My Stubborn Heart

Title: My Stubborn Heart
Author: Becky Wade
Labels: Fiction | Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Recommended To: Women, Adult
Contains: Occasional mention of female appropriate things.

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance, takes a leave of absence from her job as a social worker, and the two of them set off. 
          Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man her grandmother has hired to renovate the house. From the first moment
she meets Matt, Kate can't help but be attracted to him--he's got a combination of good looks and charisma that draw and tug at her. But she knows there's zero chance of a romance between them. Matt's in love with his dead wife, and even if he weren't, Kate realizes that she's way too ordinary for him. For Matt Jarreau is no ordinary guy. Kate discovers that he was once a great NHL hockey player who left the sport when his wife--an honest-to-goodness former Miss America--was diagnosed with brain cancer. Matt's been hiding from people, from God, and from his past ever since. Yet Kate is absolutely determined to befriend him, to try to reach him, to help him in some small way. 
          No, Kate's not looking for love. She knows better than that by now. But when the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed?
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         I don't know what it is, but lately, I've been running into some incredibly talented authors--not to mention that they're debut authors! First it was Katie Ganshert, and now Becky Wade... Anyway, My Stubborn Heart has flown to the very top of my favorites list in the couple of days it took me to read it.

          Normally, I don't really go for the books with lead male characters who are ridiculously good looking....but I felt like it worked for this book. Not entirely sure why, but it did. The whole dark and brooding thing worked for Matt too--at least in my opinion. Wade's descriptions are vivid and imaginative, and the characters and story felt realistic. The book was funny, cute, and at one point almost (note *almost* :p) had me crying.

          The only thing that seemed slightly awkward was the repeated reference to people having "the hots" for other people. I'm still trying to figure out what that even means. Other than that I thought the book was good...really good. The cover is absolutely fantastic! I especially liked that despite the fact that Kate loved Matt and wanted things to work out so badly between them, she was willing to follow God's will even if it took her in the opposite direction.

          I'm eagerly awaiting Wade's next book. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.