A Passion Denied

Summary: Elizabeth O'Connor has been like the little sister John Brady always wanted, sharing his love of literature and his thirst for God. But in the throes of the Roaring Twenties, Lizzie has grown up. Suddenly she wants more from the man who has been her friend since she was a child. When this shy little bookworm blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving John, she discovers that his past won't let him return that love. But Lizzie refuses to give up--until his shocking secrets push her away.

A note from the author: I’m Julie Lessman, an Inspirational Romance author with a passion for God and a passion for romance. Since the age of twelve, I’ve been in love with the idea of being “in love.” It happened the moment Scarlett seared Rhett with a look on the winding staircase of Twelve Oaks. Suddenly I was a goner, spellbound by the emotional ebb and flow of romantic relationships.

As an adult, I quickly learned that true romance is spiritual as well as physical and emotional. And one pass through the “Song of Solomon” in the Bible told me that God was the biggest romantic of them all, deeply passionate in His love for each of us. Through my love affair with Him, I have discovered that romance can transcend to another dimension where romantic passion and spiritual passion merge, creating a 3-D love story: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together. I hope you enjoy my stories ... and may they bring you closer to the Father’s heart.

My review: This is the third book in the series, which I thought would be a difficulty, but Lessman adds just enough of the back story to keep me from confusion without boring readers who have read the previous books. In fact, I think I could go back and read the first two books, even though I already know who the girls end up with. For readers who have read the other Daughters of Boston novels, this book would add satisfying details as to what happens to Faith and Charity after the close of their stories.

The front cover of this book announces, "This isn't your mother's inspirational fiction!" and that description doesn't disappoint. For the woman who finds guilty pleasure in romance novels, this book provides the romance without the guilt, featuring not only the story between Lizzie and Brady, but also her married sisters and parents.