An #INSPYSundays Book Review | feat. “His Daughter’s Prayer” by Danielle Thorne which is her #LoveInspired Contemporary Romance debut!

Posted Sunday, 23 August, 2020 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

#INSPYSundays banner made my Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: I receive quite a few lovely review requests throughout the different seasons of the year. Some of the more recent ones (from May-July) were a bit harder to respond to as various authors failed to leave me their contact details whilst at the same time, after searching for them online myself to seek a way to respond to their enquiries – not all of them had a website. Blessedly – Ms Thorne had a website and I was able to connect with her via her Contact Page.

This is a gentle reminder that if you’re filling out a Review Request form on a book blogger’s blog – kindly include your email address and/or if you know the book blogger is active on Twitter (like I am) – offer your handle so they can DM you. It is the kind of courtesy we appreciate – plus, it goes from moving your request to denied to accepted and in this case, it led to me hosting her three times: two reviews and a guest spot on @SatBookChat.

I received a complimentary copy of “His Daughter’s Prayer” direct from the author Danielle Thorne in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

NOTE: This is one of two novels I’ve received from this author. The other title was one of my choosing as this one [His Daughter’s Prayer] was the one she submitted for consideration via my Review Request Page. The other novel is “Josette” – a Jane Austen inspired Historical Romance which I happily marked as my first read for #AustenInAugust!

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Why I took a leave of absence reading Love Inspired Contemporary Romance
and exchanged it for Love Inspired Suspense – until now, of course!

The fuller backstory about how I found #LoveInspired Contemporary, Historical and Suspense novels was briefly mentioned in a tweet I shared recently via @SatBookChat in response to the publisher asking about how we discovered their stories. (see also tweet) Initially, Mum discovered the lovely novellas published by the now defunct Heartsong Presents – as you see back then, these were stories you could purchase through their mail-order subscription services. After Heartsong struggled to continue in the height of the launch of Love Inspired (all 3x of their imprint focuses), Heartsong discontinued and Love Inspired took over the niche of the market where Heartsong once flourished.

We leaned more towards the Historical Love Inspired stories – reading more of those than the Contemporary but then, when we took a chance on the Suspense novels – all bets were off! We were beyond smitten and were devouring them as soon as we could find! Most of our Love Inspired Suspense novels are second-hand copies with a few exceptions as we had a subscription for a few months before we had to cancel it. Not for lack of wanting it – but for budget constraints.

In regards to the Contemporary side of Love Inspired – for awhile, I gathered the ones I felt would be a good fit for me but after awhile I noticed for x amount of the Contemporaries I felt I would love reading, I was surprised to find a lesser few resonated with me instead. Thus, I shifted into reading *only!* the Historicals (whilst they lasted) and/or the Suspense novels. I encouraged Mum to start reading the Suspense novels when she needed a break whilst on 12 hour shifts a few years ago. The novels were just the right length and provided a keen respite from long shifts. This also rekindled my own interest and interest to read them – thus, we predominately read them in tandem and have a lot of fireside chats about the characters and the writer’s styles.

Not to long ago I was blogging about Contemporary Romances – from both the mainstream and INSPY markets (see also Post) whilst I knew I was feeling drawn to certain authors who were not connected to Harlequin or Love Inspired for Contemporary Rom, I did question if there were some new voices in the imprint I might feel drawn to read now (within the last few years). I’ve been finding some copies of Love Inspired Contemporaries (and Historicals!) secondhand in recent months and it has re-inspired me to try reading them again to see which authors are writing the stories which appeal to me the most.

Thus, when I received a review request for “His Daughter’s Prayer”
– it felt like everything was come together quite serendipitously!

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An #INSPYSundays Book Review | feat. “His Daughter’s Prayer” by Danielle Thorne which is her #LoveInspired Contemporary Romance debut!His Daughter's Prayer
Subtitle: One little girl has a very big wish
by Danielle Thorne
Source: Direct from Author

One little girl has a very big wish…
A mother is all his daughter wants…
Might an old love be the answer to her prayers?

Struggling to keep his antiques store open, single dad Mark Chatham can’t turn down his high school sweetheart, Callie Hargrove, when she offers her assistance in the shop. But his daughter is wishing for a mommy, and she’s convinced that Callie is the perfect match. As they work to save the business, will their little matchmaker reunite Mark and Callie for good?

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Sweet Romance



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781335488282

Also by this author: Josette

Published by Love INSPIRED

on 16th June, 2020

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 217

Published by: Love Inspired (@LoveInspiredBks)
an imprint of Harlequin Books (@HarlequinBooks)
which is now an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing (@HarperCollins)

Formats Available: Trade paperback and Ebook

Note on Formats: Happily Love Inspired novels have the same kind of flexibility as Harlequin Heartwarming wherein you can receive these print copies in Regular Print, Larger Print or True Large Print for those who are vision impaired and/or have low vision. I personally love the Larger Print editions for Harlequin Heartwarming, Love Inspired Contemporary Romance & Love Inspired Suspense as it is much kinder on eyes of a migraineur!

However, the edition I received for His Daughter’s Prayer was regular print.

Genre(s) of Interest: Second chance romance, small towne romance & Inspirational Romance

Converse via: #INSPYbooks and/or #INSPY, #SweetRomance and #DanielleThorne

as well as #ChristFic, #ChristianFiction, #ContemporaryRomance or #INSPYRomance

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7th Annual Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

This story received my award for Best INSPY Contemporary Romance.

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my review of his daughter’s prayer:

As soon as Callie stepped into the antique store, wonderful blissful memories washed over me as I grew up visiting antique emporiums and attending auctions. There was a strong pull to sourcing things second-hand and making those items part of your personal style – which is why I understood the motivation for Callie to find such pieces for her real estate staging. They would give a sense of familiar for those who were house hunting and a cosier feel to the homes listed because they would look and feel a bit more ‘lived in’ than if you purchased newer items. Plus, there is the larger sense of time and the interconnected ways in which the items of the past have their own stories to tell and share with those of us in the present. The hidden history of antiques is what has always implored me to continue browsing and seeking different pieces because wouldn’t it be keenly interesting to know more about who first owned those pieces which sparked an interest in you now?

You can tell Callie has history of her own to sort through as well – from her connections to the family who owns this antique store to the fact she’s re-attempting to settle into her hometown. In a few short passages of thought, Ms Thorne anchours you to this part of her journey which is dearly emotional because moving back to a place you’ve once left is beyond daunting if you’re unsure how the reception of your return will be received by your former neighbours and friends. I felt for Callie, truly, because she seemed sincere about wanting to move forward into this new chapter of her life but how do you re-pick up the pieces of your life in-progress if you haven’t yet addressed the past where you have some unresolved baggage?

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His Daughter's Prayer promo banner provided by the author Danielle Thorne and is used with permission.

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This particular quote from the story is referencing a favourite scene of mine – wherein Callie finds an item of interest and Mark politely (more than once!) refuses to sell it to her stating that the item in question is not for sale. Not that that would deter Callie from questioning him about it again and upping the price she was willing to pay for it. I had a proper chuckle out of that scene because it is how you generally feel in these stores and emporiums; your eyes dance with the unexpected discoveries and the potential those items could have in your life but at the end of the search and the journey to find those items, you have to remain humble to respect two things: a) your budget and b) the unsellable items owners will not part with irregardless of your price.

Home staging has been an interest of mine for awhile – ever since Mum first talked about it and how well it helps sell a house because instead of the sterility of a vacant house for prospective sellers, the warm effect of having a house staged can make the difference in how a house reflects the potential for a home. Being a browser of homes myself over the years, I can attest the ones which charmed my heart the most were either still lived in and/or were staged. The vacancies required a lot of vision and a lot of forward thought on how to turn it into a livable space which reflects your own style – not impossible but more difficult than at least seeing how things could be arranged and the dimensions of how the space could be utilised heaps loads! Thereby, I immediately loved Callie’s Summer job as a stager because of how creatively it reflects on her ability to see an item for sale and the cross-appeal it would have if properly restored and staged in open listings. The fact she’s having a bit of a slow start towards reconnecting with Mark made it quite a light-hearted opener for this Sweet Romance.

I had to side with Mark about what to do with antiques and older items for sale in emporiums wherein the items of our lives reside especially after an estate has to be divided and/or sold. I do appreciate the purity of those pieces rather than to have them mucked up with a lot of contemporary redressing such as the kind Callie was suggesting. There is something to be said for the traditional art of restoration rather than turning things into a gaudy alternative piece that might only last for a season. Yet, I did understand what Callie was suggesting about keeping up with trends when your in real estate and/or when your selling to a particular customer and client list. I just happen to be more like Mark, a traditionalist who likes to see things reused, restored and re-loved more than I want to see them redesigned outside the aesthetic they were intended. In a similar vein of interest, I don’t understand the trend to paint vintage typewriters all kinds of weird colours when half of those were not even available when the typewriters first released!

You feel for Mark – for the choices he’s had to make as a single Dad and as a concerned father who feels slightly out of his depth with his daughter Hadley’s antics at school. She’s acting out and she’s trying to find both her voice and her place in the world. It isn’t easy starting pre-K and not having your Mum round whilst at the same time, I sensed Hadley just wanted to be with her Dad. She might be too young to articulate that properly but her actions seemed to replace the words she didn’t use and gave the same impression. For Mark’s sake, he truly strived to do right by his daughter but the pressures of fatherhood and choosing what to do as a single parent was taking its toll on his heart. He second guessed himself like most fathers do but with the added weight of realising he was navigating this solo and without the benefit of someone to advise him on his next moves. I felt it was wonderful how the community wanted to help him but he saw that as a sign of weakness – that he couldn’t do for himself what others felt they could advise him to do instead – which I felt was the wrong way of looking at it. Some smaller communities band together during the harder times in life and help uplift their neighbours as if they were one large family. I think he looked at this from the wrong way round.

I felt what was uniting Callie and Mark together were their similar backgrounds and adversities with their families – they were both from the same small towne and they both took flight away from it to leave their mark on the world on their own terms. They both were called home for different reasons and they were both seeking to find a way to stand on solid ground. Whilst at the same time, they both were sorting out life as they were living it. The fact they both had a niche of love for antiques and for recycling what is left behind by others is a credit to their combined passions for seeing the beauty out of the old. I was enjoying their tug-o-war of wit and bantering – especially over those spoons! They each had a reason not to cave to the others whims but they also gave a lot to each other I wasn’t sure they had noticed happening. Callie pulled out a part of Mark he seemed to keep hidden and in return, Mark encouraged Callie to step outside her own shell.

Sometimes it just takes a woman to understand what is the root cause of a young child’s angst at school – though you would have thought Mark might have realised something might run afoul when he wasn’t properly letting his daughter Hadley’s hair get fixed properly for school? Sometimes I think men are rather clueless when it comes to girls and women; they think their tuned in but they let key things slip past them that gives us all a bit of wonderment about how they cannot see the simple things such as a young girl’s hair needing more attention than Mark was giving it! I had to laugh a bit though – as Callie knew immediately what was causing the stress in Hadley’s life, she also managed to solve the problem whereas Mark was just letting it fester. Again, in some instances, a woman is better at assessing the childhood issues and problems that children face – though not always, as some men are just as clued into a child’s needs as a woman. It is just in this particular instance, Mark is beyond clueless!

Part of what I think allured Mark to reconsider Callie is that she is comfortable in her own skin. She doesn’t apologise for where she is in life and she has a bolt of confidence that I think Mark sometimes wishes he had for himself and his own endeavours. In many regards, I think Callie takes Mark off-guard and gives him something to chew on. It is Lois – the true friend of both his and his Mums who offers the kind of gentle wisdoms that he needs to hear at the times where he feels stretched too thin to handle anything that comes along. Lois has a guiding hand and heart but even she is trying to find a way to nudge Mark out of his comfort zones and to consider a different kind of future for himself and Hadley.

There is such a wonderful lift of spirit behind the spoons as it relates back to a love story in Mark’s family which goes back to the Civil War. It is the kind of love story that you’d love to read yourself because of how incredible it was for two people to not just find each other in the ways that this couple had but to hold onto their love and the faith of being together when they had such an intense obstacle standing in their way. It was a living memory come alive through a conversation and I was loved how Thorne handled the reflective musings about the Civil War and about how love can endure even under extreme conditions which might not seem like there is a way for love to find its wings.

The entire time Mark was speaking with realtor about the state of the county’s land availability and the reasons behind why developers were seeking places to expand new subdivisions brought back the memories of observing how some townes and cities never take the time to plan properly their sprawl and can takeaway the beauty of the smaller farms and ranches who simply want to enjoy the openness of the country landscape without being stuck with modern progress and convenience. Thorne accurately describes what it is like for the landowners to defend their right not to sell and the desires of the developers who do not care a wig about the landowners.

From that moment forward I was enraptured into the story and the growing dramatic conclusion of how a bit of faith and a lot of hope can right the stars on a path that is grown out of hard work with the courage to find success on terms set by the dreamer not by others seeking to destroy the dream. My heart soared into the Epilogue – there is so much to love about how Thorne wrote His Daughter’s Dream – as it contains such a hefty dose of realism for our everyday worlds which can be put out of shape by greed and the forces in our lives we cannot control. Our lives are co-dependent on others round us especially if they are in businesses that co-relate to our own affairs. And, yet Thorne shows through grace and prayer, all dreams have merit of being realised if we only seek to take the first leap of faith needed in order to achieve them.

on the inspy styling of danielle thorne:

I appreciated the immediacy of connecting with Callie – you have such a strong scope of who she is and why she is meeting us at this junction of her life within the first few pages of His Daughter’s Prayer. I appreciate this smooth transition into Callie’s life and world because you don’t have to hunger after the details to help you fully feel connected to the heroine of the story and you can also identify with her motivations of relocating, re-identifying herself and pursuing a new path in a towne she knows intimately well. It was for that immediate reaction I had wherein I knew this could become expanded into a series. Interestingly enough, this was also brought up during our #SatBookChat discussion wherein this story was pitched to become a series and only time will see if that becomes a reality. I, for one, would love to continue living in this world Ms Thorne has created because it is a wholesome community with down to earth characters and the beauty of starting over and coming home.

As I read His Daughter’s Prayer, the story felt as if it had been with the author for a very long time – although having spoken to the author during #SatBookChat, I know the fuller truth of how quickly this story was knitted together and then published. It feels like a story meant to be told and one that was fully realised as it was been created which is a credit to Thorne. She has good instincts on how to write an INSPY Contemporary Romance in the same vein of my beloved Harlequin Heartwarming novelists – the story she’s created in this INSPY Rom is the kind of story you long after because it refreshes your spirit. I definitely hope this will lead to more Love Inspired INSPY Contemporaries or even Suspense by Ms Thorne – whether they are connected to Ragland or not, I’d be keen to read them!

With watery eyes and a full heart, I read the Author’s Note at the conclusion of the story and found myself with a keen bit of insight into why this story felt as real to me as it did! Ms Thorne tapped into a part of her own soul and heart and left it inside this novel. She put a lot of herself into the story and a lot of her personal wanderings into the aesthetic of what became the towne and setting. This went a long way towards feeling emotionally rooted into the storyline and wanting dearly to know they’d be a sequel due to how wonderfully enriching it was to read a story that has lived such a wonderful life in our hearts and imagination. This is an author to keep your eye on dear hearts, there are many wonderful stories yet to be read from Ms Thorne!

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? A note about a music loving book blogger: ?

Whilst reading “His Daughter’s Prayer” I was happily listening to bands like King & Country via My Daily Mix No. 5 and/or No. 6 which highlights today’s Christian singer/songwriters and bands via #Spotify. I love trying to match music for me ears to the stories I am currently reading – ever since I first learnt about King & Country via Candace Cameron Bure & a local Christian radio station – I’ve become hooked! They even have their own radio which spins like-minded songs with an uplift of joy knitted into them on Spotify. I love how randomly lovely the music I am listening merges brilliantly into the story I am reading as well.

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This book review is courtesy of the author:

About Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne

Danielle Thorne writes from south of Atlanta, Georgia. She is the author of over fifteen historical and contemporary sweet romances. A graduate of BYU-Idaho, she has also published young adult non-fiction and worn an editor's cap. Her new release is a 2020 historical series set in the United States and follows the period of the American Revolution. Her first book with Harlequin's Love Inspired line will be out this summer.

#SatBookChat logo badge created by Jorie in Canva.

This series was part of a #SatBookChat discussion in July, 2020.

Be sure to read my thoughts on “Josette” my first #AustenInAugust reading” – which coincidently was happily sent to me alongside this one for review consideration. Both novels were discussed during #SatBookChat.

As well as the #SatBookChat Rewind for Danielle Thorne!

I gave a s/o to Ms Thorne when I announced my goals for # #CFSRS20!

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I look forward to reading your thoughts & commentary! 

Do you enjoy reading Christian Fiction, Sweet Romance and/or Inspirational stories which are equally enjoyable due to their gentle stories of Romance and/or their uplifting relationships which take-on the sweeter side of Romance? Which authors published via #LoveInspired do you enjoy reading? Either for Contemporary, the now defunct Historical and/or the lovely Suspense Romantic lines of interest?

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LibraryThing banner provied by librarything.com and used with permission.

This review will be cross-posted to LibraryThing.

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{SOURCES: Cover art of “His Daughter’s Prayer”, book synopsis, author photograph of Danielle Thorne, her biography and the promo banners were all provided by the author Danielle Thorne and used with permission. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. LibraryThing banner provided by librarything.com and used with permission. Tweets were able to be embedded by the codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #INSPYSundays banner, #SatBookChat badge;  7th Annual Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards badge (using Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo) and the Comment Box Banner.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2020.

I’m a social reader | I tweet as I read

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #INSPYAugust

About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

read more >> | Visit my Story Vault of Book Reviews | Policies & Review Requests | Contact Jorie

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Posted Sunday, 23 August, 2020 by jorielov in #INSPYSundays, 21st Century, A Father's Heart, Antiques, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Christianity, Contemporary Romance, Family Drama, Family Life, Fathers and Daughters, Jorie Loves A Story, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Jorie Loves A Story Features, Life Shift, Modern Day, Motherhood | Parenthood, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Single Fathers, Small Towne Fiction, Small Towne USA, Southern Lit, Southern Writers, Sweet Romance, Women's Fiction




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