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A review by reneesmith
Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg
5.0
Author Melissa Tagg’s trademark is turning her love of romantic comedies—especially old movie classics—into fun, page-turning novels, and Here to Stay is a prime example!
The story focuses on two adult children of feuding families. Blake Hunziker is the rich prodigal, who reluctantly returns home after years of adventurous wandering. Autumn Kingsley is the obedient daughter, who reluctantly stayed home to tend her family’s dream—even while she yearned to see the world and fulfill her own. As the back cover copy says, this story throws together “a guy who’s done running away with a girl who can’t wait to leave.”
Autumn and Blake both wrestle with feeling they have disappointed important people in their lives. When they join forces to run the town festival, they find themselves growing in appreciation for the unique folks in their town and for each other. Soon the worth they see in each other helps Autumn and Blake believe God sees worth in them. And they discover that His way of making dreams come true will never leave them feeling shortchanged by life.
This novel was so much fun! In Autumn’s desire to see the world, I spotted traces of While You Were Sleeping and It’s a Wonderful Life. (Isn’t the romance in the beginning rom-com like? Come on, Donna Reed in the hydrangea bush?) And maybe because I just finished a Gilmore Girl marathon, a lady innkeeper with a wisecracking male assistant really worked for me. I also enjoyed the Stars Hollow small-town feel of Whisper Shore and its quirky residents.
To say Here to Stay is a feel-good story does not diminish it in anyway. After all, how can any novel leave a reader feeling hopeful and happy without celebrating God’s heart and the many ways He touches our lives with love?
My favorite quotes . . .
“In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary. We can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.” Romans 5:5, The Message
“You don’t have to see every open door on the way to your end goal, just the one staring you in the face.”
“Maybe you start by thinking back to the last time you can remember when everything felt right. Like you were exactly where God wanted you to be.”
The story focuses on two adult children of feuding families. Blake Hunziker is the rich prodigal, who reluctantly returns home after years of adventurous wandering. Autumn Kingsley is the obedient daughter, who reluctantly stayed home to tend her family’s dream—even while she yearned to see the world and fulfill her own. As the back cover copy says, this story throws together “a guy who’s done running away with a girl who can’t wait to leave.”
Autumn and Blake both wrestle with feeling they have disappointed important people in their lives. When they join forces to run the town festival, they find themselves growing in appreciation for the unique folks in their town and for each other. Soon the worth they see in each other helps Autumn and Blake believe God sees worth in them. And they discover that His way of making dreams come true will never leave them feeling shortchanged by life.
This novel was so much fun! In Autumn’s desire to see the world, I spotted traces of While You Were Sleeping and It’s a Wonderful Life. (Isn’t the romance in the beginning rom-com like? Come on, Donna Reed in the hydrangea bush?) And maybe because I just finished a Gilmore Girl marathon, a lady innkeeper with a wisecracking male assistant really worked for me. I also enjoyed the Stars Hollow small-town feel of Whisper Shore and its quirky residents.
To say Here to Stay is a feel-good story does not diminish it in anyway. After all, how can any novel leave a reader feeling hopeful and happy without celebrating God’s heart and the many ways He touches our lives with love?
What I liked best . . .
The perils of accident-prone Autumn
How Blake transforms from guilt-ridden prodigal to confident hero
The town-wide snowball fight
Sweet Lucy from Hope House, a home for mentally handicapped adults
The photo-taking trip to Susie and Vern’s farm
The bathtub adventure
An earnest discussion about Narnia
The appearance of Miranda Woodruff and the From the Ground Up crew
My favorite quotes . . .
“In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary. We can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.” Romans 5:5, The Message
“You don’t have to see every open door on the way to your end goal, just the one staring you in the face.”
“Maybe you start by thinking back to the last time you can remember when everything felt right. Like you were exactly where God wanted you to be.”