Another roadblock…or the family she’s looking for? When single mom Faith Brennan discovers the Virginia inn she grew up in is for sale, she’s determined to make a bid. Even if that means going head-to-head with handsome real estate broker Joshua Carlson. But competing with Joshua would be a lot easier if Faith’s young daughter wasn’t growing so attached to him…and if Faith could stop … stop picturing running the inn with Joshua by her side.
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I loved everything about this book from the colorful cover to the romancey story tucked between the covers. To me it seemed more real than a work of fiction. I had no trouble being completely swept into the story. I thought that Faith and Joshua would be a match made in heaven and I wanted nothing more than to see them together. Bella was such an adorable child with a cute personality that I couldn’t help but be drawn to. I thought this story was uplifting and very well written.
Faith Brennan is a young widow and single parent. Her daughter though sweet and obedient can be a handful at times with all that energy bottled up inside and who knows what she’s apt to innocently blurt out at the most inconvenient of times. Faith manages Black Bear Inn and Ski resort in Whispering Slopes but the truth is that she grew up in this big house with her grandparents and twin sister Joy. Now there’s a rumor that the current owner will put the inn up to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Faith can’t let this happen and she will do everything in her power to buy it for her and Bella.
Joshua Carlson is the son of the Black Bear Inns owner and he has his own reasons for wanting to be the highest bidder for the inn. He wants to carry out his late mothers renovation plans for Black Bear Inn and adding on to it as well. It doesn’t matter to him that the pretty manager of the Black Bear will also be bidding at the auction and has her own plans for the inn. With his money he’s bound to be the next owner of this beautiful inn. Oh but plans don’t always go the way we want them to go .
I highly recommend to readers of Love Inspired books and fans of contemporary romance.
I received a complimentary copy of A Father for Bella. A review was not requested. All opinions shared here are my own.
A FATHER FOR BELLA by Jill Weatherholt is the heartwarming story of Faith Brennan – widowed Mom and the manager of the Black Bear Inn and Ski Resort in Whispering Slopes, her adorable 5 year old daughter Bella, and Joshua Carlson – real estate broker.
Faith and Joshua have a similar goal – to own the inn. Faith is determined to be the high bidder when the inn goes on the auction block. She’s not about to lose the place she has always known as home much less uproot her daughter. Joshua is equally determined to fulfill a promise to his dying mother – the only one that showed him love and direction growing up – to keep the inn in the family. A little part of him also wants to prove to his dysfunctional, unfeeling, hardnosed father that he can make it on his own. To Joshua, money is no object. Even when his father cut off his trust, he is able to get financial backing.
Each have their own share of heartache from the past. Faith’s husband died fighting a fire in an occupation she had pushed him into leaving her to raise Bella on her own. Giving her all her love, she still wonders if she is adequate in playing the part of both parents. Joshua was divorced by the woman he loved over money – or lack of it rather. When he had the falling out with his father and left the firm, the temporary lack of money and status had her running into the arms of a wealthier man leaving him broken.
Bella, on the other hand, has all she needs – a Mom that loves her and Plato her loveable new puppy – except for her own true dream – a Dad. From the moment she sets eyes on Joshua when he finds her lost in the big black forest on that cold late afternoon, she fell in love with him and felt he would be her Dad someday. She wraps herself around his heart with her smile, endearing ways and by just being Bella.
Who is going to have the high bid to get the inn? Will dreams be shattered? Will a fire at the inn bring them all closer? Even if they join forces, will outsiders derail the plans? Can Joshua’s father’s heart be thawed when faced with events of the past? Can Bella’s desire for a father come to fruition?
Jill Weatherholt does an amazing job of presenting both Faith’s and Joshua’s side that there’s no way to choose sides but rather you ride the middle hoping that the distance between them merges into one. A FATHER FOR BELLA is about determination, forgiveness, hope, love and faith all rolls into one truly amazing story. It’s a story that will have you crossing your fingers and hoping right along with Bella.
I immensely enjoyed reading A FATHER FOR BELLA and I feel you would too. I highly recommend it!
I’ve read Jill Weatherholt’s books before (see my review of Second Chance Romance) and she has emerged as my go-to author for Christian romantic fiction. Her latest, A Father for Bella (Harlequin 2018), continues that description. It is a fast-moving, personal read that addresses the messiness and confusion of what really happens in everyday love lives. Faith Brennan, a young widow, finds out that the Virginia inn Faith runs, one that specializes in personal care for guests and a variety of snow sports, is going to be auctioned by the owner. When Faith’s husband dies, she promises him she will take care of Bella, their daughter, and give her a bright future. Buying the inn where she has lived and worked almost her entire life seems like the perfect way to make good on that promise. That is until Joshua Carson, another bidder, shows up. Joshua is handsome, rich, and newly-divorced. He too has a promise to keep, this one to his dead mother, and to fulfill his means Faith can’t fulfill hers. He arrives at the Inn planning to spend a month investigating it in preparation for the auction, only to become embroiled one time after another in events and emergencies that involve Faith and Bella. It’s clear the young girl adores Joshua, a sentiment he shares, so how can he tear apart the life she and her mother have built?
Weatherholt’s characters are imbued with moral strength and ethical beliefs that drive their actions and mold the story’s plot. Weatherholt also includes such a wonderfully rendered snowy setting that I might even decide to vacation in the mountains–if I didn’t like warm weather so much. One final characteristic of her writing that–like the Christian roots–keeps me coming back is the way she can spin words into a mental picture I can’t forget:
“He never skied without his own gear. It would be like using someone else’s toothbrush. “
“He’s never liked the sound of time passing him by”
After a fully-satisfying story, Jill provides personal reflections on how this story is rooted in her own life. Have no doubt, if you like this genre, A Father for Bella will resonate with you.
The title is a bit of a give away, but while reading I began to think it impossible. This can be labeled as a second chance story but not what usually comes to mind. While the story is about Faith and Joshua, it’s Bella that stole my heart!
This was such an enjoyable story to read. It’s believable, it’s a clean read with a slow building romance and the characters share their faith or the lack of it. The author did a wonderful job of describing the scenes without over doing it. I’m anxious to read more from this author.
Jill Weatherholt really knows how to ramp up the conflict! This book has it all! A kind and handsome hero who wants to do the right thing. A feisty single mom who’s willing to fight for the security she craves for her and her daughter. An adorable little girl who speaks her mind and has her heart set on claiming Joshua as her daddy. A light, organic spiritual thread. Conflict that keeps ratcheting up, leaving you to wonder if Faith and Joshua would ever get their happily-ever-after. And just when you think the book’s drawing to a close, BOOM! Another obstacle! How could I stop turning pages?? I didn’t! lol.
Disclaimer: I purchased my copy of A Father for Bella. This review is my fair and unbiased opinion, and I was in no way compensated.
A FATHER FOR BELLA, by Jill Weatherholt, reminded me of the wonderful writing of Grace Livingston Hill. For those of you who don’t know who that incredible author was, it’s a HUGE compliment. And Weatherholt’s well-written story made me cry. Happy tears. Another HUGE compliment.
A sweet story of loss, forgiveness, love and hope for the future. I especially love the character Bella. She has a special way of touching the hearts of the people in her life. Great read. I received a copy of this book from the author. This is my personal honest opinion. No review was required.