotionally and spiritually stirring and will leave a lasting impression on readers. The prose is so much more deep, thought-provoking and breathtaking than many of the novels in this genre. The title is very fitting, and the message about God's endless pursuit of us is beautifully drawn. The setting, a Puritan town in New England, has potential to make the book a cliched drag, but the author worked wonders with it! Ultimately the ending does not bring the contentment of a happily-ever-romance, but it is ultimately very triumphant. I feel true divine inspiration behind this book, making it stand among the epitomes of Christian fiction, such as Redeeming Love and The Shack. I will definitely be reading more novels by Siri Mitchell! Keep writing, Siri!