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hannnahk's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5 :)
I truly loved this book with all my heart. It taught me to wait on the Lord and look for his guidance in all things. Love, life, family, friends ….. the list is never ending. However we are able to cling to His promise that He will never leave us and His timing is perfect.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine , according to his power that is at work within us to him be the glory
-Ephesians 3:20-21a
I truly loved this book with all my heart. It taught me to wait on the Lord and look for his guidance in all things. Love, life, family, friends ….. the list is never ending. However we are able to cling to His promise that He will never leave us and His timing is perfect.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine , according to his power that is at work within us to him be the glory
-Ephesians 3:20-21a
ellei's review
challenging
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
wynnnie's review
3.5
I feel like I can’t accurately rate this book, because it’s a big nostalgia re-read.
In fact, this was probably the book that got me into reading Christian Romance Fiction. This was very influential for smol teen Gorg. I remember it very distinctly.
Basically, I saw a thing about hockey (probably with the Olympics or something? Not super sure) earlier today, and remembered this book. Thought I’d give it another read.
Suffice to say, this book definitely reads differently as an adult.
Being 31 and still single actually has perspective now! Wow!
Very American, can be a little bit cringy and unrelatable in that sense. For instance, can’t say I’ll be running over any squirrels. Or doing Thanksgiving. You know. The basic American cliches. But it was also.. adult? As a teen, it was super scandalous to me some of the things that the main character Kate would do (UNCHAPERONED AT A MALES RESIDENCE!? KISSING!?). And there are some freaky coincidences in thoughts that I’ve had and conversations that I’ve had in the writing. I also don’t think I’ll ever refer to somebody as a “hunk” or “hottie”. Ever.
Good book about trusting Gods plans and asking for guidance during these things, etc.
But yeah! Definitely read for the nostalgia. Maybe one day I’ll find myself a tall, dark, brooding & handsome National Hockey League legend. But not until I’m at least 31. 31 is clearly the prime time.
I’m safe.
For now.
In fact, this was probably the book that got me into reading Christian Romance Fiction. This was very influential for smol teen Gorg. I remember it very distinctly.
Basically, I saw a thing about hockey (probably with the Olympics or something? Not super sure) earlier today, and remembered this book. Thought I’d give it another read.
Suffice to say, this book definitely reads differently as an adult.
Being 31 and still single actually has perspective now! Wow!
Very American, can be a little bit cringy and unrelatable in that sense. For instance, can’t say I’ll be running over any squirrels. Or doing Thanksgiving. You know. The basic American cliches. But it was also.. adult? As a teen, it was super scandalous to me some of the things that the main character Kate would do (UNCHAPERONED AT A MALES RESIDENCE!? KISSING!?). And there are some freaky coincidences in thoughts that I’ve had and conversations that I’ve had in the writing. I also don’t think I’ll ever refer to somebody as a “hunk” or “hottie”. Ever.
Good book about trusting Gods plans and asking for guidance during these things, etc.
But yeah! Definitely read for the nostalgia. Maybe one day I’ll find myself a tall, dark, brooding & handsome National Hockey League legend. But not until I’m at least 31. 31 is clearly the prime time.
I’m safe.
For now.
dillonja's review
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of my favorite books!
hannahnana73's review
5.0
Rating - 4.5 stars
Wow. This was just what I needed. Hilarious. Yet loaded with grief and emotion. And choosing the right path. Kate - her persistence was... annoying? nah. endearing? cute? definitely. hilarious too. those poker games
Wow. This was just what I needed. Hilarious. Yet loaded with grief and emotion. And choosing the right path. Kate - her persistence was... annoying? nah. endearing? cute? definitely. hilarious too. those poker games
kvreadsandrecs's review
3.0
The first third of the book was rough to get through. I really don't like instalove. It's just not realistic. I liked the characters for how real they seemed, though. These are just a couple of normal people. So Matt gets drunk one night. They play poker once a week. That's what real people do and I appreciate Becky Wade's addition of this. I could have had a little less of the descriptor "hottie" for Matt, but you take what you can get. I liked it.
sparksofember's review
2.0
I liked My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade more than I did the other book I’ve read by her. The entire story was more fleshed out, especially with the gaggle of side-characters. I loved the grandmother and her group of friends – their humor, their spunk – even the little romance between two of them. I liked Kate a lot – her job as a social worker reminded me of my husband’s work so she had my instant empathy. And Matt was an interesting character with understandable wounds. When I first read the book, I had recently been introduced to hockey and so I found the hockey aspect interesting, too.
Things were a little hot and heavy in the romance department. Not as severe as in my previous review but most of their dates consisted of going to Matt’s house and, again, I just felt like they didn’t have many qualms about putting themselves in temptation’s way. There was a married woman who thought Matt was “hot” and went out of her way to mention it every. single. scene. It didn’t bother me the first time but I didn’t need to be reminded constantly. There was also a fixation on name brands to describe what everyone wore. It worked but I feel it will date the book quickly and it also just annoyed me as I couldn’t care less what brand something is. I’d rather know someone was wearing a polo than Abercrombie.
I have seen a few reviews upset that the grandmother and her senior friends had a weekly poker game. The gambling was all in fun and extremely low-key so it didn’t bother me at all. The only cursing I noticed was by Matt in the beginning when he had fallen away from his faith, was extremely frustrated by something (like hitting his thumb with a hammer) and “cursed under his breath”. He was also the only one who did any drinking, which I don’t think is wrong anyway, although he did do it to purposely get drunk and numb his pains (again, though, he was fallen away and struggling with his faith at the time).
Which brings me to the only real issue I had with the book. The things above were small enough for me to ignore, especially as they were more personal taste than anything. But the faith aspect… See, Kate prays a lot in the book. Like a lot a lot. She prays for a husband, she prays for Matt’s healing – which was awesome and written very naturally since she’s a Christian with a strong faith. But then she hears God’s voice. Which – okay – sometimes God does speak to us that way. Though I’m more one to also cling to scripture and the leanings of the Spirit – a combination of factors to be sure I am in God’s will. But she hears His voice and because she’s so full of faith (as she has been pretty much the entire book) she cries and then obeys. And then she immediately proceeds to have a pouty-whiny fit over it. In the space of two pages she goes from a strong picture of unwavering faith to instant, “Are you happy God? You got Your way, I did what You asked and now I’m going to sulk about it.” Which could have worked and been a strong growing moment for her – but it was too fast and then she got over it too instantly and the reasons for the entire obedience/sulk situation never made any sense to me anyway. (Spoilery explanation The entire situation just felt manufactured to me to rush the ending.
Things were a little hot and heavy in the romance department. Not as severe as in my previous review but most of their dates consisted of going to Matt’s house and, again, I just felt like they didn’t have many qualms about putting themselves in temptation’s way. There was a married woman who thought Matt was “hot” and went out of her way to mention it every. single. scene. It didn’t bother me the first time but I didn’t need to be reminded constantly. There was also a fixation on name brands to describe what everyone wore. It worked but I feel it will date the book quickly and it also just annoyed me as I couldn’t care less what brand something is. I’d rather know someone was wearing a polo than Abercrombie.
I have seen a few reviews upset that the grandmother and her senior friends had a weekly poker game. The gambling was all in fun and extremely low-key so it didn’t bother me at all. The only cursing I noticed was by Matt in the beginning when he had fallen away from his faith, was extremely frustrated by something (like hitting his thumb with a hammer) and “cursed under his breath”. He was also the only one who did any drinking, which I don’t think is wrong anyway, although he did do it to purposely get drunk and numb his pains (again, though, he was fallen away and struggling with his faith at the time).
Which brings me to the only real issue I had with the book. The things above were small enough for me to ignore, especially as they were more personal taste than anything. But the faith aspect… See, Kate prays a lot in the book. Like a lot a lot. She prays for a husband, she prays for Matt’s healing – which was awesome and written very naturally since she’s a Christian with a strong faith. But then she hears God’s voice. Which – okay – sometimes God does speak to us that way. Though I’m more one to also cling to scripture and the leanings of the Spirit – a combination of factors to be sure I am in God’s will. But she hears His voice and because she’s so full of faith (as she has been pretty much the entire book) she cries and then obeys. And then she immediately proceeds to have a pouty-whiny fit over it. In the space of two pages she goes from a strong picture of unwavering faith to instant, “Are you happy God? You got Your way, I did what You asked and now I’m going to sulk about it.” Which could have worked and been a strong growing moment for her – but it was too fast and then she got over it too instantly and the reasons for the entire obedience/sulk situation never made any sense to me anyway. (Spoilery explanation
Spoiler
So God’s purpose for Matt is to play hockey but for no sensible reason he won’t so God tells Kate to dump him, and she goes home to have a fit that God handed her the perfect man and then took him away, while Matt goes back to hockey and then Matt shows up to beg her to take him back and God tells Kate, “Yes” now that Matt is back in hockey? Huh?)jackiehorne's review
2.0
Writing and characters: 4; Ideology: 0 Again, a bust in the quest to find a feminist Inspirational Romance. Really enjoyed the hero and heroine, but truly disliked the way that God not only tells the heroine what to do and to think, but that she tells the hero what God wants him to do and think (which to this jaded reader comes across as the heroine justifying her own actions and decisions by assigning them to a higher power). That the hero has to go back to his high-powered pro hockey career, while the heroine pretty much gives up her own work also didn't sit well, either, even if the text provides justifications for both decisions.
Wonder if any of the other RITA-nominated Inspirational romances will prove any less irritating to my feminist sensibilities?
Wonder if any of the other RITA-nominated Inspirational romances will prove any less irritating to my feminist sensibilities?
julie_campbell's review
5.0
I love books like this! The characters were believable & the story was so good. - a perfect beach read! I read the entire thing in one evening.
flowersofquiethappiness's review against another edition
5.0
This is such a sweet romance. Kate and Matt have incredible chemistry! Although Kate's the only one who will admit to it. Matt is all deny, deny, deny. But his pain after losing his wife to cancer is hard to get over, which is understandable. Alas Kate doesn't give up and their journey to each other is cute and fun! One of my favorites to read again and again! :)