BOOK REVIEW: ONE PERFECT SPRING by Irene Hannon

ONE PERFECT SPRING

Irene Hannon

Claire Summers is a determined, independent single mother who is doing her best to make lemonade out of the lemons life has handed her. Keith Watson is a results-oriented workaholic with no time for a social life. As the executive assistant to a local philanthropic businessman, he’s used to fielding requests for donations. But when a letter from Claire’s eleven-year-old daughter reaches his desk, everything changes. 

The girl isn’t asking for money, but for help finding the long-lost son of an elderly neighbour.
As Keith digs reluctantly into this complicated assignment, he has no idea how intertwined his life and Claire’s will become–nor how one little girl’s kindhearted request will touch so many lives and reap so many blessings.
Through compelling characters and surprising plot twists, Irene Hannon offers readers this tenderhearted story of family connections that demonstrates how life is like lilacs–the biggest blooms often come only after the harshest winters.        ~ publisher

Publisher: Revell Published: May 6.2014 Length: pb 380 pgs | kindle 368
* MY THOUGHTS?

Contemporary story revealing poignancy of past regrets and the miracles of restoration that result from one eleven year old girl's letter of compassion for her neighbour.  One perfect spring pastime. 

Timed with spring's arrival of lilacs after a record breaking severe winter, I was delighted to read lilacs have the biggest blooms after just such a winter - picturing the overall theme of the novel.

The distractions and disturbing interruptions of the life these characters would choose, work their own results and more fragrant bouquets in the end.  Serious life issues encountered by each of the main characters - from 11 year old Haley, daughter to single mom and teacher, Claire, working to renovate an aging home rather than paying rent; middle aged neighbour, Maureen, having recently battled cancer and carrying inner regrets of earlier life decisions; influential philanthropic business owner, David, having lost his wife and working to regain an adult daughter he'd lost in the process of building his wealth; and Keith.  Employee of David's and current charitable project manager, who is struggling with memories of rejection by his birth mother and her various drug dependent alliances.

Quite the tableau into which Ms Hannon immerses readers.  One that kept both my fascination and curiosity piqued.  Development of the dual relationships were unique and authentic to their ages.  Haley was a treasure to story and reader alike.  Sugar, sweetness and bringer of light into many lives, Ms Hannon captivates readers with the charm of this child.

The issues are resolved in various degrees and outcomes, not all as anyone would hope, but realistic to life in sorrows and joys enough to relieve and reassure of life's worth.

A beautifully romantic book that would make an ideal movie!
Ms Hannon is a welcome addition to my library. 
I definitely recommend
ONE PERFECT SPRING for your spring/summer reading.

* Author Bio:

Irene Hannon, who writes both romance and romantic suspense, is the author of more than 45 novels. Her books have been honoured with two coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romantic fiction), a National Readers' Choice Award, a HOLT Medallion, a Daphne du Maurier Award, a Retailers Choice Award and two Reviewers' Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. 

A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full time. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, long walks, cooking, gardening, travelling and spending time with family. She and her husband make their home in Missouri.

To learn more about Irene and her books, visit irenehannon.

Follow @IreneHannon on twitter

Like and follow Irene's FB page

Fan, friend and follow Irene on Goodreads 

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*Appreciation to Revell for providing an ecopy to read for review without cost or obligation.

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SONGS ON SUNDAYS: NO SACRIFICE by Jason Upton 1.6.14

Perfect beginning for June with 

SONGS on SUNDAYS !

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We look forward to discovering your selections

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You're invited to leave links to your 

post in comments so we can stop by to share

your music choices with you!

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Today FHC shares 

what may be an introduction to many,

Jason Upton,

a unique musical artisan and worshipper

with a beautiful piece ~

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NO SACRIFICE

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* Thank You for being part of   #SONGSonSUNDAYS !

* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Connect with FHC online:   @_eHope - Goodreads - Facebook  
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SHARED WITH ~
-GIVE ME GRACE-

SPRING: HOPE's DIVINE POSSIBILITY 23.4.14

In the Hebrew scriptures the promise of God's abundance is often conceived of
as blossoming in the desert.
In that harsh landscape, a flower bursting forth from the dry land is a symbol of
divine generosity, fruitfulness, and hope.   * #Hope is a stance of radical openness to the God of newness and #possibility. {tweetable}
* When we #hope, we acknowledge that God has an imagination far more expansive than we do. {tweetable}
* The fertility of spring speaks of an abundantly creative God who is at the source of the potent life force beating at the heart of the world. Created in God's image, we are called to participate in this generous creativity ourselves. Our own blossoming leads us to share our gifts in service to others. * Take time this week to meditate with gratitude on a flower, appreciating all of its qualities of beauty, how it simply is what it was created to be. Allow yourself to fill with joyful gratitude for the gifts of the earth. Open yourself to experience the fullness of this flower and all of the ways God delights in the beauty of blossoms.

Then shift your focus from the flower to yourself. Take this sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of the flower and imagine how God gazes with delight on the beauty of who you are.
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What aspects of your being can you imagine God relishing? What are the longings inside of you God is asking you to embrace?[Tweet]

Rest in this awareness of the joy and delight of God in your own beautiful blossoming for several minutes. Notice what new longings it stirs in you.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.~Marcel Proust [Tweet]

Perhaps you'd like to share your exploration and discoveries.
Please accept this as your personal Invitation to Poetry and/or Photography .

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With April comes a new Invitation for Contemplation. In the northern hemisphere, spring is slowly arriving with birdsong and blooming. Wherever we live on this beautiful planet, we can tend to the flowering that happens within after a season of fallowness. The outer seasons become a mirror for our inner experience.
The text with which we are praying this month is from the Hebrew wisdom book the
Song of Songs, which the ancient rabbis called "the holy of holies."
"Arise and bloom" is our theme,
tending to the ways our hearts and souls are breaking forth into blossom
after a season of fallowness and stillness.

I invite you to set aside some time this week to pray with the text below.  See these Lectio Divina guidelines.

Lean into silence, pray the text, listen to what shimmers, allow the images and memories to unfold, tend to the invitation, and then sit in stillness.

For see, the winter is past,

the rains are over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth,

the time of pruning the vines has come,

and the song of the dove is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.

Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,

and come!   —Song of Songs 2:11-13

After you have prayed with the text (and feel free to pray with it more than once – 

St. Ignatius wrote about the deep value of repetition in prayer, especially when something feels particularly rich) spend some time journaling what insights arise for you.

~ from  Christine Valters Paintner -
  Abbey of the Arts *

* Find and follow FHC online:
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SHARED WITH ~
- HollyGerth -
- Thought Provoking Thursday -
- Essential Fridays -
- Make a Difference Mondays - - Woman to Woman -
- Hope in Every Season -
- Faith Filled Friday -
- Sunday Community -
- Weekend Brew -

- Natasha in Oz Say G'day -

LECTIO DIVINA: CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER 15.4.14

How to Practice Lectio Divina 
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First Movement – Lectio: Settling & Shimmering
Begin by finding a comfortable position where you can remain alert and yet also relax your body. Bring your attention to your breath and allow a few moments to become centered. If you find yourself distracted at any time, gently return to the rhythm of your breath as an anchor for your awareness. Allow yourself to  settle into this moment and become fully present.  Read your selected scripture passage or other sacred text once or twice through slowly and listen for a word or phrase that feels significant right now, is capturing your attention even if you don’t know why.  Gently repeat this word to yourself in the silence.  * Second Movement – Meditatio: Savoring & Stirring 
Read the text again and then allow the word or phrase which caught your attention in the first movement  to spark your imagination. Savor the word or phrase with all of your senses, notice what smells, sounds,  tastes, sights, and feelings are evoked. Then listen for what images, feelings, and memories are stirring, welcoming them in,
and then savoring and resting into this experience.  *
Third Movement – Oratio: Summoning & Serving
Read the text a third time and then listen for an invitation rising up from your experience of prayer so far.  Considering the word or phrase and what it has evoked for you in memory, image, or feeling, what is the invitation?  This invitation may be a summons toward a new awareness or action. 
* Fourth Movement – Contemplatio: Slowing & Stilling 
Move into a time for simply resting in God and allowing your heart to fill with gratitude for God’s presence in this time of prayer. Slow your thoughts and reflections even further and sink into the experience of stillness. Rest in the presence of God and allow yourself to simply be. Rest here for several  minutes. Return to your breath if you find yourself distracted.  * Closing 
Gently connect with your breath again and slowly bring your awareness back to the room, moving from inner experience to outer experience. Give yourself some time of transition between these moments of contemplative depth and your everyday life.  Consider taking a few minutes to
journal about what you experienced in your prayer. 

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© Christine Valters Paintner – excerpted from Lectio Divina—
The Sacred Art: Transforming Words and Images into Heart-Centered Prayer
(SkyLight Paths Publishing)
– feel free to share this with attribution  www.AbbeyoftheArts.com

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SONGS ON SUNDAYS: FREEDOM REIGNS with RITA SPRINGER 6.4.14

WELCOME to SONGS on SUNDAYS!
5th Sunday during Lent [*Sundays are not counted in days of Lent as they are celebration days]
A beautiful time to celebrate the Readings for today- definitely some favourites ~
[just click to read]

• Ezekiel 37:1-14  • 
 
• Psalm 130  • 
 
• Romans 8:6-11  • 
 
• John 11:1-45

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Feeling dry?  weary?
There is a Breath that restores life to dry bones Ezekiel 37.4-6

"Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones:I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live...and you shall know that I am the LORD." *

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His Word I Hope;

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*my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning,more than those who watch for the morning. " ~ 

Psalm 130.5

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Rich Rich Truths to nourish our spirit as we begin this new week.
Here is Rita Springer,
singing Canadian musician, Michael Larson's classic,
~ FREEDOM REIGNS IN THIS PLACE ~

Where the Spirit of the Lord is - there is Freedom...

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"...to set the mind on the Spirit is Life and Peace."
Romans 8.6

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~ Blessings on you today ~  
Be sure to add your Song post or link with a link back to 

#SONGSonSUNDAYS
Connecting us to one another - Many Thanks!

Thanks for sharing the music today !




Sharing the Lent journey with Lisa, Jacqui, and... you?
Welcome!

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Join us at the table whether GFC [bottom of page] or
Find and friend FHC online:   @_eHope - Goodreads - Facebook - Pinterest

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Tweet * Shared with ~
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LENT: Day 30 ASKING SEEKING Mt 7.7

* Pursuing . . . * Join Lisa , Jacqui and others on this Lenten Journey
by linking your own posts


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Tweet * WEEKEND SHARING WITH :
* ESSENTIAL FRIDAYS * STILL SATURDAY *

SONGS ON SUNDAYS: THE SAME LOVE by Paul Baloche ~ 23.3.14

Thank you for joining Songs on Sundays !

On this 19th day and 3rd Sunday of our Lenten journey, we celebrate  The Same Love - the Same God that is calling us all by name . . .

* Thank you, Paul Baloche, for reminding us of God's calling us to the cross ~ to Christ's death that makes all the difference in how we Live . . .

* #SONGSonSUNDAYS

soundtrack for our new week!
* Lisa and Jacqui are posting a photo with gratitude or scripture - a quote or insight - Companion with us by linking here and
Welcome to each of you who are joining us !
{ Nina, Louis, and Mascha posting with us this week }


* Find and follow FHC online:   @_eHope - Goodreads - Facebook - Pinterest


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You're most welcome to leave your  #SongsonSundays music link  for our return visit to you. Please include the FHC #SoS url in your post to enlarge the circle ~ Thank you!
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Posting this sweet photo of a country church for
 inSPIREd Sunday ~ nothing other than this invitation of hospitality
to share with you. In its simplicity, may we be reminded God's call to faith
is unencumbered ... Be. blessed.

 

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Tweet * Sharing with :
* Sunday Community * Inspire Me Monday *