A PICTURE OF LOVE by BETH WISEMAN

I think this has to be my favorite story of all time from this  author. The emotions can be felt throughout the book and love is definitely in the air. Oh how I loved to reconnect with Lizzie and Esther again. These two sisters are quite remarkable. They have the biggest hearts and so want to help Naomi find love again. I laughed at their shenanigans which gave the story a feel of happiness. The love they have for Naomi is evident and even tell her they think of her as their granddaughter. I want to be part of their family and be surrounded by women like Esther and Lizzie. 

Naomi is such a sweet person which upset me knowing someone broke her heart.  Naomi does  her job everyday at the inn but you can see sadness on her face. It was nice to see how Esther and Lizzie encouraged Naomi not to give up on love. I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for Naomi. 

Amos is at the inn with his mother for a wedding but could it be that God brought him there for another reason? But there is a glance, a moment in time that Amos and Naomi’s eyes meet. That one glance had me squealing with glee. Their interest in painting helps them start to become friends. I loved reading how they would meet and paint together. The saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” kept coming to my mind as they shared their art with each other. The loneliness, hurt and pain was expressed by both and with it brought a sense of comfort. A painting can tell so much about a person and makes them vulnerable. That is exactly why I love this author so much. She is able to write a story where emotions pop off the pages and penetrate your heart. 

I have to mention Grumpy Old Gus. The poor man is so lonely that he hides behind his anger so no one will know how much he wants to be accepted. His story filled me with tears and I so wanted him to turn to God to heal his heart. It was nice to see Esther reach out to him and I was very intrigued with their unlikely friendship. Gus is someone  I hope to read more about. Sometimes love  is right there in front of you and you don’t even realize it. I have hopes that we will hear more about Gus and a certain woman in an upcoming book. 

The book is a lovely look at forgiveness, love, healing broken hearts and finding a way to move past hurt. The faith element in the story is just the right amount to show that God always has a plan for us. He wants to heal our hearts and wipe away our tears. He loves us unconditionally and wants a relationship with each of us. I found these beautiful words in the story and will end my review with it. 

“Sometimes a fresh start is the best way to move forward. And sometimes fixing what is broken is worth it.”

I received a copy of this book from the author and Zondervan. The review is my own opinion.