REVIEW = Loves Providence by Jennifer Westall

Love's Providence by Jennifer H. Westall
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Source: Received electronic copy for review
Genre: Contemporary YA Christian romance

Book Description:  Collegiate athlete Lily Brennon has always been the piece that doesn’t quite fit in the puzzle, especially in her fragmented family, and no amount of rule-following perfection seems to bring her any closer to the love and acceptance she desperately seeks. If not for Jackson Carter, her childhood best friend and the only boy she’s ever loved, she’s sure she would have run away years ago. But when Jackson loses his father and a future basketball career within months of each other, his faith is so shattered, he shuts out everyone, including Lily.

After months of heartache, Lily begins to piece together a life without Jackson, and while vacationing on a beautiful island off the Georgia coast, she begins a long-distance romance with Alex Walker, a police officer with a quick wit and a cocky grin. He revives her hope in love again, but their intense attraction and his devastating secret test Lily’s values, stretching them until they break. Through her struggles to remain true to her principles, an agonizing choice between Alex and Jackson, and a series of terrifying events that threaten all of them, Lily must endure losing everything she’s been grasping so tightly. Only then will she discover the depth of the love that already surrounds her.

My thoughts:  Lily is the main character in the book. Her story begins as her boyfriend and best friend decides to end the relationship. He is struggling with personal trauma and emotionally withdraws from life.

Heartbroken, she takes a trip with her family to an island for the summer. Her she meets Alex. He is a handsome police officer with an attitude. It doesn't take long for sparks to fly and the relationship to progress father than Lily was prepared for.

Lurking in the background is her feelings for Jackson, the boyfriend. She can't seem to let go, and yet she is ready to move on. It doesn't take long for Jackson to realize he has made a terrible mistake.

The story revolves around Lily and her struggle to figure out what she wants in her life. Her Christian values are strongly shaken by Alex. I could see how he got her to let down her guard a little bit at a time to get what he wanted from her. I could understand his side of the story, it's not that he was a bad person, just had a different set of values.

This is a well thought out book. While morals are compromised, it gives little detail to the events.
I would recommend this book to a more mature YA reader.

The  book is 99 cents on Kindle!
 

This review should have been attached to the blog tour post yesterday.  I didn't finish the book at that time, but I finished in today while waiting for my husband to be released from the hospital.  He just got home and I am very relieved to be back in my own space.  Thanks to all of your prayers.  It has helped immensely.

There is an ebook giveaway associated with the book.  You can go to my original post for the blog tour and enter on the rafflecopter.  The link is ....  HERE.