TEST
Amanda Cabot’s The Spark of Love is a pretty faith-based romance with a sweet and resourceful heroine and a solid hero. While it’s storyline is not especially unique, it’s still well told and a perfectly nice novel to spend an afternoon with.
Debutante Alexandra Tarkington plans to leave New York City for Mesquite Springs, Texas to escape marriage to Franklin and run to the arms of her father. A vicious fight between herself and her fiancé, and his threats regarding her trust fund galvanize her into action. Franklin is clearly courting her in the hope of using her money to settle his debts, and he has made the mistake of making the matter plain. Frightened of his temper, Alexandra slips out of town without telling anyone but her elderly aunt Helen. Alexandra plans on continuing her love of painting watercolors and staying with her cousin Opal.
On the way to Mesquite, Alexandra develops an attraction to Gabe Seymour, a man she meets on the journey. She takes work teaching children how to paint, and soon finds herself in quite a pickle – her father wants her to go back to New York and marry Franklin. She learns that Gabe has been sent to investigate her father’s plan to build a hotel on land purchased in Mesquite Springs, land which might have been bought with ill-gotten gains. Meanwhile, private investigator Jason Biddle is hired by Franklin to follow Alexandra. Will she ever be able to forge her own destiny?
The Spark of Love is a nice, simple and enjoyable romance that doesn’t get overly ambitious and leans heavily into the Big Secret formula for romantic love. But I genuinely liked Alexandra, who could have been whiny and spoiled, but was instead generous and determined upon her independence and finding a love that suits her. Gabe is a sweet guy with a complicated background I won’t reveal because of some big-time spoilers, but I liked his sense of humor. Alexandra’s cousin Opal is a wonderful addition to the narrative as well, and I liked meeting with the townspeople inhabiting Mesquite Springs.
Faith perfumes the book, and I enjoyed the way Alexandra expresses her belief in The Lord throughout the tale. But I have to detract some points for the more crashingly obvious narrative choices (you will likely see the book’s big surprise coming from several paces away) and a few pat situations drag this one down. The kids Alexandra teaches are also kinda saccharine in their behavior. But overall The Spark of Love is an easy read that works well and doesn’t ask too much of its reader. Call it a perfectly enjoyable diversion and an afternoon’s entertainment.
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Grade: B
Book Type: Inspirational Romance
Sensuality: Kisses
Review Date: 13/03/22
Publication Date: 03/2022
Lisa Fernandes is a writer, reviewer and recapper who lives somewhere on the East Coast. Formerly employed by Firefox.org and Next Projection, she also currently contributes to Women Write About Comics. Read her blog at http://thatbouviergirl.blogspot.com/, follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thatbouviergirl or contribute to her Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/MissyvsEvilDead or her Ko-Fi at ko-fi.com/missmelbouvier
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.