Quirky Fiona McGrath loves her job as a Child Life Specialist at a Dunedin, Florida hospital. As a former foster child, she understands trauma and wants to ensure no child ever faces the same kind of fears she once did. But are fears truly in the past? Gabe Cavenaugh’s life is right on schedule. As the youngest assistant Chief Financial Officer in the hospital’s history, he has much to prove, but … prove, but he’s confident he can do anything he’s asked. After all, he’s secure in his faith and has the constant support of his family.
When Gabe is directed to make cuts in order to balance the hospital’s budget, his search leads him to the Child Life Program and to Fiona. How can this crazy, hat-wearing woman, who rides around on a sparkly scooter possibly be a vital member of the medical team?
As Fiona works to persuade Gabe about her job’s necessity, he begins to see there’s more to her and her work with young patients than wacky clothes.
But will she be enough to save her program? And could she possibly be enough for a man like Gabe?
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Let me begin by saying, I was privileged to receive an advance copy of this book from the Mosaic Collection, and I’m so pleased that I did! I really enjoyed this book! For starters, as a nurse, I loved that both main characters work in a hospital–Gabe works in accounting (which I know NOTHING about), and Fiona is a Child Life Specialist (a position I had never heard of until this book–but I’m now convinced every hospital that has pediatric patients needs one of these). I love how it touches on foster care, past traumas, the importance of therapy and communication, and practicing what we preach. Fiona has the ability to see God’s redemptive love in everyone except herself, and I enjoyed following along with her on her personal journey to this realization. And Gabe displays such great characteristics as well–my two favorites being integrity and perseverance. I will definitely be recommending this one to folks (like me) who sometimes need a reminder that we are enough. And folks who enjoy a sweet love story with interesting twists and turns along the way.
I just closed the e-cover on Lorna’s latest novel, my introduction to her writing. What a charming romance with realistic characters and lots of humor (e.g., Gabe says, “All of this pink is sucking the masculinity right out of my veins. I’m too tired to move, and I have an unexplainable craving for chocolate.” In Gabe’s view, “Fiona was special and vulnerable, and he wanted to take care of her. Wow. His blood sugar must be bottoming out.”). This sort of easy, comfortable tone is enchanting and oh-so-readable, and it drew me in from the outset. Her storyline taught me about foster care and therapy bunnies and hospital administration. Her descriptions–especially of Greek food–are vivid and had me salivating (e.g., “delicious piles of butter pecan French toast” and “bowls of Greek yoghurt with fresh raspberries and honey”; “blood orange olive oil” with a “splash of the dark chocolate balsamic vinegar”). But more important even than Lorna’s style is her underlying message, reflected in the novel’s title; as Gabe says of Fiona’s insecurity, “I could stand here all day telling you that you’re more than enough for me, but until you believe it for yourself, until you believe you are who God made you to be, my words mean nothing.” This book is about living out Christian faith despite the brokenness we each suffer.