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The Bodine Family #1
Twice in a Lifetime
When her family calls brokenhearted Georgia Lee Bodine home to Charleston, she knows there's trouble. Her beloved grandmother hired some fancy lawyer to carry out eccentric requests—and unearth an old family secret. Georgia plans to send Matthew Harper packing until she discovers how much the widowed father cares about her grandmother. And that his heart is even more deeply guarded than her own. As they work together on the Bodine history, they uncover a surprise about themselves: that love can strike twice in a lifetime.
218 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 18, 2009
31 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
Marta Perry
201 books771 followersMarta Perry is a Pennsylvania-based author of over 35 novels, many of them inspirational romances. She uses her rural Pennsylvania life and her Pennsylvania Dutch heritage in writing her books, especially in her Pleasant Valley Amish series for Berkley Books and her new Amish-set suspense series for HQN Books.
Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.
Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 2, 2024
2.5 stars this book was ok.
September 25, 2009
I love Marta Perry! This book made me fall in love with the Bodine family. There are so many characters she could write about and make this series go on for awhile. I'm excited to see where she takes it. Marta Perry allows her characters to be real and not characters that are too extreme or eccentric. Miz Callie is endearing and you are rooting for her to find the truth out about Ned. Even though the truth could make or break the Bodine family. They had lived with one perception their most life, that Ned was a coward and therefore refused to find out the complete truth of what really happened. In the end it takes, Georgia, the favorite grandaughter, to unveil the truth along with the Lawyer, Matt, that Miz Callie hired. Both Matt and Georgia have had past hurts that they both have to get over and it takes Georgia confronting Matt about some things to finally get him to come to senses, because they fact that he's closes himself off to her and his daughter is damaging everything. Even though confrontation is not Georgia's thing, she's willing to do it for those she loves. In the end, lessons are learned and the truth about Ned is revealed. I can't wait to see if they find Ned and what more they learn about the history of the Bodine family, and who's story will be next..the brothers, the cousins, etc..?
August 10, 2016
I love the big Southern family, featured in this first entry of a series.
Miz Callie, the matriarch of the Bodines of South Carolina, has everyone worried about her "strange" actions, including her wish to sell her big Charleston house in town and live in her island beach house full time, and to donate island property to be used as a nature conservancy. It's all blamed on her new lawyer, Matthew Harper. Her favorite granddaughter, Georgia Lee, is called in from Atlanta to talk some sense into Miz Callie, since her own sons are having no luck. Georgia soon discovers all isn't as it seems, especially the new lawyer, a grieving young widower with an eight year old daughter, Lindsay.
I loved the characters, especially Miz Callie and the sweet, sad little Lindsay. The major characters, Miz Callie, Georgia Lee, Matthew and Lindsay, were all fully developed and I look forward to reading more. Charleston and the island setting were also like characters and I enjoyed descriptions of both. I've visited the area but the book makes feel like I missed out on the beach party.
Miz Callie, the matriarch of the Bodines of South Carolina, has everyone worried about her "strange" actions, including her wish to sell her big Charleston house in town and live in her island beach house full time, and to donate island property to be used as a nature conservancy. It's all blamed on her new lawyer, Matthew Harper. Her favorite granddaughter, Georgia Lee, is called in from Atlanta to talk some sense into Miz Callie, since her own sons are having no luck. Georgia soon discovers all isn't as it seems, especially the new lawyer, a grieving young widower with an eight year old daughter, Lindsay.
I loved the characters, especially Miz Callie and the sweet, sad little Lindsay. The major characters, Miz Callie, Georgia Lee, Matthew and Lindsay, were all fully developed and I look forward to reading more. Charleston and the island setting were also like characters and I enjoyed descriptions of both. I've visited the area but the book makes feel like I missed out on the beach party.
April 25, 2022
Giving it a 4 for being an enjoyable quick read even if a bit cliche in storyline. Was given to read by my mom... off to read the other 3 in this mini-series.
September 9, 2018
The perfect summer read. Light, and full of sun and sand. It made me feel I was on the beach. A friend gave me this book in a box of romances and said that these stories about the Bodine family were among the best ones. I agree. I loved the beach imagery, the turtles, and the Miz Callie character. There's something sweet about the elderly reaching out to children. Perhaps because it's clearly altruistic, and not manipulative.
The mystery surrounding Ned was interesting, but I almost felt we didn't learn enough about his disappearance by the end of the book. Not enough to give Miz Callie a sense of peaceful resolution.
As far as the romance goes, it did seem to follow a pattern I've seen in other "Love Inspired" books by the same publisher, where a child bridges the gap between the romantic interests. Not that it couldn't and doesn't happen that way on occasion, (it could just as easily drive them apart), but sometimes I wonder if it's more of a wish-fulfillment literature of single-parenting readers.
I do love child-characters because of their unexpected point of view and the tender-hearted feelings they evoke in others.
The barrier between the couple seemed unnecessary and artificial to me. Really? She wouldn't date him if he didn't say how he felt about losing his first wife to cancer? That's the sort of thing that unwinds over time with added trust, not something that's demanded on the spot.
The grief is something I've seen before in the "Love Inspired" plots, too. Particularly with men not knowing how to talk about grief with their kids: Lorraine Beatty's "The Nanny's Secret Child" and Lissa Manly's "Her Small-Town Sheriff." I have, actually, known someone, a child, not an adult, who was afraid to talk about grief, afraid of uncontrollable sobs, but I think that has improved with time. I am not afraid of tears, either my own or other people's, but I grew up in a family that treasures the memories, even through and despite the tears. And yes, laughter. To us, that's how you continue to love the deceased. You remember them.
And the time-table was too fast to be healthy for either of them. Matt is Georgia's rebound, and he hadn't fully faced the grief of his wife's death.
I loved Miz Callie saying, "Georgia Lee, you don't know a thing about it, so now don't you go judging him." I had a similar, less-direct comment for someone, a friend of mine, who wanted to criticize someone behind their back recently. I don't tend to second-guess people. I know there's always things that I don't know, so there doesn't seem to be much point in second-guessing for me, except as a waste of time that evoke negative feelings. At the time, although I did make the comment that we don't know everything, I just redirected the person. But if she approaches me to complain about someone else, I might be a little more direct. Another thing I tend to do if someone makes a negative comment about someone is to try to direct them into conversation with that person, (usually the complainer declines because they didn't truly want to problem-solve) but in this instance, the context of the speculation was clearly none of our business.
A friend of mine would point out that the characters in this book, although they attended church, never said what they actually believe. They could believe almost anything and still fit into the story. Although the Bible verses do fit beautifully in the story, and are seen lived out beautifully in the characters lives, they could still believe just about anything.
Matt said at one point that he had "second-hand faith," from his first wife, but when she died, that faith fell apart. That's one strong reason for each person to build faith that's their own, and not to date non-believers. Whenever their Christian spouses let them down or die, then oftentimes they discover that faith was not their own, that they were just living out someone else's faith.
The mystery surrounding Ned was interesting, but I almost felt we didn't learn enough about his disappearance by the end of the book. Not enough to give Miz Callie a sense of peaceful resolution.
As far as the romance goes, it did seem to follow a pattern I've seen in other "Love Inspired" books by the same publisher, where a child bridges the gap between the romantic interests. Not that it couldn't and doesn't happen that way on occasion, (it could just as easily drive them apart), but sometimes I wonder if it's more of a wish-fulfillment literature of single-parenting readers.
I do love child-characters because of their unexpected point of view and the tender-hearted feelings they evoke in others.
The barrier between the couple seemed unnecessary and artificial to me. Really? She wouldn't date him if he didn't say how he felt about losing his first wife to cancer? That's the sort of thing that unwinds over time with added trust, not something that's demanded on the spot.
The grief is something I've seen before in the "Love Inspired" plots, too. Particularly with men not knowing how to talk about grief with their kids: Lorraine Beatty's "The Nanny's Secret Child" and Lissa Manly's "Her Small-Town Sheriff." I have, actually, known someone, a child, not an adult, who was afraid to talk about grief, afraid of uncontrollable sobs, but I think that has improved with time. I am not afraid of tears, either my own or other people's, but I grew up in a family that treasures the memories, even through and despite the tears. And yes, laughter. To us, that's how you continue to love the deceased. You remember them.
And the time-table was too fast to be healthy for either of them. Matt is Georgia's rebound, and he hadn't fully faced the grief of his wife's death.
I loved Miz Callie saying, "Georgia Lee, you don't know a thing about it, so now don't you go judging him." I had a similar, less-direct comment for someone, a friend of mine, who wanted to criticize someone behind their back recently. I don't tend to second-guess people. I know there's always things that I don't know, so there doesn't seem to be much point in second-guessing for me, except as a waste of time that evoke negative feelings. At the time, although I did make the comment that we don't know everything, I just redirected the person. But if she approaches me to complain about someone else, I might be a little more direct. Another thing I tend to do if someone makes a negative comment about someone is to try to direct them into conversation with that person, (usually the complainer declines because they didn't truly want to problem-solve) but in this instance, the context of the speculation was clearly none of our business.
A friend of mine would point out that the characters in this book, although they attended church, never said what they actually believe. They could believe almost anything and still fit into the story. Although the Bible verses do fit beautifully in the story, and are seen lived out beautifully in the characters lives, they could still believe just about anything.
Matt said at one point that he had "second-hand faith," from his first wife, but when she died, that faith fell apart. That's one strong reason for each person to build faith that's their own, and not to date non-believers. Whenever their Christian spouses let them down or die, then oftentimes they discover that faith was not their own, that they were just living out someone else's faith.
January 22, 2024
For a 'Love, Inspired' book, this one rises above the mediocrity of most others.
It takes place in a summer house built up on stilts on a Carolina beach, owned by 'old money' in the Charleston area. The description of the beaches, nature preserves, nesting grounds and such are really well done.
The main character, Miz Callie, is the family matriarch. And yes, most people would say that the H/h are the main characters, but since this is a series, you will find that Miz Callie is the thread that draws the saga together. She's elderly, white haired... and leaving her town home residence to take up full time living in THIS house. Which is nothing but stairs, hello. I'm just... scratching my head over how that's gonna work, logistically...
Anyhow, Georgia Lee Bodine is the meek member of the family... but seemingly Miz Callie's favorite. Miz Callie wants to find her brother in law, who disappeared around the time of WWII, when she was just a young girl. And she wants Georgia and her next-door neighbor Matthew to find him for her.
Matthew is widowed with a daughter that Miz Callie takes care of while he's at work. And it's obvious Miz Callie is matchmaking between Matt and Georgia, but we really don't mind it. The story is solid, the characterization good, the flavor of the location well done...
... but I'm already irate that it's not what I *WANTED* it to be. The Bodine's are a military family, so I wanted this to be the cleaner, more Biblical, Coast Guard version of Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series. And it's not. The characters aren't allowed to be sassy or spunky. The readers are held at arm's length, as with all 'Love, Inspired' books - like looking at the action thru a glass window, not out there breathing in the same air with the characters.
And I already know there's only four books, so they're not going to give Cole his story, which really irks me to NO end. I wouldn't even mind them killing off Mama so that we could have Daddy's story of a 'Second chance' love... but no suchuva thing, sadly.
So I docked a star for my own expectations/hopes being thwarted. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the story, or that I'm not reading the other three (which I also have, neatly rubber banded together on the side of my sofa).
I *would* recommend this, but not gushingly, excitedly, or enthusiastically. It's a good read. Worth the time... considering the label it's lumped under.
It takes place in a summer house built up on stilts on a Carolina beach, owned by 'old money' in the Charleston area. The description of the beaches, nature preserves, nesting grounds and such are really well done.
The main character, Miz Callie, is the family matriarch. And yes, most people would say that the H/h are the main characters, but since this is a series, you will find that Miz Callie is the thread that draws the saga together. She's elderly, white haired... and leaving her town home residence to take up full time living in THIS house. Which is nothing but stairs, hello. I'm just... scratching my head over how that's gonna work, logistically...
Anyhow, Georgia Lee Bodine is the meek member of the family... but seemingly Miz Callie's favorite. Miz Callie wants to find her brother in law, who disappeared around the time of WWII, when she was just a young girl. And she wants Georgia and her next-door neighbor Matthew to find him for her.
Matthew is widowed with a daughter that Miz Callie takes care of while he's at work. And it's obvious Miz Callie is matchmaking between Matt and Georgia, but we really don't mind it. The story is solid, the characterization good, the flavor of the location well done...
... but I'm already irate that it's not what I *WANTED* it to be. The Bodine's are a military family, so I wanted this to be the cleaner, more Biblical, Coast Guard version of Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series. And it's not. The characters aren't allowed to be sassy or spunky. The readers are held at arm's length, as with all 'Love, Inspired' books - like looking at the action thru a glass window, not out there breathing in the same air with the characters.
And I already know there's only four books, so they're not going to give Cole his story, which really irks me to NO end. I wouldn't even mind them killing off Mama so that we could have Daddy's story of a 'Second chance' love... but no suchuva thing, sadly.
So I docked a star for my own expectations/hopes being thwarted. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the story, or that I'm not reading the other three (which I also have, neatly rubber banded together on the side of my sofa).
I *would* recommend this, but not gushingly, excitedly, or enthusiastically. It's a good read. Worth the time... considering the label it's lumped under.
December 16, 2018
A friend gave me this book. I'm guessing the title refers to finding love twice--definitely for Matt (the male main character) and sort of for Georgia (the female part of the romance), depending on if you count her ex-fiancé as love.
I liked the Miz Callie character who seems to give sage advice. I also liked her love of the beach and of turtles. I have a friend who helped with turtles as they hatched so it was interesting to learn more about them.
I was glad to see that Georgia and Matt took their search for Ned seriously and did persist in it, even though it seemed an insurmountable obstacle at first. I guess the family knowing that Ned wasn't a coward so that she could name the presesrve what she wants is enough for her. I do hope that Ned's story continues in another book in the series--that at least they find what name he used to enlist. (My prediction if this happens is that they may find he's either a hero or still alive or both.)
I liked Lindsay more than I've liked some child characters in the Love Inspired series. There were a few times that I didn't like her actions--though I did understand them and that they stemmed from grief and from feeling that she had no one to talk to about her mother.
The Bodine family is a large one--and I am not sure I have all them straight or how they're all related.
I liked the Miz Callie character who seems to give sage advice. I also liked her love of the beach and of turtles. I have a friend who helped with turtles as they hatched so it was interesting to learn more about them.
I was glad to see that Georgia and Matt took their search for Ned seriously and did persist in it, even though it seemed an insurmountable obstacle at first. I guess the family knowing that Ned wasn't a coward so that she could name the presesrve what she wants is enough for her. I do hope that Ned's story continues in another book in the series--that at least they find what name he used to enlist. (My prediction if this happens is that they may find he's either a hero or still alive or both.)
I liked Lindsay more than I've liked some child characters in the Love Inspired series. There were a few times that I didn't like her actions--though I did understand them and that they stemmed from grief and from feeling that she had no one to talk to about her mother.
The Bodine family is a large one--and I am not sure I have all them straight or how they're all related.
April 6, 2024
2.5 ⭐
This book has a documentary quality to it. Everything was reported in a farway, detached manner. Though it tackles grief and revolves around family ties and homecoming, it got absolutely no emotions from me.
The main quest the lead characters embarked on is so painfully uninteresting, and it occupied 90% of the book. I don't know what other people think, but I don't find the reason a man refusing to go to war decades ago such a mystery that'll keep me at the edge of my seat.
The romance is just dull.
All in all, it's a mediocre read.
This book has a documentary quality to it. Everything was reported in a farway, detached manner. Though it tackles grief and revolves around family ties and homecoming, it got absolutely no emotions from me.
The main quest the lead characters embarked on is so painfully uninteresting, and it occupied 90% of the book. I don't know what other people think, but I don't find the reason a man refusing to go to war decades ago such a mystery that'll keep me at the edge of my seat.
The romance is just dull.
All in all, it's a mediocre read.
August 28, 2020
Fast read with lovable characters. It's a beautiful and heartwarming story.
March 21, 2017
Simple, clean romance from Steeple Hill. This line of books always have a couple of things in common: one or more characters struggling with their faith, a simple and clean romance and a resolution with the aforementioned faith. Nothing with much depth but usually an enjoyable, quick read.
February 15, 2015
southern, likable, and re-readable
Twice in a Lifetime weaves together history, inspiration, love, mystery, southern family, possibilities... I picked up Twice in a Lifetime because of the wonderful painting on the cover, and then noticed its setting in South Carolina and in a beach community. I knew I'd enjoy the scenery even if the story didn't move me, but as it turned out, I loved the characters and their individual stories. There's the beachfront house on one of Charleston's barrier islands, Georgia Lee's employment in Atlanta, Georgia, a tenderly close grandmother and granddaughter, and my own imaginings life in the American South still is quieter and simpler than elsewhere. The characters attend church and participate in vacation bible school, but Twice in a Lifetime isn't majorly in-your-face religious; it's simply simple Christianity as an integral part of daily life. The romance that easily happened between Georgia Lee and single dad Matt (who without a doubt was far from the on-the-take northern lawyer family and reader both imagined him to be at first glance) had just enough suspense to be intriguing. Marta Perry's prose is clean and well-edited; although this is first in a series about the Bodine family, I'm happy to consider it a standalone narrative, as I'm not sure I want to be disappointed if the Bodine family future doesn't turn out as I'd like it to. In short? The degree of southernness totally was to my liking, and Twice in a Lifetime definitely merits a future re-reading.
Twice in a Lifetime weaves together history, inspiration, love, mystery, southern family, possibilities... I picked up Twice in a Lifetime because of the wonderful painting on the cover, and then noticed its setting in South Carolina and in a beach community. I knew I'd enjoy the scenery even if the story didn't move me, but as it turned out, I loved the characters and their individual stories. There's the beachfront house on one of Charleston's barrier islands, Georgia Lee's employment in Atlanta, Georgia, a tenderly close grandmother and granddaughter, and my own imaginings life in the American South still is quieter and simpler than elsewhere. The characters attend church and participate in vacation bible school, but Twice in a Lifetime isn't majorly in-your-face religious; it's simply simple Christianity as an integral part of daily life. The romance that easily happened between Georgia Lee and single dad Matt (who without a doubt was far from the on-the-take northern lawyer family and reader both imagined him to be at first glance) had just enough suspense to be intriguing. Marta Perry's prose is clean and well-edited; although this is first in a series about the Bodine family, I'm happy to consider it a standalone narrative, as I'm not sure I want to be disappointed if the Bodine family future doesn't turn out as I'd like it to. In short? The degree of southernness totally was to my liking, and Twice in a Lifetime definitely merits a future re-reading.
September 29, 2013
About this book:
“When her family calls brokenhearted Georgia Lee Bodine home to Charleston, she knows there's trouble. Her beloved grandmother hired some fancy lawyer to carry out eccentric requests--and unearth an old family secret. Georgia plans to send Matthew Harper packing until she discovers how much the widowed father cares about her grandmother. And that his heart is even more deeply guarded than her own. As they work together on the Bodine history, they uncover a surprise about themselves: that love "can" strike twice in a lifetime.”
Series: ‘Love Inspired- The Bodine Family’, book 1. Does have to be read in order.
Spiritual Content-
Psalm 8:3-4 in the front; Georgia Lee has a Faith; Matthew says he has a ‘second-hand Faith’.
Negative Content-
Matthew locks his feeling inside.
Sexual Content-
Kisses.
-Georgia Lee Bodine
-Matthew Harper
P.O.V. switches between Georgia & Matthew
208 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Can’t say this was one of my favorite ‘Love Inspired’ books, it was alright.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“When her family calls brokenhearted Georgia Lee Bodine home to Charleston, she knows there's trouble. Her beloved grandmother hired some fancy lawyer to carry out eccentric requests--and unearth an old family secret. Georgia plans to send Matthew Harper packing until she discovers how much the widowed father cares about her grandmother. And that his heart is even more deeply guarded than her own. As they work together on the Bodine history, they uncover a surprise about themselves: that love "can" strike twice in a lifetime.”
Series: ‘Love Inspired- The Bodine Family’, book 1. Does have to be read in order.
Spiritual Content-
Psalm 8:3-4 in the front; Georgia Lee has a Faith; Matthew says he has a ‘second-hand Faith’.
Negative Content-
Matthew locks his feeling inside.
Sexual Content-
Kisses.
-Georgia Lee Bodine
-Matthew Harper
P.O.V. switches between Georgia & Matthew
208 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Can’t say this was one of my favorite ‘Love Inspired’ books, it was alright.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
June 24, 2011
I wasn't really crazy about this book. Many Love Inspired novels, I'm not. In this story the heroine, Georgia Lee Bodine goes home after a failed romance. Her grandmother wants her to help her do this task, that would cause havoc among the family. There's a secret that would embarrass the family. So her grandmother hires a lawyer, hero Matthew Harper who is a widower with a little girl. As they try to quietly solve this case, their feelings for each other emerge.
I'm not saying this is a bad book, but there just were not enough sparks for me, and Georgia seemed wimpy at it was annoying at times. This is not something that I'd ever read again, but it was at least well written.
I'm not saying this is a bad book, but there just were not enough sparks for me, and Georgia seemed wimpy at it was annoying at times. This is not something that I'd ever read again, but it was at least well written.
March 22, 2012
Not a bad book. The "mystery" part of it held my interest, but the love part of it kind of..annoyed me. The main male character is a recent widower, still grieving the loss of his wife. I do not think he should have been a love interest at all. Maybe if he had been less recently widowed and dealt emotionally with the loss, I would have been more ok with it. It was well written, the characters were fleshed out well and it held my interest until the end, which is rare when I am in a book slump. Not bad.
July 25, 2013
This was a sweet story. I enjoyed the family history-based storyline. I also LOVED Miz Callie. I'm not sure what it is, but a lot of 'Love Inspired' authors write really spunky grandmotherly characters into their novels, and I love it!
November 19, 2015
Georgia Lee Bodine is called to her grandmother's home to help her with missing great uncle Ned. Widowed neighbor Matt Harper, the attorney grandmother has hired, and his daughter Lindsay, both are still grieving. Will they find out anything about Ned?
September 20, 2016
Love the southern family. But not the in your face bossy control. I did love the character Miz Callie. She knew what was important and had a way of seeing things through. This was a good read with a few tissue moments.
November 3, 2010
Predictable, but a good storyline.
January 9, 2014
Georgia Bodine helps her grandmother in South Carolina.
Want to read
August 21, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14138323
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14138323
October 8, 2022
Inspirational romance.
May 30, 2014
a Love Inspired book from my friend Only remember reading it on a trip in 2009
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews