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The McKaslin Clan: Series 2 #1
Sweet Blessings (The McKaslin Clan: Series 2, Book 1)
Sweet Blessings by Jillian Hart released on Mar 29, 2005 is available now for purchase.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2005
12 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Jillian Hart
192 books602 followersJillian Hart grew up on her family's homestead in Washington state, where she raised cattle, rode horses and scribbled stories in her spare time.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
After earning her English degree from Whitman College, she worked in travel and advertising before selling her first novel.
When Jillian isn't working on her next story, she can be found puttering around her rose garden, curled up with a good book and spending quiet evenings at home with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 3, 2011
This is the first book I've read by Jillian Hart, and after looking through my TBR pile I'm pleased to discover that I have another by her, in this same series. I enjoy most of the Love Inspired books, but some are much better than others. This is part of that some.
Amy McKaslin and her two sisters run a family diner, with plenty of cousins working for them or floating in and out of the story. One night, just before closing time, a loner, staying in the motel next door, comes in for a burger, and intervenes when the only other two customers in the diner get a little too rowdy.
Heath Murdock has been drifting from town to town and job to job, carrying an overwhelming burden of grief that he can't unload. After helping the sisters out, he accepts a job as a cook, intending to stay long enough to replenish his cash reserve before moving on to the next town.
Not a lot actually happens as we follow the characters through their day to day lives, although the two rowdy customers do come back and stir up trouble. But as the story unfolds and we slowly learn more about the circumstances that brought Heath to this point in his life, Ms. Hart takes us deep into the characters' heads and psyches. Usually a romance is a little more on the heroine's point of view, but I felt like this was really Heath's story more than Amy's. While Amy has her own issues of course, and her own tragic background, Heath is the soul who jumps out at the pages and makes you want to wrap your arms around him and tell him it will be alright.
And towards the end, I thought he'd had a breakthrough of sorts, and I set the book down to go to sleep, thinking I'd pick it up the next day and the last couple of chapters would be sweet and lead to that HEA. I did not expect to pick it up again and suddenly be on an emotional roller coaster that literally made me cry.
A very well done character study. I will definitely seek out more of this author, and particularly this series.
Amy McKaslin and her two sisters run a family diner, with plenty of cousins working for them or floating in and out of the story. One night, just before closing time, a loner, staying in the motel next door, comes in for a burger, and intervenes when the only other two customers in the diner get a little too rowdy.
Heath Murdock has been drifting from town to town and job to job, carrying an overwhelming burden of grief that he can't unload. After helping the sisters out, he accepts a job as a cook, intending to stay long enough to replenish his cash reserve before moving on to the next town.
Not a lot actually happens as we follow the characters through their day to day lives, although the two rowdy customers do come back and stir up trouble. But as the story unfolds and we slowly learn more about the circumstances that brought Heath to this point in his life, Ms. Hart takes us deep into the characters' heads and psyches. Usually a romance is a little more on the heroine's point of view, but I felt like this was really Heath's story more than Amy's. While Amy has her own issues of course, and her own tragic background, Heath is the soul who jumps out at the pages and makes you want to wrap your arms around him and tell him it will be alright.
And towards the end, I thought he'd had a breakthrough of sorts, and I set the book down to go to sleep, thinking I'd pick it up the next day and the last couple of chapters would be sweet and lead to that HEA. I did not expect to pick it up again and suddenly be on an emotional roller coaster that literally made me cry.
A very well done character study. I will definitely seek out more of this author, and particularly this series.
November 28, 2024
This book is not the typical light read romance from Love Inspired. Heath is drifting after facing great losses in his life and is in a depth of grief and feeling there is no use going on. Amy is a single mother with a hidden secret but she sure loves her family and the small town setting in Montana where she is co-owner of a family friendly restaurant with her sisters. Amy and Heath had a lot of obstacles to deal with their their bitterness, setbacks and heartbreaks but they realized God truly was in control and always there even in the darkest moments.
June 1, 2019
Great read. Though fiction, it shows how zevdre loss can affect a person...and though lost in hopelessness, they can find their way back. Heath was a great likable character. Glad he got his second chance
February 20, 2019
A solid Christian about a young single mom and a former doctor who lost his wife and child in a house fire who discover you can move forward after tragedy.
November 19, 2020
It was really cute :) It made you feel for Heath and Amy.
October 11, 2024
This book was hard to read at times. the 2 hurting people had so much to over come. The ending was
a little different
a little different
dnf
January 3, 2026no longer interested
April 6, 2020
wow this is an incredibly depressing book. You will not find two more unlikeable story characters than these 2. She hates men he hates the world. someone said this was "light reading?" seriously did you read it? I definitely wont read it again. (donation pile) and i definitely will Not recommend it
March 18, 2012
This is the first book of the second McKaslin series, and the McKaslin cousins are the focus. The unusual part about this novel is that even though Amy McKaslin is definitely a main character, Heath Murdock seems as equally well developed. I enjoyed getting to see the emotions of a male character so clearly presented; I felt like I really knew him, as well as Amy. You will feel your own emotions take a roller coaster ride as the story progresses. The only drawback I saw at all was that, to me, the ending felt slightly abrubt; there were many details left out of the fairly quick resolution that I wanted to know about. Maybe they'll be answered in the next book in the series. You will truly enjoy this delightful book.
February 8, 2014
Heath Murdock,a drifter, lives in a dark, shadowed world and wants only to be left alone. That is, until he comes to a small mountain town in Montana where he finds acceptance and understanding, especially from Amy McKaslin. Very slowly his life and darkness begins to change and he shares his secret pain with Amy. She, too, has a secret pain and trusts Heath enough to share her secret with him.
This novel will keep you guessing about Heath and who he rally is. His troubles character is very well developed, as is the caring, generous Amy.
Lots of details, action, and uncertainties before the resolution!
This novel will keep you guessing about Heath and who he rally is. His troubles character is very well developed, as is the caring, generous Amy.
Lots of details, action, and uncertainties before the resolution!
August 12, 2013
I enjoyed this story, which is a 'spin off' of the original McKaslin family series. This series follows the lives of the cousins of the 5 McKaslin sisters we met first.
This is a book about second chances, and I enjoyed seeing how Amy and Heath's story played out. I liked Amy's character, but I really connected with Heath's heartbreak. I also liked how love didn't burst into bloom all at once, but snuck up on them, almost without warning.
This is a book about second chances, and I enjoyed seeing how Amy and Heath's story played out. I liked Amy's character, but I really connected with Heath's heartbreak. I also liked how love didn't burst into bloom all at once, but snuck up on them, almost without warning.
March 11, 2010
The first story of the next McKaslin family.
Amy McKaslin is a single mom wanting to never trust another man.
Heath Murdock is a Dr running from the guilt of not being able to save his wife and son.
Tears ran from my eyes as usual.
Great read.
Amy McKaslin is a single mom wanting to never trust another man.
Heath Murdock is a Dr running from the guilt of not being able to save his wife and son.
Tears ran from my eyes as usual.
Great read.
Currently reading
October 29, 2009how God brings people into our lives in His time to help us grow in trusting in Him.
September 15, 2012
Two-haiku review:
Single mom with son
Hires drifter with painful past
Love inspired romance
Ending too easy
Some questions left unanswered
For next in series
Single mom with son
Hires drifter with painful past
Love inspired romance
Ending too easy
Some questions left unanswered
For next in series
September 11, 2014
Good LI--Heath dealing with loss of wife and child meets Amy, a single mom. Touching.
July 15, 2015
Good light read. Read about Amy and Heath. It's a pretty good love story.Enjoyed reading it.
September 26, 2016
Not great literature but a nice "fluff" story with enough intrigue to keep it interesting. I really enjoyed it.
April 27, 2017
really enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews