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Grace #3

A Love Like This

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Rachel Taylor has survived so many tragedies in her life, what’s one more? But when Hurricane Gabriel takes aim at her house, ruining practically everything, she’s not sure this one won’t take her out completely. With two small children and no husband, she knows she has no choice but to accept the generosity of Derek West and his television construction crew. However, Derek isn’t in charge of this one. Caleb James is, and Rachel’s world is about to be rocked to the foundations by this handsome, wonderful, big-hearted construction guy. The problem is, too many tragedies have taught her to not trust any good thing. Can she get her house back in one piece and keep her heart that way too?

Caleb James was not planning to be point person in front of and behind the camera, but when his boss, Derek West finds himself stretched in too many directions trying to help the people of Ridgemount clean up after the hurricane, Caleb has to step into the limelight to help out. Of course, he’s always kind of wondered what being the head of his own crew might be like, but with Derek on-set, the chances of him getting his big break have always been slim-to-none. Then, without warning, he’s in front of the camera, and his big break may just have found him. But even as he tries to navigate this new way of life, he finds himself attracted to and then falling for the home owner, a young widow with two small children who have stolen his heart. Unfortunately, his line of work is all about moving on when one project is finished. Which one will he choose, his dream job or his love for a woman who may never be able to love him back?

The third book in THE GRACE SERIES, “A Love Like This” asks the reader to go on a journey with two souls who are learning to love in a way the world says no longer works. This Contemporary Christian Romance will leave you cheering, crying, laughing, and hoping for a young woman who has been crushed and a guy who never knew love could be so difficult. Come along for this inspirational journey. It is one you won’t soon forget!

811 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2016

782 people are currently reading
297 people want to read

About the author

Staci Stallings

72 books581 followers
A stay-at-home mom with a husband, three kids and a writing addiction on the side, Staci Stallings has numerous titles for readers to choose from. Not content to stay in one genre and write it to death, Staci’s stories run the gamut from young adult to adult, from motivational and inspirational to full-out Christian and back again. Every title is a new adventure! That’s what keeps Staci writing and you reading. Staci touches the lives of people across the globe every week with her various Internet endeavors including:

Spirit Light Books–The Blog:
http://spiritlightbooks.wordpress.com/

Facebook Author Page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spirit-...

Staci’s Ebook Romance Stories:
http://ebookromancestories.com/

Follow Staci on Twitter: @StaciStallings

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5 stars
406 (66%)
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121 (19%)
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60 (9%)
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12 (1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Profile Image for Angie Thompson.
Author 50 books1,112 followers
March 26, 2019
So, here's the deal. I don't usually DNF books except for content issues, but this one was frustrating me so bad that I just couldn't keep it up.

To start with, a minor frustration--I didn't realize it was part of a series when I picked it up. And this is apparently not the kind of series where you can pick it up in the middle and understand things no problem, so it took quite a while to figure out what was going on and who was who. (House renovations, okay. Wait, is this a TV show? Okay, this is apparently a TV show. How are these different people related to the show and/or the town? That kind of thing...) Also, once I went back and read the blurb to figure out what I was missing, everything in it reads like backstory, since we pick up a few weeks into the renovations when Rachel and Caleb have already met and fed/fought their instant attraction for all that time.

A slightly bigger frustration--this book was really long. I made it about a third of the way through (over 200 pages) and pretty much nothing important had happened besides the renovations being finished. I don't mind books that are about normal, day-to-day living without a lot of drama. But unfortunately, although this one was light on the action, it was certainly not light on the drama...

What killed it for me--all the drama. To start with, both of them go back and forth between fighting their attraction tooth-and-nail when they're alone and melting into a senseless puddle when they're together--over and over and over again. Rachel was especially hard for me to connect with; I understand that's she's hurting and bitter, but I was never sure if she was going to be in an "I love him so much, but he could never love me" mood or an "I don't even believe in love anymore, so what are these feelings" mood or an "I have to squash this immediately because he's moving on" mood. And some of her hurt was hard to understand because we never really saw the source in action; for example, there's a lot of time devoted to how hard it is to be the black sheep in a small town where everyone is judging you. That makes a lot of sense, but the problem is, everyone we meet in this small town for the first third of the book is so loving and accepting and generally good-hearted that Rachel's insecurities seem hugely overblown. I'm not saying this didn't happen; I'm just saying we don't see it. And the fact that the characters spend at least the first third of the book going around in exactly the same mental circles just about drove me nuts.

With all that, I was still considering either finishing the book or dropping it and giving it a two-star rating until the scene when Caleb finally breaks a 200+ page silence to tell Rachel she's "more than a job" to him--and she promptly decides he must want to "get her in bed" before he leaves. Um, excuse me, what?!? When did he ever behave in a way that would make you think that? And it's not like the issues in her past should make her project that. This reaction is extremely unnecessary and beyond irrational. I gave up.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews128 followers
Want to read
March 30, 2018
💝 FREE on Amazon today (3/30/2018)!💝

Blurb:
Rachel Taylor has survived so many tragedies in her life, what’s one more? But when Hurricane Gabriel takes aim at her house, ruining practically everything, she’s not sure this one won’t take her out completely. With two small children and no husband, she knows she has no choice but to accept the generosity of Derek West and his television construction crew. However, Derek isn’t in charge of this one. Caleb James is, and Rachel’s world is about to be rocked to the foundations by this handsome, wonderful, big-hearted construction guy. The problem is, too many tragedies have taught her to not trust any good thing. Can she get her house back in one piece and keep her heart that way too?

Caleb James was not planning to be point person in front of and behind the camera, but when his boss, Derek West finds himself stretched in too many directions trying to help the people of Ridgemount clean up after the hurricane, Caleb has to step into the limelight to help out. Of course, he’s always kind of wondered what being the head of his own crew might be like, but with Derek on-set, the chances of him getting his big break have always been slim-to-none. Then, without warning, he’s in front of the camera, and his big break may just have found him. But even as he tries to navigate this new way of life, he finds himself attracted to and then falling for the home owner, a young widow with two small children who have stolen his heart. Unfortunately, his line of work is all about moving on when one project is finished. Which one will he choose, his dream job or his love for a woman who may never be able to love him back?

The third book in THE GRACE SERIES, “A Love Like This” asks the reader to go on a journey with two souls who are learning to love in a way the world says no longer works. This Contemporary Christian Romance will leave you cheering, crying, laughing, and hoping for a young woman who has been crushed and a guy who never knew love could be so difficult. Come along for this inspirational journey. It is one you won’t soon forget!
Profile Image for Marylin.
1,309 reviews46 followers
October 8, 2023
Oh, I love this book and this series.
Staci Stallings has truly written a wonderful series with amazing characters.
These characters are so relatable and real. I feel like I know them personally.
I understand the emotions they deal with and are struggling with. I also LOVE how this author weaves so many phenomenal Godly truths into each of her stories! Many of these lessons are ones I needed to hear. WOW!
Her stories aren’t pushy or preachy. They are real with real-life issues. I’ve found that her writing is powerful and what she shares really hits the spot in my soul! She’s also an author who brings to life characters that will end up digging down deep into your soul! It amazed me how each character had something I could identify with and take to heart. It was exquisitely written and flowed smoothly, so smoothly that at the end my heart was tumbling all over the place. I laughed, I smiled, and I cried, throughout the book. There were so many emotions in just one reading! It truly touched my heart, and I know it will stay with me for a long time.
Now I’m going to continue with the next book in the series because I just can’t get enough of these wonderful characters and what’s happening in their lives.
I highly recommend you pick this book up and read it, it just might change how you view things, and each moment in your life!
18 reviews1 follower
May 18, 2017
Rich Reading, an Abundance of Realistic Characters

I so enjoy reading Staci Stallings books. Her characters are realistic and flaw-filled. Each character either is working through problems and adversity with the faith that God loves and accepts him/her flaws and all, or has to come to that realization of God working in their lives. The homilies/counsellings given by Staci's pastors are spot on and thought-provoking; all without being "preachy." Although each book is somewhat longer than the average Christian romance novel, I have never felt anxious to "get this story over," mainly because I have become so involved with her characters.
As much as I enjoyed Rachael and Caleb's story, I noticed several several typographical errors that sometimes made a sentence confusing (mentioned by other reviewers also). What disturbed me more however, was the repeated incorrect use of "imminently". The first time I encountered the error I convinced myself it was a typo, but not after seeing it three or more times. I couldn't decide if Ms Stallings meant to use "eminently" or "immensely." Either word would have worked.
Profile Image for Debra Shipley.
36 reviews
March 11, 2017
A Love Love Like This

I love the series wish I had read Sage & Luke's story first!! Jaycee & Derek, Rachel & Caleb,with Sage & Luke are an amazing group of couples that are truly family! Pastor Steve & Jane are amazing! I really appreciate his messages and guiding the guys with such wisdom.! Staci does an awesome job of sharing God's Word & His Love & Grace for each of us!!
Profile Image for Julie Holdsworth.
264 reviews
August 28, 2017
The preaching

I think the author must be a closet preacher. She really gets to the heart of the matter. Just like the first book, correcting typos, grammar and spelling would go a long way to improve it. Also, a good editor to whittle it down so there isn't so much repetition would make it a block buster.
305 reviews
June 11, 2018
It's like a hurricane whipped through my emotions...

I started this book and after a couple chapters I felt like I was supposed to know more about the side characters. In looking at the series, I realized this was the third book and I had the first book in my library. I would suggest reading the entire series from the beginning. It helps you understand the main characters better. It's an investment of your time but well worth it. The Pastor and his wife are uniquely gifted and their love for people brings the Gospel to life in these stories. This story begins as a small town is getting back on its feet after a hurricane. Relief crews usually come in, they do their work, they leave, perhaps changed. But this story went much deeper. Rachel's home was destroyed by the storm. Her entire life was a story of storm-damage and loss. Piecing her life back together takes more than fixing the structure of her home. Caleb is a master at physical home restoration. Falling in love and rebuilding a broken spirit are not something he feels capable of. With the help of Pastor Steve, Steve's wife Jane, family and well-meaning friends, Caleb and Rachel are able to turn control over to GOD and that's when the real miracles begin. The restoration is a beautiful process.
Profile Image for Lillie.
Author 21 books44 followers
May 14, 2018
This was the second of this series I've read. It works as a stand-alone, but I think reading previous books makes it even more interesting. I gave it 5 stars because I loved the characters and their story so much I had to keep reading to find out if they got their happy-ever-after.

However, I think editing would have tightened the story--the subtitle calls it epic, but that seems to be for length not scope. There are also some typos and other editing issues. For example, nothing is said about Caleb saying goodbye to Rhett or the child's reaction to Caleb's leaving and returning, even though the two are extremely close. But the story was so emotionally and spiritually satisfying that I didn't lower the rating for that.
1,288 reviews3 followers
May 19, 2018
I didn't read the first 2 books of the series but I thought that this one could stand alone. But I am going to read the next 2 in the series. This is definitely a spiritual novel. Pastor Steve has some really good analogies about love and marriage. Rachel is so hurt by all her past life issues and it takes Caleb some really patient, in-depth soul searching to find out if he wants to be all in the relationship or go work on a tv show in California or wherever else the show takes him. This was definitely a thought-provoking, self evaluation if you want, kind of book. How to put your trust in God and let him lead you through life's decisions was a major theme. Great Christian read.
229 reviews
April 21, 2024
Now this is a book!

Lately I have been reading more than a few Christian romances. The plot is almost always the same...they meet etc and a short while later its happily ever after. Not this one....Rachel and Caleb meet, but it is not smooth sailing. Rachel has years of hurts, guilt, and mistakes to overcome. Caleb needs a better understanding of what a true relationship demands. B smooth sailing here, plenty of bumps in their road to finding a deep, God centered love together. I loved the character of Pastor Steve and his discourses on how to build and develop a god centered marriage. I LOVED this book!!!
576 reviews6 followers
April 7, 2018
A beautiful story

This incredibly long story tells how a young couple fall in love and learn how God can make romething beautiful from very broken backgrounds.
Initially I thought it was overly-emotional until I began to read the fully background story and the incredible amount of pain one young woman had survived.
With so much woundedness it took a very special young man to break down the countless barriers she put up in self-defense. With so many novels having no regard for Christian values this was fresh and honest and full of love as God intended. Lovely!
Profile Image for Jenn.
768 reviews11 followers
April 15, 2018
Wow! This is my favorite book by this author so far that I have read! I really loved this book! Just be warned that it is a long one. I felt like I kept reading and reading and reading but I loved each of the stories that was contained in this book. I love that it was a clean romance filled with so many other life lessons throughout. I marked so many quotable quotes in this book. I loved the Christian side of this book and the premise that that is what made them get through everything. I definitely will keep reading this series.
23 reviews
November 2, 2019
I enjoyed this,book immensely. Theme is nothing like a faith based book to,delight the se se and to build faith. This book did both of these things. I,wanted to highlight so much in it. I was blessed, stunned and captivated by it. Young women or anyone looking for a lifetime partner should read this book. What gems it holds....

I would recommend this to all singles. There should be more PASTORS like the one in the book, what a great mentor. I,wouldn't change a thing in this book or the series.
2,352 reviews27 followers
September 9, 2022
I really enjoyed this story and getting to know the main characters . The book is longer than I expected,but that was okay with me as it was so interesting. Pastor Steve and his wife are amazing, and his sermons and one on one talks made me think differently. This is the first book I have read in this series and now I want to read the rest. The story made me laugh as well as it brought tears to my eyes. It is a clean, Christian romance. Rhett is so cute and I loved how Caleb connected with him from the start.
147 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2018
A great story

It starts out where the main character is in near continual pain emotionally, but when her heart changes and gets hope it’s awesome. She’s attracted to the hero and we get that message maybe a bit too many times, but eventually the story moves beyond attraction to values that go deep and point to true love, the kind we can only give with God’s help. I loved seeing the main characters’ hearts change. Beautifully done.
918 reviews3 followers
July 22, 2018
Stupidly Plotted and Epically Boring

First, understabding the basic premise and the characters is impossible without having read (slogged through?) previous books in this series. Second, the heroine, or should I say anti-heroine, is an extremely (choose one: damaged, neurotic, pathetic) woman. Third, nothing happens.

This book might have been worth reading at 15% of the lenghth or if the reader were stranded on a desert island with only one book. Otherwise, forget it.
945 reviews9 followers
November 22, 2019
I've read each book in this series. I enjoy Pastor Steve's sermons and insight and seeing lives changed as others put aside selfishness to help others. Many typos continue to be annoying, and so I only gave it 4 stars. And 1 question: why would a person be troubled, late and out of sorts because they can't find their alarm clock WHEN THEY HAVE A CELL PHONE?? Couldn't figure that 1 out. Overall I recommend this clean sweet romance.
51 reviews
February 23, 2023
Uplifting inspiration for the heart and soul

I started this book with no idea where it may take me. The trip has been spiritually enlightening as well as uplifting. I found myself enthralled by the characters and all of their flaws. I felt as if I grew with them on their journey. I cried tears of joy and found my heart bursting with joy at the wisdom in the messages that worked deep inside of me. I definitely plan to read more of Miss Stallings work.
Profile Image for Mary Ann.
2,746 reviews11 followers
April 7, 2018
What a powerful book. It would be a realistic reading choice for anyone contemplating marriage. This author would make a wonderful counselor and pastor. While not a fast moving book it is very practical in its approach to multiple problems that the majority of issues faced in a marriage. If I could rate it higher than a 5 I would gladly do so!
Profile Image for Barbara Olaewe.
191 reviews3 followers
April 12, 2018
Fantastic bok

I loved this story. I loved the characters. They were realistic. They had problems that are relatable. They struggled with issues I have struggled with. I love the fact that the church service was expanded on . Not just that they went to church and they sang and left. I could not put this book down.
9 reviews
April 19, 2018
One of the best books I've read in a very long time. There have many good ones but this one touched my heart in so many way. I found myself crying them a few pages I would be laughing. The characters became so real.

I recommend this series, start at the beginning. I read this one first not realizing it was number three. Kind of an emotional roller coaster but so worth the ride.
7,766 reviews50 followers
April 27, 2018
A dream comes true for Rachel , when a TV construction, come in to redo her home. Caleb loved everything about her, her children, and how she has survived, to pursue her, when the crew would be moving on. Love doesn’t wait, but with everything going on in her life, will she take time, to find love again. Delightful story as all of Staci are, of family, children, and love
Profile Image for Courtney.
4,298 reviews
November 21, 2018
This novel, like so many others, has failed to grab and captivate my attention. There are many different times that I can pick up a novel and cannot finish it at that time; however, I might be able to return to it at a later date. This is one of those, who knows, maybe next time it will be a game changer.
1 review
July 12, 2018
Awesome

This is the most amazing book, apart from the Bible, I have ever read. I loved it from beginning to end, which happened too quickly for Me! The depth of Gods love and guidance flowing through the whole story was awesome. It is usual for me to read a book more than once but will definitely be reading this again very soon. Thank you Staci Stallings
2 reviews
August 22, 2019
Heartwarming Christian romance!

This book was a longer read, but it was well worth it. I enjoy reading romance books without all the sex. It was a book that showcased the time and efforts it takes to build a real relationship that will last. I’ve always loved this author, but this particular book is one of my favorites by her.
Profile Image for Karen Malley.
Author 15 books114 followers
June 18, 2022
This is a wonderful story of realistic characters with real problems. Ms. Stallings crafts believable characters and surrounds them with wonderful and supportive people who help them overcome some of their issues and find their way closer to God. If you're looking for truly inspirational Christian romance, look no further. This is book 3 of a series but can be read as a standalone.
Profile Image for Martha.
1,944 reviews63 followers
October 24, 2017
I liked so many things about this series. I would say that I could have done with a few less three page sermons or all the conversations between the pastor, even though I liked it.

But overall, another hit out of the park, with a couple of knocks on the fence on the way out.
Profile Image for Neal Taylor.
1 review
January 12, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Found myself not wanting to put down. I reflected many times with scripture and felt like I can relate with these characters. Love your books this is my second one I've read.
Profile Image for shelia d netherton.
21 reviews
March 12, 2018
Spiritually empowering

O my gracious as I prayed for my self for the characters I cried tears of sorrow and tears of joy such a compassionate and spiritually blessing of a story of God's grace and love
308 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2018
Wonderful!!

A super wonderful, heart wrenching love story. This story was the nicest love story I have ever read. It was super long but never got boring at least from my perspective. I most definitely recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews

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