Hometown Girl

The story line was interesting as was Drew the main male character. To be honest, the female characters, Beth and Mollie were annoying. I would have to say though the biggest turn off for me regarding the story is the strong Christian undertones. While I appreciate that many enjoy and appreciate Christian themes in a storyline, I do not. For me it felt too preachy. I didn’t recall seeing anything in the books description that indicated that it was a Christian story. I guess I would have appreciated the heads up. I probably wouldn’t have bought it.

My first book by this author and it is a good one. I like the whole picture of romance, mystery and faith all in the storyline. Beth and Drew both have secrets, both carry guilt and unworthiness of being loved. How they deal with the issues is what makes the story a good one.Beth is dealing with guilt over a bad decision she made while working at her dads company. Drew is suffering guilt over not being able to solve who kidnapped his friend when he was 10. It is now 20 years later and he has lived with the nightmares and guilt since that time. He has lead a lonely life.Beth's sister buys a local farm that they all share history with and the story unfolds from there. Now comes the time for them to confront the issues each of them has and move on. But it is not that easy. How do you deal with something that has been eating at you for years and causing guilt? How do you find your way to forgiving yourself? How do you find your faith again and let God help you with the answers? How do you let yourself be loved again?I am not giving it 5 stars for 2 reasons. I felt the book started out slow and was repetitive. I also found the character of Molly very annoying and wanted to just throw the book down. I will not say anymore on her and let you decide yourself. I do highly recommend the book and if you think it starts slow keep going! It is worth it! Highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Hometown Girl (2017) is a novel newly released by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Courtney Walsh. This must-read novel comes in all forms including eBook, and is 382 pages in length. With a full-time job and a very energetic and busy five-year old, this story took me three days to read. I give this novel 5 STARS. This story is a Contemporary Christian Romance.This is another fabulous and flawless novel by Courtney Walsh. I absolutely love this story, and I relate to the main character, Beth, SO much. This is a redemption story, a story about taking second chances and learning to lean on God. A lesson I am personally grateful for every day.Beth Whitaker is a very serious young woman. Having fun is a foreign concept to her because there is always more work that needs to be perfectly completed. She is the type of woman who does not ever show weakness, admit mistakes, or ask for help. Gracious me, it was like looking into a mirror as I was reading this story. I know what it is like to get it into your head that making mistakes equates to total failure. I have no idea where it came from, perhaps because I am the oldest child in my family, but I used to have this crazy notion in my head that if I made a mistake I would be unlovable. I believed that those I loved would be so disappointed in me because of the mistake they would totally give up on me. This is crazy thinking, but for most of my teen to young adult years this message played on loop in my brain. I was so uptight and defensive, and had three ulcers before I was 25. Beth is like this at the start of the book. Over the course of the novel, she finally realizes that holding on to fear and doubt and insecurity, and hiding the truth about mistakes made in the past, lead to a very cold and lonely life. Beth learns that true peace comes when we turn all of our baggage over to God. When Beth realizes this — it’s a very beautiful moment in an old church — I cried my eyeballs dry. It was such a cathartic moment for me that I had to go back and reread the entire chapter again!And then, there is Drew! Oh my is he the perfect hero. Drew was a victim of a horrible crime when he was a ten-year old boy. Adults did not deal with the situation very well, and because of this he completely turned into himself and became a shadow of a man. But, he is SO sweet and hard working and good. He’s so well written that the reader can feel the pain and sadness and frustration that radiates from him. I will not explain any of the plot because I really think this book needs to be experienced with ZERO hints from this review, but the relationship that develops between Drew and Beth is lovely. Both struggle with so much, but they both reach the place where they don’t want to anymore. After so long being one way, how do you change into something new? The answer is through hard work, communicating and opening up a bit, and trusting God’s path. And, in this novel, after Beth and Drew figure this out, happily ever after is actually possible.Drew and Beth’s journey to redemption is a wonderful, realistic, sometimes really painful journey. Ms. Walsh did an impeccable job creating truly authentic characters whom I related to so much. I am truly sorry this story has come to its end. I want more!!! I cannot recommend this novel enough. Purchase this book today — you will not be disappointed. And, maybe buy a box of tissue while you’re at is because there are some heart wrenching, tearful moments.

" . . . . if you do what you were made to do, then you'll find the peace you've been looking for. You can't work for it, you know. You just have to rest in it."Beth Whitaker has worked tirelessly to erase the mistake that may have led her father to an early grave. Her risky miscalculation cost the family company a lawsuit, which mercifully her father did not publicize. When her happy-go-lucky sister Molly, pops onto the scene with the harebrained idea of restoring an old community farm back to its glory days, Beth is insistent that the makeover would be financial suicide and uses every argument possible to dissuade her sister's optimism; to no avail.Guilt has been an albatross around Drew Barlow's neck since childhood, after he witnessed a little girl's abduction, and subsequent disappearance, while playing an innocent game of hide and seek in an old barn on Fairwind Farm. Convinced that they only way to resolve the past is to return to Willow Grove, he finds that two polar opposite sisters and their brother have invested in the place following the owner's death. When the opportunity arises to manage the restoration project, his lovely boss with the intriguing array of personality traits, challenges Drew's defense mechanisms like no woman he has ever met. . . . . . but how can he possibly deserve happiness when the mystery he came to solve remains painfully out of reach?"If you're going to be strong, you've got to learn to ask for help." This isn't just a good story, it's a great one!

I had heard so many good things about this book that I had to get it. I’m so glad that I did. The main character is very relatable. She’s someone that I’d want to be friends with. We’ve all had our share of perceived or real failures, as well as feelings of inadequacy.While there is a romance in the book, there is so much more. There is mystery and depth. Everyone has their battles or skeletons. God is bigger than any skeleton or any battle.I hope there will be a series because I’d like to know what journeys lie ahead for several of the characters.