My Stubborn Heart (edition 2012)

A Great Romance!

I really liked this book. I loved the characters of Matt and Kate. Both are struggling in their own way. This is a story of deep hurt and loss, broken relationships, and a loss of faith in God.

Does God put certain people in our path to help our healing from a loss and deep hurt? Does he care about us if we have broken relationships? Can God restore our faith through love, caring, and just being there for another person?

I really bonded with Matt and Kate and was a cheerleader for them. I held my breath when things weren't going the way I wanted them to. I laughed and smiled too with other loveable characters in this book. I will admit toward the end I cried. This book really touched me.

Even though this was the authors debut book I must admit I read her second book, Undeniably Yours, first. Undeniably Yours was also a 5 star book for me. I am so looking forward to this author's next book. ( )

Becky Wade released her debut novel My Stubborn Heart this past May and I had the privileged of getting my hands on a copy. This is a fun contemporary romance novel. I usually don't read a novel that is strictly romance, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. Kate Donovan is a great girl who just hasn't succeeded with finding love in a relationship. But when she agrees to take time off of her job to go help her grandmother restore an old house that her grandma grew up it, she meets someone who is as stubborn as she is. Matt Jarreau is quite a catch but isn't looking for love since tragedy has left his heart with scars. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens b/c I'm not spoiling anyone's fun here.
This was such a fun book to read! I would encourage you to pick up a copy and read it for yourself. I'll definitely be looking up her new novel releasing in May 2013 called Undeniably Yours.

** I received this free book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Withering under a load of burn out, Kate Donovan agrees to accompany her grandmother to Pennsylvania and spend a few months restoring the old house that her grandmother grew up in. Matt Jarreau, the handsome man her grandmother hired to renovate the house, is a loner. When Kate's innocent attempts at friendship with him are rebuffed, her stubborn heart refuses to let her stop reaching out. As tension grows between Kate and Matt, so does something else. A love that leads them to a greater revelation of God's love for them. As they both face career decisions and the pain of Matt's past, only a love stronger than themselves will be able to hold them together. Can they accept God's will? Or must they sacrifice their hope and love?

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade far exceeded my expectations. From the explanatory, yet intriguing prologue, I was hooked on the story line. I would love to see this book made into a movie. To me, it has has all the great elements: authentic characters complete with flaws and pain, a strong mysterious male, romantic tension between the two main characters, personal tension internal to each character, and redemptive love. Kate essentially sums up the theme of the book during a conversation with Matt: “He [God] never promised us that we wouldn't suffer. But He's too good just not to redeem it. And He does promise us that He won't leave us. That He'll be with us through the worst. That He loves us.” (Page 180) This theme, woven into both the plot and characters, is strong enough to touch the reader's heart. My Stubborn Heart is one of the best books I've read this year and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys romantic fiction. I'll definitely be looking forward to more books by Becky Wade!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." ( )

"There once was a girl who'd been praying for a husband since the fourth grade." This opening sentence hinted that this was going to be one charming read. I knew I was in for a treat and I was entranced by the whole story.

Kate Donovan's character was sweet, charming and cute, but wasn't lucky in the husband department. She longed for a home and family, but was really wondering if that wasn't God's plan for her. She was a character I really enjoyed.

Matt Jarreau was a famous hockey player that only wanted to be left alone. He had suffered a terrible tragedy and kept to himself. He didn't socialize and only went to his job and back home - content to be alone. There were times Matt really tugged at my heart.

As these two get stuck together, the struggle to connect/not connect is humorous and touching. I found myself involved in their situation and sometimes I became frustrated then absolutely thrilled at other times. As this story unfolded, I found myself enchanted by the characters and their situations.

If you love heartwarming romances, makes sure to add "My Stubborn Heart" to your must read list. This contemporary Christian romance will leave you feeling warm and satisfied! ( )

Recently, I received the book My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade It is a 352 page light-hearted contemporary Christian romance novel from Bethany House Publishers.

The main female character is Kate Donovan. She is burned out with her job as a social worker following a tragedy and she’s down on her luck in the romance department. he wants to be married and have a family, but in the past has made some bad choices in the men she dates. She comes to Redbud, Pennsylvania with her grandmother to recharge and help her grandmother restore the house she grew up in. She meets Matt Jarreau, the contractor hired by her grandmother, and is immediately attracted to hi. Matt was once a well known and celebrated hockey player in the NHL. He left that world behind when his wife died of cancer. Matt is wounded and is hiding from the world and hiding from God, whom he has lost faith in.

Kate is drawn to Matt and feels that the Lord is urging her to help him heal his wounds and move on with his life. Will Kate’s stubborn determination to pull him out of his grief work? Will Matt be able to trust and open his heart again?
My Thoughts on My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

The main characters of My Stubborn Heart are true to life and I was really drawn into the story. Becky Wade’s writing if fun and the plot line is well crafted. I loved the secondary characters (the “girls”, her grandmother’s friends) and the secondary plots were fun. But, would I recommend this book to others? The honest answer is that it would depend on the reader. While I loved the characters and plot, it was awfully worldly for a Christian novel. I had quite a few issues with the book’s content. I’ll share them so you can make up your own mind on whether or not to read My Stubborn Heart.

There is a preoccupation with all the women in the book about how “hot” Matt is. There are very few discussions between the female characters about him where his “hotness” is not at least mentioned. I found this a bit disturbing, especially because My Stubborn Heart is a Christian novel. I found it a bit offensive, as even the married women were constantly discussing his “hotness”. One married woman even said that if Matt ever asked her out that she had her husband’s permission to date him. Even joking around, adultery is not funny. Matthew 5:28 says, “but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” This is certainly true for both men AND women.

A preoccupation with appearances seemed to be a main theme among all the characters. Some of the descriptions running through the characters thoughts were also a bit uncomfortable and offensive, especially in a Christian novel. Matt’s description of the kind of girls he’d been attracted to in the past was “the kind of girls in Budweiser ads. Blond, big curves on top, mile-long legs.” I found this sort of physical description offensive and uncalled for in a Christian novel.

Another annoying thing was the author’s habit of tossing in brand name placement ads. It got to the point where I seriously started wondering if the author was getting kick-backs from all these companies she kept mentioning. When describing a person’s clothing, brand names were nearly always tossed in.

I also found that the Christian characters all felt too “worldly”. They gambles, playing poker for money. This wasn’t just once, but an every Friday event described multiple times in the book. Kate dates a casual drinker, while Matt purposely sets out to get drunk. Not to mention several instances of mild cursing. All of these things topped with the apparent obsession with appearances gave this Christian novel a bit too much worldliness.

The final issue I had with My Stubborn Heart is that the faith element felt like an after thought. My Stubborn Heart really felt more like a secular romance novel that someone decided to try to sell to the Christian market.

Overall, I think Becky Wade is a fine writer, but I would like to see her write a less worldly Christian novel in the future. After reading My Stubborn Heart, while I liked the characters and plot, I don’t know if I’d choose another book by this author.

NOTICE: Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this item free from the creator. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ( )