Monday, June 20, 2022

Review: Morning by Morning (Murphy Brothers Story #8) by Jennifer Rodewald

About the Book
“You were built for hard things.”

Two years after losing the love of his life to cancer, Connor Murphy is slowly emerging from the darkness of grief, but he wrestles with fears about how he and his twelve-year-old son Reid will manage to navigate Reid’s teenage years on their own. Connor’s single-minded prayer has become, please, no more changes, but when single mom Jade Beck arrives to take on the job Sadie Murphy had done before her death, it becomes clear God has stamped his prayer request denied.

Jade Beck’s prayers were answered when she received the offer of a job as Lakeshore Lodge’s marketing and customer relations manager. Or so she thought. After a messy divorce, she and her two children need a safe place to land and find the peace their lives have lacked, but once she meets her abrupt, brooding supervisor, Mr. Connor Murphy, her fresh start suddenly looks a bit…stale. She’s already endured fifteen years living with a condescending man, and she won’t be a doormat anymore.

As the challenges of single parenting continually push them together, Jade and Connor’s relationship gradually transforms from cold and awkward to respectful and mutually supportive…and eventually to something deeper and more tender. But navigating these changes forces them to deal with the hurts and disappointments of their pasts and confront the fears that hold them captive.

Surrendering their hopes and fears to God has never felt so daunting. Can they learn to see the goodness of God, even in their broken paths, and trust that morning by morning, God’s tender mercies are ever new?

Morning by Morning, book 8 in the Murphy Brothers Stories, is a complex, emotional story of hope after heartache, of deeply moving, tender romance after devastating loss, and God’s faithful love, even in life’s hardest place.


MY THOUGHTS

What an emotional read! This has been such a fantastic, faith-stirring series. I've really fallen in love with the Murphy family. I've enjoyed getting to know them, following alongside them, and rooting for them as they've faced some tough real-life struggles.

This is Connor's second book. I didn't know how I'd feel about that. His and Sadie's story was a favorite. An emotional ride, for sure, but oh so good. This one was an emotional read too, for different reasons. My heart broke for Connor and Reid. Their loss is just so unimaginable. I had already made up my mind that I wouldn't like Jade, but she had such an endearing quality to her that I couldn't help but like her. And her kids too. They were going through some things, too. Not the same as Connor and Reid, but it sure tested them.

Jennifer Rodewald has such a talent for bringing a true sense of authenticity to her stories. I always feel like I'm reading about real people, dealing with real issues. While this story had its hard moments, it was an incredibly rewarding read. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FIVE STARS

2 comments:

  1. This one does sound a bit heartbreaking and poignant. SO much loss and grief. I'm glad there's also hope and faith and love in it, too.

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    1. Me too! I can always trust this author to take me on an emotional journey that might have some tears along the way but is always so satisfying in the end. :)

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