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

God takes broken things and makes them beautiful again. He reclaims our desolate places.

Suzanna Wilton has had a heavy share of heartache in her twenty-seven years. Left wounded by a marriage cut short, she leaves city life to take up residency in a tiny Nebraska town. Her introduction to her neighbor Paul Rustin is a disaster. Assuming he’s as underhanded as the other local cowboys she’s already met, Suzanna greets him with sharp hostility.

Though Paul is offended by Suzanna’s unfriendliness, he can’t stop thinking about her, which unsettles his peaceful life. Intrigued by the woman who lives down the road and propelled by a sense that she carries a painful burden, he frequently drops by to offer help as she adjusts to rural living.

Just as Paul’s kindness begins to melt Suzanna’s frozen heart, a conflict regarding her land escalates in town. Even in the warmth of Paul’s love, resentment keeps a cold grip on her fragile heart.

When romance isn’t enough, will Suzanna ever find peace?

GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance
PUBLISHER: Rooted Publishing
RELEASE DATE: September 2015
PAGES: 346

“God takes the broken things … He can do wonders with hearts that have nothing left.”

Words always fail me when I first begin to write a review for a Jennifer Rodewald book. The characters take up residence in my soul, the writing resonates in my spirit. And my heart? My heart is always fuller for the experience.

I could say that Reclaimed is her most romantic book, but that’s not entirely true – “romantic” comes in many shapes and sizes. It IS true, however, this love story made me smile the most. From Paul’s country turn of a phrase to his adorably affectionate nickname for Suzanna (The Pickle hahaha) and even to Suzanna’s slow blossoming under his tender attention … all of it – including some darn good kisses – kept a silly delighted grin on my face for most of the novel.

Of course there were also moments that took my breath away, not from swooning or delight but from echoes of heartache and glimpses of grace. Because, after all, this is a Jennifer Rodewald novel and she is incredibly gifted at crafting a story that settles deep in all the shadowed places of your heart and brings the light of Jesus to the darkness. Authentic pain and emotion, even ‘wrastling’ with God, are captured with poignant honesty and occasionally wry humor. In Reclaimed, Suzanna’s pain is (thankfully) not something I’ve ever struggled with personally, but it rings true and sincere and makes me want to reach into the pages of the book and hug her close.  The friendship she establishes with the Kent family and with Paul is sweetly heartwarming and real, warmth and love and faith reflecting in every word of their interactions.

Bottom Line: Jennifer Rodewald could write a to-do list for her weekend errands and I would gladly read it. And I would love it. Fortunately, we don’t have to settle for such a mundane group of words. Reclaimed is romantic and adorable, yet it delves deep into the hearts of its characters and wraps them up in sincere emotion and simple truth.  As always, Rodewald’s writing is spot on – every word in perfect place, each smile and each tear and each blissful sigh drawn from the reader at precisely the right moment.  If you have ever wondered whether God cares about you, if you have ever struggled to find peace, if you feel like you’re searching for something to fill the emptiness, this book is for you…. and for those of us who love people with the same questions. And as a bonus? This story is smile-inducing fun too! A fabulous blend of sweet and sassy and sincere, Reclaimed is a book I highly recommend!

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

My Rating: 5 stars / I done loved it 😉

KissingBook Level: 3+ / Will forget to breathe, may need to keep a fan handy too!

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.

More Books by Jennifer Rodewald

Enter via the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win a print copy (US only) or ebook (International) of Reclaimed and an Amazon Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway