The story starts off during 2020 when COVID ran rampant and many lives were lost. I never thought I would witness a pandemic where masks were mandatory and places were closed down. The lockdown in many states caused people to become isolated and feeling alone.
Timothy is our lead character who has moved to a small town in Iowa during the pandemic. He faces the loss of a relationship and hopes to start over in this new place. The people he meets are quirky, friendly or sometimes mysterious. His dog is a hit with everyone which draws people to Timothy.
I loved that this is a dual time line story as the author transports readers back to a place where a simpler way of live existed. I loved how the author is very descriptive as I could see the story unfold of who used to live in Timothy’s home. I didn’t expect to be emotional right away as an unexpected tragedy occurred. We learn of the Amanda traditions such as when someone dies, the relatives walk behind the horse and wagon where the body has been placed . It seemed like forever as the procession went on for a long time.
I adored the older woman who told Timothy the story of the history of his home. It was like walking back in time as we heard a gentle voice direct us to each new part of the story. Oma has a sweet spirit around her and I began to become invested in Blondie as she grieved the loss of her baby sister.
There are many interesting characters that make this story nice to read. Chuckles is funny and would be someone I would love to meet. He is one of those people who never met a stranger. He has a bigger than life personality and a big heart. Oh my Blondie is definitely my favorite character. Her contagious curiosity gets her into adventures and I loved being a shadow in her life. The joy of being a child was so perfectly portrayed by the author. I can’t wait to see where her story would go.
I did think it was a great idea for Tim to use Blondie’s story to make into a book. The problem is I don’t think everyone was excited about his manuscript. The lessons from Blondie’s story is emotional at times. I liked when Tim asked Oma why she was telling him about a romance between two eight year olds. Her response was, “ Children’s emotions are every bit as real as adults.” I wonder how many times we have ignored the feeling a child expresses?” That rejection can have some unsettling consequences if we don’t acknowledge that they are important and we understand how they feel.
The story has a great faith thread and I loved when this was said; “You must always be true to who you are and what you believe, no matter what others do to you or what they say.” This is such a powerful statement that I had to write it down in my journal. We need to stop worrying about what others think of us, and turn to God and trust Him with everything.
There is so much I want to share but I need to stop here. Readers, this story is one that touches on some sensitive subjects, but the author does it in a way where God is there to comfort and redeem those who need it. The ending is wonderful and reminds us that, “God made a way to bring restoration and healing.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
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