Thank you in advance to the author, Mindy Obenhaus, along with JustRead Publicity tours for providing a complimentary copy of this book to review. A positive review was not requested or required. All words are my own.

Obenhaus is an author I’ve had the privilege of reading a previous novel of. That was the emotional “Her Rocky Mountain Hope” which was book #5 of the Rocky Mountain Heroes series. I enjoyed book #5 so much that I, with some difficulty, tracked down the previous four novels. And, while I haven’t read them – they are on the TBR list that for some of us readers; never ends.

This book had such a journey and history to me. The first copy never made it to me and is in transit somewhere as of this review. I did get a replacement, which made it. Talk about the message of God has his own plans …

Anyway …

There is SO much goodness in this novel it is hard to know where to start. I truly don’t. There is just a lot to love about this novel.

I LOVE stories set in Texas, preferably those in small towns; add in the SUPER-CUTE, absolutely ADORABLE cover with that baby (awww) … this is a perfect summer read. Okay, let me amend that – perfect ANYTIME read. Texas, babies, and cute guys? I’m in!

The characters were SO realistic that it was as if I knew these people. I definitely identified with Laurel the most, and that was surprising. I was born in Grand Prairie, Texas (and lived in the Dallas area for several years) so there is that connection. I also LOVED the Dallas Cowboys (and just recently found my t-shirt), I still drink Coke, I totally understand the rejection of a parent (father), and I have about the same feelings about dating. Most of the foods in chapter 15 are my favorites (except potato salad).

The Bluebell Ice Cream reference makes me miss it SO much and made me feel like I was at home. It definitely should be the official Ice Cream of Texas, and for a short time I had it in my area (praying for it to return someday). In addition, I grew up in and currently live in the Las Vegas, NV area. I especially loved the reference on pg. 107 about “what happens in Vegas” (with reference to the one-night-stand). Kudos and thank you to the author for that.

I was also raised by my mother and grandmother for several years. So it is VERY little surprise that I truly enjoyed Obenhaus’ realistic writing in this novel.

I adored how Wes wanted to jump right in and be a father to that cute little girl without hesitation. His attention and devotion to her was beautiful and endearing.

Obenhaus doesn’t make us wait too long to learn about Wes’ tragedy or the big reveal – most of this is done by the end of chapter 3. As the story progresses, it is sad to see that Wes doesn’t feel worthy of having his own family, culminating with the complete reveal in chapter 14. The fear of failure was definitely understandable.

The other characters were great in their own way. I did feel a bit overwhelmed with how many people were in the story. However, I definitely can’t wait to read their stories in this series. Since this is the first book of the series, it is obvious it is a standalone read, but I am sure it won’t remain that way.

The side story, of the work on Irma’s home, seemed to act as a metaphor for what was going on in Wes and Laurel’s lives.

Obenhaus also gives the reader two gut-wrenching stories for the price of one. So this is one of those “grab the tissues” and curl up kind of reads.

There was some stress of will/won’t he return for Laurel which was at times annoying, but completely understandable given the character’s past with her father. In addition, Wes’ conflict between doing humanitarian work in Iraq or staying close by for the baby was definitely nail-biting.

One thing that I wished had been addressed was the motive/reason for Laurel’s grandmother returning some letters. I wanted to know more about that to truly understand what happened, and where that story line was going.

Obenhaus’ writing is just beautiful – weaving at times a light-hearted and heart-warming tale, but adding in the realism of abandonment, death, and redemption. She isn’t shy when tackling them and knows how to tug at the heartstrings. I didn’t really want to put this book down. So, I am certain her fans and those of the genre would be delighted to read this latest offering. It is her tenth (10th) LOVE INSPIRED novel and what a treat it is.

Since it is “LOVE INSPIRED”; which is a more Christian/faith themed line; there will be references to God, faith, even bible quotes. This has some strong themes of faith, redemption, and forgiveness. The tone isn’t preachy, but this book does tend to go heavier than some. The message that Obenhaus delivers is that God is in control – he has a plan/purpose for all of us despite the pain and tragedies we go through. ( )

If you need a sweet romance, pick up A Father’s Promise by Mindy Obenhaus!

Wes Bishop may not have planned on a family, but finding out he has a daughter certainly changes all his plans. The mother of that daughter, Laurel Donovan, has been hurt in the past, so of course, she and Wes have plenty to work through to determine what their family will look like. Luckily, they just might get the second chance they need.

Obenhaus excels with small-town settings and charming characters, so I definitely enjoyed A Father’s Promise. It is the first of her new Bliss, Texas series, and I’m excited to see the other heartwarming romances of this town.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )