Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Ordinary Snowflakes by Jennifer Rodewald

Someone has noticed me. A secret admirer? A man with a good heart, who sees how much I actually need help, even though I never admit it? Maybe this is the beginning of a beautiful story—a romance full of hope and second chances and love.

Maybe…

A secret Santa gift left on Kale Brennan’s front porch opens up a fresh view of her ordinary life, and perhaps of God. Maybe she does matter. Maybe God sees her—as does a new-to-town music teacher who has her seven-year-old daughter gushing and her own knees buckling with his killer smile. But as Kale embraces new possibilities, a staple in her life—a man who is kind and steady, not to mention necessary for her injured daughter’s recovery—also snatches her attention in an unexpected way. Will the one pursuing her with his secret gift and kind gestures be the one her heart longs for in the end?

GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance
PUBLISHER: Rooted Publishing
RELEASE DATE: November 7, 2016
PAGES: 118

“Our God is inexplicably enamored with us, even in our very ordinary lives.”

It never fails. I pick up a Jennifer Rodewald book and settle in for what I know will be an amazing read and I’m not even past the first page before I have a smile on my face. I’m just simply delighted by her way with words. From this:

“Tiny gems of solid water glistened like jewels across my vision, and it seemed like possibilities drifted down with their silent beauty.”

to this:

“Despite my swoony thoughts, I was actually a grown up, I promise. Just my girly-twitter self managed to slip past my single-mom self. And oh, I so hoped I hadn’t said that out loud. Surely I didn’t. I couldn’t have.”

I spend my reading experience flailing over the beautiful prose and chuckling over the wry humor.

(It’s also a guarantee that I will be doing some degree of crying before I’m finished with a Jennifer Rodewald book. This could range from a sweet glimmer of tears to full-on ugly cry sobs that I’m muffling in my pillow to avoid waking my husband who is asleep in bed next to me. More on that later.)

In Ordinary Snowflakes, we are introduced to a bevy of truly delightful characters. Kale (the protagonist) has such a relatable personality that comes through clearly in her first person narrative. Her wry and sincere perspective made me grin nearly all the way through the novel, but it also made me reflect on my own heart and feelings of self-worth. And Sydney – Kale’s adorable, spunky daughter who has weathered more adversity than any child should face and still has a joyful heart. And let’s not forget the two men in Kale’s life – one who makes her knees wobble and one who holds her up.

But the best part of Ordinary Snowflakes is not the fantastic writing or the great characters or even the delicious romance. (Although – while I’m on that subject for a moment – the romance? Totally made me forget to breathe and MADE ME CRY. In a good way. So incredibly sweet but not in a sappy way.)  The best part of Ordinary Snowflakes is the theme that echoes the meaning of Christmas – that God dwells in the ordinary, with the ordinary, and He more often than not lavishes His extraordinary love on us in everyday ways.

“…maybe we shouldn’t just be looking for God in those big moments, because if we can’t see Him in the small everyday things, we won’t be able to understand that He’s there right beside us in the moments that cave in our lives.”

Bottom Line: Ordinary Snowflakes is a must-read for anyone who feels less than enough. For the mom who worries she’s failing her kids. For the single lady who doesn’t think any man would find her worth loving. For the woman who wonders if even God sees her. This may be a quick read, but it will linger with you long after you’ve devoured every last word. And the next time a snowfall graces your world, maybe you’ll look at it – and yourself – a little differently.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 5 stars / A must-read!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / WILL forget to breathe

Jennifer Rodewald is passionate about the Word of God and the powerful vehicle of story. The draw to fiction has tugged hard on her heart since childhood, and when she began pursuing writing she set on stories that reveal the grace of God.

Jen lives and writes in a lovely speck of a town where she watches with amazement while her children grow up way too fast, gardens, and marvels at God’s mighty hand in everyday life. Four kids and her own personal superman make her home in southwestern Nebraska delightfully chaotic.

She would love to hear from you! Please visit her at https://www.authorjenrodewald.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjenrodewald or email her at write2edify@gmail.com

Other Books by Jennifer Rodewald

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December 2–Book by Book | Katie’s Clean Book Collection
December 3–Reading Is My SuperPower | Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen