Love, Charleston

Title: LOVE, CHARLESTON
Author: Beth Webb Hart
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
August 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59554-201-4
Genre: Inspirational/women’s fiction

Anne Brumley has dreamed of love as a child when she used to ring the bells at St. Michael’s, but now those dreams are fading. Her sister Alisha and cousin Della try to encourage Anne to move somewhere new for a fresh start.

Widower Roy Summerall has ministered at his current post for years. He’s finally healed from the death of his wife, but is flabbergasted when he’s assigned a post in Charleston—the city that Roy thinks is pretentious and superficial. No one there will accept him—not with his accent, his crooked teeth, his red neck, not to mention his simple faith.

Anne’s sister struggles with her husband’s ambition, and Della’s former fiancé has returned to Charleston—all three women struggle with love issues—but can God transform each of these women’s hearts—and Roy’s?

LOVE, CHARLESTON is another of the books I’ve had for ages on my to-read pile and I finally decided to just do it. Roy is a very real character, set in his ways and opposing change, and while his daughter and mother are thrilled at the idea of him going to Charleston, he goes with a chip on his back. Anne, Alisha, and Della all struggle with very real issues and are well written characters.

There is some telling in the story and some point of view switches that were jarring, but all in all the story is well told. There are also some “soft” swear words that won’t bother most readers but the more conservative ones will be bothered by them. There is also some drinking in moderation and adultry. If you like women’s fiction and haven’t read LOVE, CHARLESTON when it first came out, then don’t miss it. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $14.99. 311 pages.