Review - A Stitch and a Prayer

A Stitch and a Prayer
Quilts of Love Series
by Eva Gibson
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Pub. Date: May 20, 2014
ASIN: 978-1426772528
Pages: 224
Buy Link: Paperback
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/egibson

Review:

It seems like I've been reading a book in the Quilts of Love Series every other month. Each book is written by a different author, but every plot has something to do with a quilt or quilting in general. While some titles have been better than others, I have enjoyed reading all of them.

The newest installment, A Stitch and a Prayer, is written by Eva Gibson and is set in Oregon in 1899. The book centers on a newly married couple, Will and Florence Harms. They had gotten married after Will had returned from the Klondike Gold rush. Their future seemed to be bright until the day Will went missing, leaving behind only a note, which stated that Will hated good-byes and that he promised to write a letter as soon as he could.

Florence is devastated by her husband's actions and wonders what has happened to him. Without knowing the truth, both fear and anxiety rushes over her. Did she do something to push her husband away? Was Will running away from something or someone? All these questions filled her mind, but she had no way to answer them.

To take her mind off Will's disappearance, Florence decides to put all of her emotions into a quilt, putting love and hope into each and every stitch.

I am finding every book in the Quilts of Love Series to be fast-paced books, all under 250 pages, and A Stitch and a Prayer continues that tradition. While the author has set up an decent mystery and emotional drama for the main character, Florence, and I thought the book was a little flat and rushed. While there were a few other minor characters, like Aunt Amelia, Tilly and Faye, there could have been other characters with a few subplots. My favorite genre is historical fiction, but I never felt like the book was actually set in 1899. Overall, I thought the main premise of A Stitch and a Prayer was interesting, but for me the book just didn't flow very well.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.



About the Author:

Eva Gibson is the author of twenty books, including The Gift of Forgiveness and The Three Marys. She currently teaches "writing your life story" classes for Portland Community College and is an active member of Oregon Christian Writers. She has lived most of her life on the family farm in Wilsonville, Oregon, which is the setting for A Stitch and a Prayer.