Friday, October 26, 2012

"A Light in the Window" Book Review {Giveaway}



*The October book giveaway winners have been announced! Congrats and thanks so much to everyone who visited and entered.*

In case you are new here, I will say it again: I am a huge fan of Julie Lessman! After reading both her Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series, I am so excited she decided to write the prequel – Marcy's story...

A Light in the Window
One Woman. Two Men.
One stirs her pulse and the other her faith.
But who will win her heart?

Marceline Murphy is a gentle beauty with a well-founded aversion to rogues. But when two of Boston's most notorious pursue her, she encounters a tug-of-war of the heart she isn’t expecting. Sam O’Rourke is the childhood hero she’s pined for, the brother of her best friend and a member of the large, boisterous family to which she longs to be a part. So when his best friend Patrick O’Connor joins in pursuit of her affections, the choice seems all too clear. Sam is from a family of faith and Patrick is not, two rogues whose wild ways clash head-on with Marcy’s—both in her faith and in her heart.


While overseeing the Christmas play fundraiser for the St. Mary’s parish soup kitchen—A Light in the Window—Marcy not only wrestles with her attraction to both men, but with her concern for their spiritual welfare. The play is based on the Irish custom of placing a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome the Holy Family, and for Marcy, its message becomes deeply personal. Her grandmother Mima cautions her to guard her heart for the type of man who will respond to the "light in the window," meaning the message of Christ in her heart. But when disaster strikes during the play, Marcy is destined to discover the truth of the play’s message first-hand when it becomes clear that although two men have professed their undying love, only one has truly responded to “the light in the window.”
 
My thoughts:  
Even if I had never heard of Julie Lessman before, just the fact that this book is labeled "An Irish Christmas Love Story" would have been enough to make me pick it up...

Writers amaze me. As someone who can't keep up with what is going on in my own life, I don't know how they keep all the characters and facts straight. Going 'back' and writing the love story that started two series? Julie Lessman is a genius!
  
I absolutely loved A Light in the Window! These characters have already become real to me over the past several books, so reading their love story was icing on the cake. Like anything Julie writes, you will go through tons of emotions. She has a way of writing that provokes you to feel what they are feeling and that is a gift. I find myself smiling, laughing, crying and yelling when reading her stories. 

Marcy's story did not disappoint me at all. It is filled with depth and emotion and even though (as someone who has read all the other books) I knew how it would end, it kept me guessing all the way to the end!

Thanks Julie and please (please, please!) write Gabe's story, too!

Note:
A Light in the Window is the prequel to The Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series. If you have never read anything by Julie Lessman, start with this book. And I am sure I don’t have to say… if you have read EVERYTHING by Julie, you will have to read it!

About the author:
Julie Lessman is the popular author of A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied, as well as A Hope Undaunted, which was one of 2010's Booklist Top Ten Inspirational Fiction winners, and A Heart Revealed. Lessman has garnered several writing awards, including ten Romance Writers of America awards. She lives in Missouri.

The extras:
Check out Julie’s website for more great information, book excerpts and contests!
Don’t miss my reviews of Julie’s A Heart Revealed and A Love Surrendered.

The giveaway and fine print: 
The winner will receive a digital Kindle copy of Julie Lessman’s A Light in the Window.

A Light in the Window releases on November 9th, pre-order your copy now! If you pre-order and then are chosen as the winner, I will send you an Amazon gift certificate instead.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed are all mine and I was not required to give a positive review. 

31 comments:

  1. I've read the Daughters of Boston series and am getting ready to start the Winds of Change. Right now my favorite is A Passion Denied but I think I'm really going to love A Hope Undaunted. I'm so looking forward to this prequel!

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  2. i have had the pleasure of reading (almost) all of julie's masterpieces...i still need to read 'a love surrendered.' i LOVE them all. thanks for the giveaway, athena :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

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  3. ATHENA!!! Thank you SOOO much for the WONDERFUL review -- I am BLESSED beyond words!! And, YES, I do plan to write Gabe's story too, trust me -- she's WAY too interesting not to, ESPECIALLY if Henry is involved ... ;)

    Hugs,
    Julie

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  4. I love Julie Lessman's books and would love to win A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  5. I have not read any of your books yet but I will start reading them. I would love to read this book it really sounds like it will be interesting.

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  6. I haven't read anything by Julie Lessman yet, but I am certainly intrigued!

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  7. I shard on Facebook.

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  8. I haven't read anything by Julie Lessman yet, because I've just learned of her.

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  9. Sat Oct 27th, Good afternoon. When I saw the write-up of Julie Lessman's book: "A Light in the Window", I knew I would want to own and read this story ! An Irish Christmas Love Story ... it totally sounds wonderful, and cannot wait to read it! Yes, please enter me in the Contest. I have not read any of Julie's books up to this time, but I truly hope to rectify that soon. Thank-you for the opportunity of having a chance to win. Take care, and, God Bless, In Him, Brenda Hurley
    brennie7@hotmail.com

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  10. I've never read any of Julie Lessman's books as I just discovered her this weekend. I would love to with the book "A Light In The Window". Thanks for this chance to win.

    Laura Wilson
    laura@unforsaken.ca

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  11. I read A Hope Undaunted and A Heart Revealed and can't wait to read the rest of series. I have all of Julie's books on my wish list.

    Sheared on FB
    https://www.facebook.com/#!/brenda.b.hill.3/posts/467498289967426
    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  12. I haven't read any of Her books yet,but I am definitely going to put this book on my list of books I want to read!

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  13. I LOVE her books!!! tammyredd@gmail.com

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  14. I have read them all....one of my favorite authors.....

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  15. I had never heard of Julie an dher books before I read your review. After reading it though I sure would love to read her book
    A Light In The Window. Would love to win it.
    CherylB1987@hotmail.com

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  16. You're going to make me pick a favorite!! ?? I would have to say A Passion Most Pure because it got me started on her books. LOVE her books! :) Thanks for the review, I look forward to reading this one!

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  17. I have not read any of Lessman's books but this one looks good.

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  18. I'm all caught up on my Julie Lessman "fix" except her very latest...it's next up, though! I love her style and look forward to each and every one. Thanks for the chance to win. Hope Undaunted is my favorite, I believe.

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  19. I have to be honest, I have not read any of Julie's book but after this review I plan to. Great review.

    Cathy Weber
    Cdweber20@hotmail.com

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  20. I have read A Hope Undaunted and I look forward to reading more of her books :)

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  21. I definitely want to read this book!!! please pick me! :)
    Rhonda
    rhonda_nash_hall@comcast.net

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  22. I would love to win!!!

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  23. Just reading "A Love Surrendered" now. It's SO GOOD and going by too fast :( so I'd love to win this one.

    Cheers,
    Sue
    sbmason at sympatico dot ca

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  24. I love reading Julie's books and would so love to win "A Light in the window." I believe I read some where that this is her beautiful daughter on the cover??? Please put my name in the drawing. Blessings! Darlene

    spangldlday[at]gmail[dot]com

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  25. I've read all of her books so far(except A Love Surrendered and A Light in the Window) and I love them all! My favorite was A Love Revealed because I connected with Emma a lot.

    marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com

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  26. I've read all of Julie's books except for this prequel. It's hard to pick a favorite since I loved them all. Perhaps, if I must, I'd choose A Passion Most Pure since that started the wonderful story of the O'Connor family.

    pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

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  27. I haven't ever read any of her books. But I love Christmas fiction so this one looks very intriguing.

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  28. I have not ready any of Julie's books. But now that I have found her, I am looking forward to reading them. Love the cover on your new book! Angie in Illinois, angadair at nwcable dot net

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  29. Julie's books are fantastics. I loved the Winds of Change books and am excited to read the prequel.

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  30. I have a Hope Undaunted on our Kindle at the moment!

    Jes
    jswaks at gmail dot com

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