4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful story., July 1, 2005
This review is from: The Path to Love (Love Inspired #310) (Mass Market Paperback)
Frances "Francie" Calhoun is a twenty-four year old ex-con. Her entire family has a history of committing larceny. Her mother left when she was six. Her father, aunt, and uncle are still in prison. But Francie is determined to go straight! She has an apartment in the low rent district, she has a waitress job in a diner, and is in school working on an associate's degree. If Francie is not working, her nose is in a book studying.
When Francie's parole officer retires, she is assigned to Brandon Fairchild. Unlike his predecessor, Brandon gets involved with his parolees. He insists on inspecting their homes, work places, schools (if they attend classes), as well as having them appear in his office every two weeks. However, after years of dealing with ex-cons, Brandon no longer believes most of what his parolees tell him. So when Francie shows up for her first appointment with him and claims to have found the Lord, he doesn't believe her. After all, her records clearly show that she has pulled that scam before. He challenges her to begin her transformation by trying "the fruit of the Spirit".
Of course, Francie has never heard of such a fruit and her research begins. She is going to prove to Brandon that she is not pulling a con. She really HAS changed. In doing so, Francie not only changes her own life, but the lives of those around her.
As for Brandon, the more he learns about Francie, the more he is surprised and impressed. An attraction grows, one that Brandon cannot ignore. Ethics state he must transfer her case to someone else. But if he does, would Francie believe it was due to something SHE had done? Would she totally lose focus and fall off track?
**** This light romance clearly shows that change is possible for anyone. Francie is a wonderful role model for everyone. She is caring, hard working, and tries to see good in everyone. The character of Brandon shows that even Christians have blind spots and are never perfect. No matter how long they have been with the Lord, they will always have room to grow and lessons to learn, even from those who are new to the true path. Author Jane Myers Perrine has created a cast of loving characters that readers will easily be able to identify with and understand. Even the secondary characters have depths all their own. I found this to be a wonderful story and recommend it to all. ****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Review of "The Path to Love" by Jane Myers Perrine, June 28, 2005
This review is from: The Path to Love (Love Inspired #310) (Mass Market Paperback)
How can Francie Calhoun, a girl who "learned to pick pockets when she was five, mark cards at eight and hotwire a car years before she could get a driver's license" find redemption and true love? It isn't an easy path she travels. She's an ex-con working as a waitress who stops in a church one night on her way home from work, drawn inside by the music she hears. Her nerves are soothed as she joins in the singing. She listens to the preacher speak of a kind, loving and forgiving God and her soul is refreshed. She knows she wants to do better with her life. Now, she knows why she must do so.
She's helped further by her initially cynical parole officer, Brandon Fairchild. At first, Brandon can't believe that Francie really wants to become a better person, but he becomes a believer by watching her, step by step, bringing herself into her new life. With Brandon's help, and her own faith, Francie improves her existence, and that of those around her.
Francie's innate optimism, her sense of humor and irony, her humanness, her ability to find the right path and her determination to stay on it makes this a book I couldn't put down. Literally. Francie is a true bad girl gone good, flawed, but so appealing, that I had to follow her to the end of her story.
So does Brandon, who has to fight his attraction to Francie and the fact that he wants to see her in a capacity that has nothing to do with his job. In order for their relationship to work, Brandon has to jettison some baggage of his own before he can commit to a woman with a less-than-perfect past.
Francie's search for "the fruit of the spirit" is woven skillfully throughout the story, and I was rooting for her to find what she is so determinedly seeking. Francie's upbringing gave her few chances to better herself, and she is just begging for a chance. Brandon wants to help, but he's fighting his attraction and the cynicism born of his experience with other ex-cons. But once he realizes that Francie is sincere, he does everything he can to help her and their love grows. This story has several twists and turns and a very interesting subplot that moves it quickly and effortlessly to its conclusion.
This story is so well written, its characters so well drawn and real, that it is a total enjoyment from beginning to end. Ms. Perrine's gift for subtlety and storytelling is obvious from this, her first Steeple Hill release. I hope to be able to read her books for years to come. I came away from this book with a renewed sense of optimism and hope. After all, if Francie can do it, anyone can!
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