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Abounding Love #2
Romy's Walk
Romy has survived a terrible accident. Now her life is changed forever. But what about Jeremiah Landis and his attempt to honor a final wish? Romy's Walk is the second book in the Abounding Love series. In Olivia's Touch, the premiere title, readers meet Olivia and her two best friends. Book 2 traces the story of Romy. Here is the story of a couple whose relationship is put to the supreme test. Along the way, love's true meaning is discovered.
- GenresChristian Fiction
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 28, 2012
This genre is my cup of tea, I have read many books written in this style that I have really enjoyed. Romy's walk did not top my favorite list, but it was still enjoyable. About three forths of the way though I started to tire of Romy's melancholy. However, overall I thought it was worth my time.
June 1, 2022
This is the 2nd book of 3 about 3 childhood friends who have grown up and live in different parts of the country.
Romy has an accident which causes her to lose a limb and gain a husband! But, she becomes depressed and her marriage suffers. In my opinion, her depression and her attitude linger too long. It detracts from the story and slows it down.
It ends well, of course; no one ever gets a divorce at the end of a Christian fiction book.
Romy has an accident which causes her to lose a limb and gain a husband! But, she becomes depressed and her marriage suffers. In my opinion, her depression and her attitude linger too long. It detracts from the story and slows it down.
It ends well, of course; no one ever gets a divorce at the end of a Christian fiction book.
July 23, 2011
This romance novel was an irritating mix of Christian fiction and a persistently whining heroine. The only things that kept me turning the pages - and why it was on my reading list in the first place - was its portrayal of early white settlement on my native Puget Sound and references to the Jamestown S'Klallam Indian tribe, which is part of my ancestral heritage.
The story opens with a young woman getting trampled by horses. She is carried to a nearby store where her foot is amputated by a drunken doctor, she confesses her love to the store's owner, and then marries him, thanks to a preacher who happens to be standing there. She then sinks into unconsciousness and is expected to die, but the doctor's S'Klallam woman uses her Indian talents to nurse her back to health.
Regaining consciousness after all that, one might expect the rest of the book would be about her heroic struggle to overcome her injury and become comfortable with the husband she didn't really know. But instead it was mostly silly melodramatic scenes about being "crippled", a falling-out with God because she had sworn at the preacher, anger at her husband for a secret past he hadn't told her about during their 5-minute courtship, and despair at being dependent on a Native American woman who was living in sin.
After completing this book, I seriously wonder about the accuracy of Stoks' historic portrayal of pioneers on Puget Sound. (References to "pine trees" indicate she had not lived there.) While some of the interactions between white settlers and the indigenous population seem consistent with information from historic references, the details about the Jamestown S"Klallam group was very superficial, and, as acknowledged in her comments at the end of the book, probably came from a phone call to tribal historians. But those details and much more are now available on Wikipedia, and are readily available without having to suffer through this book - a romance novel which doesn't even provide any hot erotic fare.
The story opens with a young woman getting trampled by horses. She is carried to a nearby store where her foot is amputated by a drunken doctor, she confesses her love to the store's owner, and then marries him, thanks to a preacher who happens to be standing there. She then sinks into unconsciousness and is expected to die, but the doctor's S'Klallam woman uses her Indian talents to nurse her back to health.
Regaining consciousness after all that, one might expect the rest of the book would be about her heroic struggle to overcome her injury and become comfortable with the husband she didn't really know. But instead it was mostly silly melodramatic scenes about being "crippled", a falling-out with God because she had sworn at the preacher, anger at her husband for a secret past he hadn't told her about during their 5-minute courtship, and despair at being dependent on a Native American woman who was living in sin.
After completing this book, I seriously wonder about the accuracy of Stoks' historic portrayal of pioneers on Puget Sound. (References to "pine trees" indicate she had not lived there.) While some of the interactions between white settlers and the indigenous population seem consistent with information from historic references, the details about the Jamestown S"Klallam group was very superficial, and, as acknowledged in her comments at the end of the book, probably came from a phone call to tribal historians. But those details and much more are now available on Wikipedia, and are readily available without having to suffer through this book - a romance novel which doesn't even provide any hot erotic fare.
October 26, 2013
Very whiny christian book. Much gnashing of teeth and 'why is God doing this to me?' BS.
The first half is about Romy, who is run over by a wagon and is losing too much blood. In her delirium, she says that she loves Jeremiah (who runs the mercantile), and that she wishes she could've married him. This is news to Jeremiah, who had NO inkling that Romy fancied him. But he honors her dying wish and marries her, thinking she's about to bleed to death. Of course she doesn't and is THE most gawd-awful patient, ever. ((WHY IS GOD DOING THIS TO ME!!!)) Even though she's supposedly this believer who has always had such a strong faith. Clue phone: people with a strong faith aren't like that. Hell, most NON-believers aren't like that. No wonder people run screaming from chrischuns.
Then it goes into Annie's story, and she has a big honkin' tumor in her belly, and she's been shacked up with the drunk doctor and nobody likes her, but then she's dying and suddenly the town decides she's not wicked, she's just misunderstood and no greater a sinner than anyone else, and the Doctor goes freakin' ape-ship ((WHY IS GOD DOING THIS TO ME!!!!)) and Annie dies, whining a HELLUVA lot less than the chrischun ever did.
Then it moves into Jeremiah's back story, and he abandoned his family back east with a spoiled and mentally unstable woman who screamed at him like a banshee and threw herself and his unborn child into the San Fransisco bay, and now his dad has had a stroke and is demanding he come home, and the dead chick's father wants to incarcerate Jeremiah for murder, and there's even MORE (((WHY IS GOD DOING THIS TO ME!!!)) from Romy and Jeremiah and pretty much everyone in the book but their neighbor, Owen Wilson, and that's cuz he's a happy little red race car employed by Disney, now.
Nevermind me. I'm just over here, wondering why there's a caricature of Keanu Reeves as Jee-zus on the spine of these books... cuz it seems kinda psycho. Kind of like churchianity. I think I need a good carnal, semi-smutty eBook to shake off this ghastly pseudo-holy pall.
The first half is about Romy, who is run over by a wagon and is losing too much blood. In her delirium, she says that she loves Jeremiah (who runs the mercantile), and that she wishes she could've married him. This is news to Jeremiah, who had NO inkling that Romy fancied him. But he honors her dying wish and marries her, thinking she's about to bleed to death. Of course she doesn't and is THE most gawd-awful patient, ever. ((WHY IS GOD DOING THIS TO ME!!!)) Even though she's supposedly this believer who has always had such a strong faith. Clue phone: people with a strong faith aren't like that. Hell, most NON-believers aren't like that. No wonder people run screaming from chrischuns.
Then it goes into Annie's story, and she has a big honkin' tumor in her belly, and she's been shacked up with the drunk doctor and nobody likes her, but then she's dying and suddenly the town decides she's not wicked, she's just misunderstood and no greater a sinner than anyone else, and the Doctor goes freakin' ape-ship ((WHY IS GOD DOING THIS TO ME!!!!)) and Annie dies, whining a HELLUVA lot less than the chrischun ever did.
Then it moves into Jeremiah's back story, and he abandoned his family back east with a spoiled and mentally unstable woman who screamed at him like a banshee and threw herself and his unborn child into the San Fransisco bay, and now his dad has had a stroke and is demanding he come home, and the dead chick's father wants to incarcerate Jeremiah for murder, and there's even MORE (((WHY IS GOD DOING THIS TO ME!!!)) from Romy and Jeremiah and pretty much everyone in the book but their neighbor, Owen Wilson, and that's cuz he's a happy little red race car employed by Disney, now.
Nevermind me. I'm just over here, wondering why there's a caricature of Keanu Reeves as Jee-zus on the spine of these books... cuz it seems kinda psycho. Kind of like churchianity. I think I need a good carnal, semi-smutty eBook to shake off this ghastly pseudo-holy pall.
August 4, 2016
Worthy follow up to Olivia's Touch. Enjoy the way this story was started in the first book of the series, and how it seamlessly led into the next book.
What particularly endeared me to this book was the accurate way in which depression was portrayed in Romy's emotions and reactions to those who wanted to help her. Reading it did not feel like a stereotype or presumption, it felt accurate, as though the author may have had some experience with depression herself.
What particularly endeared me to this book was the accurate way in which depression was portrayed in Romy's emotions and reactions to those who wanted to help her. Reading it did not feel like a stereotype or presumption, it felt accurate, as though the author may have had some experience with depression herself.
December 29, 2012
This is the second book in the series which highlights three friends which grew up together and then parted ways in late teen/early adulthood. The first, which highlighted Olivia, was much more engaging and entertaining. Romy is a frustrating main character and the devotion given to her at times seems more than is deserved. Hopefully the next, highlighting Elena, will be as good, if not better than the first!
October 26, 2014
When I started reading this book I never could have imagined that a co-worker would have an accident and have his leg amputated. With that backdrop, this book took on a reality that normally I don't experience with a Christian-romance-fiction book. I almost stopped reading when my friend had his accident but I'm glad I didn't. Reading about "Romy's" struggles really helped me to begin processing some of my feelings of hurt and anger.
July 6, 2012
Was not crazy about Book 1 in this series and even took a break reading two others before returning to this one. Out of the 400+ pages in the book, only about 6 contained any happiness...definitely not something I want to ever read again. I was beginning to also wish along with Romy that she had died in the accident!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2012
Enjoyable though I don't like Romy. Too whiny, too judgemental. Like the premise of a newly wed amputee in mid-nineteenth century. Guess Jeremiah Landis is everywoman's fantasy of love and devotion from a husband.
April 26, 2009
I read many book for bibliotherapy and I was able to gain much help in my quest for spiritual well being by reading this book. I was able to identify with the heroine.
June 29, 2012
Overall, I like where this series is going. However, I didn't find Romy (her character) quite believable. I did like the book in a general, and am looking forward to discussing it at book club.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews