Gosh, I feel like I am being very nitpicky. I wanted to love this book and it just fell short of my expectations. I don't consider myself to be a literary snob but I guess I have outgrown books like this. I wouldn't have minded the fairy tale ending if there had been a richer story leading up to it.
There was an odd mix of romance and the struggles of the early Methodist Church here. The relationship between the preacher and his prize-fighting son didn't give me the impression that either was firmly planted in his beliefs. The whole story just seemed too contrived to me. It's a shame because there was great potential for an incredibly good story.
I think I would feel differently about this book if I were into romance novels and I don't want to discourage anyone else from reading this story. Unfortunately, this book contains scenes that prevent me from recommending it to my friends that read clean romances. What can I say?