Book Review: The Gift of Faith by Kristen McKanagh

THE GIFT OF FAITH by Kristen McKanagh
SERIES: Unexpected Gifts #3
GENRE: Contemporary Romance/Amish (Clean)
PUBLISHER: Berkley
RELEASE DATE: April 11, 2023
PAGES: 301

The rewards of faith are plentiful in this sweet Amish romance from the author of The Gift of Joy.

The quietest of the three Kanagy boys, Daniel, would prefer to spend his time keeping his bees and selling the honey rather than tending his family’s gift shop. But with both his brothers breaking away from the family business, his parents need Daniel more than ever.

Contrary to town gossip, Faith Kemp didn’t jump the fence—she left to track down her twin sister, Mercy. When Faith returns home with a newborn baby, the rumors are tough to set right, and not everyone in the community is welcoming. To help support her family, Faith sells dried flower arrangements to the popular gift shop in town. Each visit, she looks forward to seeing Daniel Kanagy. He doesn’t say much, but his steady strength speaks to her just the same.

With girls buzzing around Daniel and trying to catch his eye, why would he turn his gaze to a quiet, plain girl who has a baby and too many rumors about her?

Other Books In This Series

The Gift of Faith may be mainly about Faith Kemp, but it’s Baby Rosie who is the star of this sweet Amish romance. Her giggles and smiles and attachment to Daniel Kanagy were always adorable whenever she was in a scene. Her Aunt Faith moved heaven and earth to begin raising her when her mother (Faith’s twin sister) was locked into her own bad decisions, and the bond between Faith and Rosie is so sweet. As an aunt myself, I really loved watching them together. However, it’s the bond between mother and daughter – no matter how long they’ve been apart – that really tugged at my heart. Faith’s emotional struggle over letting Mercy be the mom to Rosie that she should have been from the start – the kind that Faith has been to Rosie – also engaged my own emotions, and I really liked how the author handled it.

Faith is the kind of character who will put everyone else ahead of herself, allowing people like her twin sister and even her parents to take advantage of her for the sake of what she thinks the greater good requires. Not out of insecurity but rather out of her love for them, and I have to admit that I could relate to Faith a little bit on this as well. She’s the kind of friend everyone wants… but also the kind that nobody really pays attention to, taking for granted that she will be there, helping, because that’s what she does. This is partly what makes Daniel such a perfect match for her – because he values Faith for who she is and wants to be the support for her that she is being for everyone else. I loved this about Daniel’s character so much, and I loved them together. I do wish they had communicated a bit better with each other, to avoid misunderstandings, but what’s a romance novel without these obstacles to happily-ever-after, right?

Bottom Line: The Gift of Faith, though it’s the third book in Kristen McKanagh’s series, can easily be read as a standalone, and readers will fall in love with Faith, Daniel, and of course baby Rosie. The characters are warm, the plot engaging, and the theme relatable to our everyday lives, and McKanagh does a good job of taking readers through a range of emotions – from frustration to empathy to joy. Fans of Charlotte Hubbard or Susan Lantz Simpson will likely enjoy this series as well.

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

My Rating: 4 stars / enjoyed it

KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion

Reviewer’s Note: Readers of this blog may want to be aware that there is one instance of a stronger curse word used in this book as well as a single use of God’s name as a curse.

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Romance author Kristen McKanagh writes sweet contemporary romance & Amish romance. She loves plots that warm the soul, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru, Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic.

Kristen attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) and an MBA. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.

Kristen currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero, their amazing kids, who are growing up way too fast, and 2 adorable fur babies. Connect with her at kristenmckanagh.com

What about you? What makes you want to read The Gift of Faith by Kristen McKanagh?