Title: Strong and
Stubborn
Author: Kelly Eileen Hake
Pages: 311
Year: 2012
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Strong
and Stubborn is the third book in the Husbands for Hire series written by
Kelly Hake. The first two books in the
series are titled Rugged and Relentless and Tall, Dark, and
Determined, respectively. All of the
characters present in the first two books make a return appearance in this
third book, with a few additions. The
story takes place in the small town of Hope Falls in the Colorado Territory in
1887. The owners of a mining operation are trying to begin a sawmill business.
Naomi
Higgins has a secret. The only other
person who knows it is her sister with whom she has not seen in five
years. Her sister, Charlotte, lured
Naomi’s beau away from her five years ago and married him. Naomi is sent to take care of her younger
cousin, Lacey, as she can’t attract a husband and is “on the shelf”. Naomi loves to build, decorate, and create
dollhouses that are miniatures of real houses.
When she needs an escape, she goes to her workshop. Now that the other three female owners of the
sawmill have become engaged per their agreement, it is Naomi’s turn to fulfill
her part of the bargain to find a husband.
There are several men among the lumberjacks who vie for her attention,
but none spark her interest. Will God
send her the right man to marry? She
feels unworthy of any man due to her guilt and shame. Will she ever be able to live with her
“secret”? Can she truly find God’s
forgiveness and believe in it? She lives
in fear that someone will find out about her secret when her sister
unexpectedly shows up in Hope Falls with her husband, the former love of
Naomi’s life. What will everyone think
of her?
Mike
Strode has a secret as well. He arrives
in Hope Falls looking for a fresh start.
He is a carpenter and wants to set up shop in Hope Falls. His wife died three months ago and he is not
looking to marry again. He married his
first wife for money, hoping that they could grow into a loving family. That doesn’t happen, and Mike is wary of
being bought again once he hears of the ladies’ ad for husbands. The first time Mike sees Naomi, however, he
is smitten. He enjoys spending time with
her helping her build a dollhouse for a customer. Once he learns of her part in advertising to
buy a husband, he treats her coolly.
However, he learns the reason for the ad and understands why it was
placed. Now, his feelings for Naomi
though make him want to be the one she chooses, but he’s running out of
time. Should he tell Naomi his
secret? Is she the one God wants him to
marry? Can they both learn to trust God
completely and in turn, trust each other?
The
author has created a nice and easy book to read that gives the reader a good
chance to relax. I would recommend
reading the first two books before reading this one. This story shows us how we gain our value
through Jesus, not man. Also, we see the
importance of relying on God and his timing to accomplish what is best for his
children.
My rating
is 3 stars.
Note: I received a
complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely
my responsibility. Other reviews can be
read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/
. Also follow me on Twitter
@lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457
