My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Thirty-one year old Kate Donovan is in need of an escape from her everyday life where she’s burned out on work and tired of failed relationships. She and her grandmother return to Pennsylvania, where Kate’s grandmother grew up. Their mission? Restore Chapel Bluff, the house that has been in the family since 1820.

Matt, an ex ice hockey player, is the one who is helping them renovate Chapel Bluff. His reserved personality makes Kate curious. She can tell he’s hurting from something, and she wants to help restore him like he is helping to restore the house, but will his reservation keep him from opening up to her.

I thought this book was fantastic, one I will certainly pick up again. Becky Wade writes this story so you feel like you are able to get inside the heads of the two main characters. You know what they’re thinking; you know their fears. You know everything about them, and you cheer for both of them throughout the book. The struggles of Kate and Matt are shown in a real light. Life has hard moments, and sometimes it’s difficult to get past them or see God’s goodness in the midst of trials and disappointments. You can see that struggle in both Kate and Matt, as if it’s a mirror into our own lives.

This book was reviewed for Bethany House Publishers.