I find that in order for a novel to be a great one, you have to find a way to connect with the main character in order to have compassion for what they are involved with. With A Stitch and A Prayer, the latest novel to join the Quilts of Love Series, from author Eva Gibson, I was missing that connection point. I don't know where along the line I might have missed it, but it seemed as if the story was simply too broad for me to gain that connection to either of the characters in the novel.
It is set in the late 1800's in Oregon as a frontier family of Florence and Will Nickerson marry and attempt to create a home for the beginning of their new life together. Florence suffers from chronic joint pain and weakness which she fears will prevent her from becoming the perfect wife for Will. Knowing that her husband will need to provide an income for them, she worries about him being gone from home so long. Even though Will reassures Florence he will always return home, she struggles with finding security even in the scriptures of the Bible. When she learns that she is pregnant, her insecurities increase. Thankfully she isn't alone in the wilderness. She has her Aunt Amelia, Tilly and Faye to help her that are staying nearby, as well as the loyalty of a dog named Vaughn.
In her frail state, she is constantly finding herself falling and waking up back in bed, thanks to the kindness of family or strangers that find her and care for her. Even though she promises to not wander off alone from the cabin, she falls off the porch. Knowing that they are recently married and wanting that initial time alone I can understand why she doesn't have someone living with her at first. I do find it interesting that with so many of her family members knowing her of her illness, she wouldn't have someone living with them to take care of her while Will is working. They do happen by from time to time and I feel that is where I find the disconnect in the novel with wanting to care about Florence and Will. It's only after she wakes one morning and finds a note left behind from Will, telling her that he will be back soon, she has her Aunt Amelia move in to help her.
She passes the time working on a quilt of her own that with each stitch sown offers another prayer for Will's safe return before the birth of their child as well as her own health. It also helps with her health issues as she can stay safe in the cabin and create something that she can show him when he returns. Will has a secret he hadn't shared with Florence before they got married and his disappearance is the result of trying to clear up his past.
I received A Stitch and A Prayer by Eva Gibson compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Abingdon Press for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This is the 18th novel in the Quilts of Love Series and for me personally, I just couldn't connect with this one. The story was simply too broad and too fast that you couldn't connect with either Florence or Will. The author did use the account of her grandparent's lives as the background for this novel but I think it missed the intent she might have been trying to achieve. It simply toggles back and forth between daily tasks to quick and doesn't allow time enough for the reader to truly care about the characters. I am a huge fan of historical romances, but this one just didn't work for me. I would rate this one a 3 out of 5 stars.
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A Stitch and a Prayer by Eva Gibson
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