Authors // Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller
Published // 2013 Bethany House
Review //
Callie Deboyer is employed by the Bridgeport family as a tutor for their children. She is spending the winter at Bridal Veil Island with the family and should have plenty of time to enjoy herself. Her goal: make some decisions about her future. Mrs. Bridgeport's goal: find a husband for Callie. The problem: Callie doesn't want a husband.
Since Callie's fiance left her to marry another woman, she has found it difficult to trust men and has decided she is better off without one. Besides, she has far too much to think about this winter without a man to complicate things. While she is happy as a tutor to the Bridgeport family, she has been offered a teaching position in Chicago and her parents, missionaries in Africa, would also like her to join them. She is praying about what God wants her to do, but hasn't yet found clarity.
Mrs. Bridgeport has arranged for her son, Thomas and Callie to participate in tennis and golf lessons for the season. Callie enjoys spending time with the unpretentious golf instructor and he readily joins her and the children on various outings. They grow to care for each other, but when Callie discovers that Wesley has been deceiving her, will she be able to forgive him?
Wesley has a few problems of his own. His hard-to-please father has his own list of expectations for Wesley's life, but they hardly match Wesley's aspirations. Will they be able to resolve their issues or will there forever be tension between them? What is Wesley supposed to be doing with his life? Has he wasted his education and his father's investments?
Mrs. Murphy, the unkempt new employee arrives at the Bridgeport residence and assumes her responsibilities as nanny. She seems kind enough, but her puzzling displays of strange behavior have left Callie with a little concern. Can Mrs. Murphy be trusted? Her recommendation from a family friend was glowing, but her demeanor hardly seems the sort Mrs. Winslow would have allowed in her home.
When the families on the island begin to find themselves the victims of a string of burglaries and thefts, the indulgent atmosphere quickly changes to one of alarm. Who is behind the robberies? Will Callie be able to clear her name as suspicion is placed on her?
I thoroughly enjoyed and wholeheartedly recommend this book by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller. The characters are engaging and the storyline kept my interest well into the evening. Not once did I find myself skipping ahead. The historical setting was easy to picture. The dialogue was clever and realistic and Callie's relationship with Wesley kept me hoping they would resolve their issues and find their happy ending. A truly enjoyable read!
