I can remember when I was younger , I had a pen pal who lived in Scotland. I looked forward to his letters and read them over and over. It was like having a friend you hoped to see one day but until then you got to hear about their country. Phoebe is a sweet and kind woman. Something has happened to make Phoebe and her son Malachi come to live with her overbearing aunt. Oh I didn't like the aunt at all and wanted Phoebe to leave her as soon as she could.
When the mail is delivered one day, Phoebe notices that she has gotten mail not belonging to her. She writes to the gentleman named Jason . Now I don't believe in coincidences so I believe Phoebe was suppose to get that letter. They soon start writing to each other, but there are secrets between them. I loved how the author slowly developed their friendship . Will it turn into something stronger? I cheered when Jalon decided to go see why Phoebe had stopped writing so suddenly. It made me think of a knight in shining armor. Phoebe sure could use one in her life. I loved how Jalon stood up to Phoebe's crabby old aunt when he saw how Phoebe was being treated by her.
With nowhere else to go, Jalon takes Phoebe and her son to his farm. It's funny how their letter writing had turned into perhaps something more. It must have felt uncomfortable for Phoebe to go to someone's house she didn't really know well. What would you do if you needed to escape from a bad situation? I was quite surprised at the anger that Jalon showed when Malachi had disobeyed and put himself in danger. Was he angry at Malachi for not listening? Did he blame Phoebe for not watching her child better? Or was his anger directed at something else going on in his life?
Phoebe and Jalon have done things they regret and they have let themselves feel ashamed and not knowing how to forgive themselves. It seems it is easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves. Do you think it is our pride that won't let us forgive ourselves? I loved when the author talked about worry. I'm so guilty of worrying about everything. Jolen and Phoebe are struggling with the same thing. "Worry was about living in the future and not the present. If we're focused on each day and not fretting about tomorrow, we won't worry."
I have fallen in with Malachi. He is a dear boy who is looking for acceptance and someone to tell him how important he is. Have you ever felt that you couldn't do anything right? The author has created characters that are easy to relate to. Their story is emotional and it shows that we all make mistakes, but we can't let the enemy use it to beat us up. I have enjoyed this story so much and have fallen in love with the characters. Wouldn't it be nice to see letter writing become something we do again? You never know when you may find a new friend. I'm looking forward to the next book in this enchanting story. I'm hoping to learn more about Karen and Adam.
I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild. The review is my own opinion.
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