Customer Reviews

Rekindled Hearts (Love Inspired)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The storm that rips through the town of High Plains, Kansas, echoes the storm in Lexi Harmon's heart. She had thought her marriage to Police Chief Colt Ridgeway was meant to be until death parted them and the ache left behind after their divorce is devastating. The tornado that rips through their town throws them back together as they are trapped together for six hours in her basement. Can Lexi and Colt overcome their own fears to see that the love between them is worth fighting for? Will they give love a second chance?

REKINDLED HEARTS is part of the After the Storm series. Readers unfamiliar with the prior books can still jump right in and understand the storyline as the ongoing threads, such as the saga of Tommy Jacobs' missing dog, Charlie, are explained by Brenda Minton. The romance and reawakening of faith by Colt and Lexi compromise most of the book and as such, REKINDLED HEARTS can be read as a stand alone.

REKINDLED HEARTS is one of those rare gems that captures the love and pain that can exist in a relationship. Relationships are not always easy and the euphoria of "being in love" can fade but it is the bond that forms afterwards that lasts forever. Colt and Lexi have just that sort of bond but their own fears prevent them from putting their love to the test. Colt in particular finds it easier to leave, thinking that it will hurt Lexi less if he leaves now before there is any chance of harm happening to him. Brenda Minton does a fabulous job at incorporating their past with the present. The rebuilding of their love echoes the rebuilding of the town, making the story have a true sense of completeness.

REKINDLED HEARTS is a powerful story that touches on a subject often ignored in romances. Working on a relationship after getting married and being willing to take a risk with one's heart is not an easy thing, as Lexi and Colt fully exemplify. Bravo to Brenda Minton for such a beautiful love story!

COURTESY OF BOOK ILLUMINATIONS

Tornado's do a lot of damage, and when one ripped through High Plains it left death and destruction in its wake. Police Chief, Colt Ridgeway, took shelter in his ex-wife Lexi's home. They survived, but others didn't. As the town struggles to build back, some of the townspeople are hoping the tragedy will lead Cole and Lexi to rebuild their marriage. Cole is determined that will never happen.
Lexi wants a family, a real church going God worshiping family. A normal family with a husband and children. But Cole, who hadn't been able to reach his deputy Gavin Jones in time to save him, has lost confidence in himself. He doesn't believe he can give Lexi what she wants. He's a police officer. They both know every time he walks out that door there's a chance he won't come back. After Gavin's death, two years ago, Colt walked out on his marriage, walked out on Lexi, and asked for a divorce.
But Lexi isn't giveing up on Cole. She will do whatever is necessary to break down the wall he's build around his heart. As they search for Charlie, Tommy Jacob's missing dog, and try to find the parents of a child found alone after the tornado, Lexi prays for Cole, asking God to bring him back to a realization of how much he needs love, both hers and God's.
Brenda Minton's stories go much deeper than the usual romance. Her characters are well rounded, fully developed, and as real as the people next door. Her plots are strong, full of twists and turns. Rekindled Hearts is a deeply moving story of love, courage, and faith, and a town too tough to die. Lexi and Cole will touch your heart. Brenda Minton just keeps on getting better.

Some of my favorite stories are love lost and found again and this entry by Brenda Minton in the After the Storm continuity from Love Inspired is fabulous. The story touched a personal note for me as well, as my family has endured the aftermath of multiple hurricanes in Florida.

Ms. Minton's characters, as always, are well-rounded and insightfully written. And though it is a continuity, the author manages to bring this small community to life in a lovely, touching story.

This is the third book in the series. It focuses on the Chief of police and his ex-wife, the town vet. We also get to visit with Tommy some as he continued to look for his missing dog, Charlie. Other characters make very brief appearances.

This was a very romantic story! I loved how the two found each other again. I loved the stolen kisses and the struggle to understand what went wrong!

There are a couple bloopers in this story. At one point, the author mentioned Greg and his fiance, Maya. At this point in the story, they were married, as told in the second book. Also, the author kept mentioning that GREG found the little lost girl, but it was more Maya than Greg. She discovered the girl first. I'm not sure why Greg is getting all the attention on this find...

If these bloopers had not been in the book, I would have given it five stars...

I loved that there was already so much history between the characters...it definitely added to their connection. And I love the cover of this one (as well as A Family for Thanksgiving). The artist who designed them definitely captured the feel of the town in the stories, I think.

Lexi and Colt were divorced two years ago because he is a policeman, and he didn't want her to live in fear for his safety. After a tornado hits their Kansas town, they try to become friends instead of avoiding each other. They soon realize that they both still love each other and miss each other.
There are a lot of loose strings in the story that are not tied up or resolved; a lost dog, a child that is found without her parents, animals that need to be adopted, etc. Other elements in the plot are not forshadowed or motivated, just tossed in as a convenient way to solve the issue. When the author has the opportunity to create a vivid, exciting scene, it only take a paragraph or two to toss it aside. Way too much of the book is spent going over the same old thing, and the conclusion at the end is the same thing that was said in chapter three.
If you're looking for a way to kill some time, it's not too bad, but if you're looking for something that will make you think of something new, or a plot that is well thought out and constructed, you might want to continue shopping. Take a look at Stars Shine After Dark. It is also about keeping a marriage together, and the plot is a lot stronger than this one. A newly revised and expanded version is now available at [...], or the original paperback is available here.