Don’t Tell My Heart It Can Heal (Book Review)

Title: Don’t Tell My Heart It Can Heal: A Faith-Filled Sweet Romance (Hatfield Falls (Don’t Tell) Book 2)
Author: Annilee Nelson
Publisher: Leenie B Books
Release Date: April 25, 2022
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09WX6YD4Y
Genre: Religious Romance, Contemporary Christian Romance
Reading Level: Adult
Length: 240 Pages
Kindle Unlimited: $0.00
Kindle: $3.99
Paperback: $14.99
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Some hearts deserved to be broken forever. Or so she thought, until she met him and his grandmother.

When Trish Thompson moved to Hatfield Falls, she was running from her past. Now, she’s trying to hide from it. But when she makes new friends at the library where she works, it’s going to be incredibly hard to keep the secret of her past hidden – especially when one of those friends is a rather demanding old lady who happens to love both God and Trish and is the hopeful, matchmaking grandmother of the guy Trish is attempting to avoid.

Henry Bennett is inquisitive, really into church and God, and has his own less-than-perfect past to overcome. He also would like to date Trish. However, she insists she’s not available. Ever. To anyone. Feeling called to minister to her, he attempts to put his desires to the side to help her.

As both Henry and Trish fall more and more in love with each other and Trish wrestles with forgiving herself, both will grow in their understanding of God’s grace and love. And maybe, just maybe, Henry’s prayers will be answered exactly how he wants them to be, and Trish’s heart will finally begin to be healed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annilee Nelson writes faith-filled sweet romances from a cozy corner in the living room of her just-outside-of-Halfax-Nova-Scotia home. She is a life-long lover of stories with her favorite sorts being those that include families, groups of friends, and, of course, romance. Like Mrs. Bennett in the Hatfield Falls series, Annilee loves Jane Austen, though not enough to name her children after Miss Austen’s characters.

You can learn more about Annilee, her books, and Nova Scotia (the setting for Hatfield Falls) by signing up for her newsletter at bit.ly/Annilee_Subscribe. You can also find her on Facebook, Mewe, and at leeniebbooks.com.

MY THOUGHTS

Trish a broken heroine, Henry, a dashing reformed preacher’s kid/hero, 2 secrets kept, and a precocious grandmother all make for great storytelling!

Trish and Henry’s story is just delightful! With love and good preaching, she learns that love gives and is unconditional.

What I liked

• That although it’s part of a series, I was able to read and enjoy the story with curiosity about book 1 but not gaping holes
• That the question of Salvation was addressed more than once in very natural circumstances
• That It was a clean romance
• Getting to know the Bennett family
• The precocious yet loving grandmother
• Henry trusts God and leaves the leading up the Him, despite his own desires.
• The Meddlesome family, because that’s the truth

What Gave Me Pause

• Henry was a little too perfect in his reformation, but I deal daily with what is vs what should be, and it was a joy reading him anyway
• I don’t necessarily agree that the secret was told to everyone, however, I did love the emphasis that the truth will set you free.

Key Takeaways

• Care enough to check on your friends and family’s spiritual as well as physical or emotional well-being
• Cut PK’s some slack, it is difficult to attend a church and work on your salvation, when all eyes are on you in not necessarily a loving way
• Know that words said in the heat of the moment can do long-lasting damage
• The truth shall set you free

This author, Annilee Nelson, was new to me so I went in with a sense of trepidation, however, it was unwarranted because I thoroughly enjoyed her flow, sense of humor, and her showing in this series that Christianity is not a label but a way of life.