A Passion Denied
(Daughters of Boston Series Book Three)
By Julie Lessman
Reviewed by Martha Artyomenko
Back Cover:
Has she fallen in love with a man who cannot love her back? Elizabeth O’Connor has been like the little sister John Brady always wanted, sharing his love of literature and his thirst for God. But in the throes of the reckless Roaring Twenties, Lizzie has grown up. Suddenly she wants more from the man who has been her friend since she was a child. When this shy little bookworm blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving John, she discovers that his past won’t let him return that love. But Lizzie refuses to give up–until his shocking secrets push her away. Can true love survive the betrayal and deceitful of a painful past . . . or will it be shattered like the fairy-tale dreams of a girl in love? Brimming with romance, longing, and redemption, A Passion Denied, will quicken your pulse and gladden your heart with a riveting story of the true power of love. Julie Lessman is the author of A Passion Most Pure and A Passion Redeemed and is the recipient of ten Romance Writers of America awards. She resides in Missouri with her family.
My Review:
Where do I start? When I realized this was a series i had not read, when i thought i had, i checked out the first two from the library. I ended up neglecting my work because I got so entangled in the lives of the O’Connor family. I am thankful to be a fast reader as that meant it was not long. I soon realized this was a different breed of romantic Christian fiction, it is for sure Christian, and it is romantic. But it’s characters do not make excuses, or hide their flaws. I would say one thing, about the romance, I would recommend it for married women only, it is nothing in it that is wrong, but talks openly about desire and passion in a marriage relationship!
Lizzie was the little sister when we left her in the last book and has been great friends with John Brady, a young man who works for her father. She has grown up and thinks that John simply does not notice that her feelings have changed and she is an adult now. Her older sister encourages her to try different "games" to get his attention, which ends in a whole tangle of frustration on both Brady and Lizzie’s part!! Brady is struggling with things from his past, which he feels that a relationship with any woman would be opening a can of worms he does not even want think about! But it comes to face him sooner than he wants, when his brother appears on the scene and looks just like him, twisting Lizzie’s heart in a different bent. <p>
I enjoyed how it did not marry off the couple in the previous book and leave them in the dust. I speaks about issues many couples deal with in marriage. Past relationships before marriage, mistrust of parenting ability, fear and lack of communication. It does not skirt around the issues, nor does it skirt around the passion of a healthy marriage, although it is not in detail as to make one uncomfortable.
This series is in a class all by itself of Christian romantic fiction! It is for sure one that is going to stand out above the rest of the series I have read this year! I loved the realness of the characters and how you felt like you knew them and rejoiced with them as well as cried with them!
<p> It is available for purchase at local christian booksellers as well as Amazon and Christianbook.com
If you have not read this one yet, this series is one for your summer vacation!!
Wonderful review. Makes me definitely want to read this series.
Gayla Collins