Book Review: Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund
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Synopsis from back of book:
Lily Young longs to find her lost sister or will die trying. Heedless of any danger, she searches logging camps and towns, posing as a photographer’s assistant. And then she arrives in Harrison, Michigan and into the sights of Connell McCormick.
Connell is determined to increase the fortune of his lumber baron father and figures as long as he’s living an upright life, that’s what matters. But when Lily arrives in town she upends his world, forcing him to confront the truth that dangerous men have gained too much power while good men turn a blind eye.
Vexing but persuasive, Lily soon secures Connell’s help, drawing them even closer to each other. Will standing for what’s right cost them both everything?
My review:
I was most impressed by this book because the author tackled such a dark subject and managed to weave a gripping, yet tender love story into it. At the beginning, I wasn’t sure how Connell and Lily were ever going to be together considering their differences in how they saw their places in the world. I was delighted to watch the two of them grow together. I found myself rooting for them both to overcome the evil that was so prevalent around them.
Lily was so admirable. She is searching for her lost sister, which speaks to her love and loyalty, but she was also drawn to helping others. Her compassion made her such a wonderful woman. She was also impatient and impetuous. I found myself wishing that she would slow down for a moment and assess how to handle situations better.
I liked Connell so much right from the start. He was an honorable man. At first, he is okay with doing a good job for his father’s business, but as he interacts more with Lily, he begins to see the bigger picture and question what his true role in life should be. His growth in both spiritual maturity and love for Lily was very satisfying to me.
What I enjoyed most about this book:
Lily’s strength of character and her willingness to put others before herself balanced with Connell’s hesitancy to get involved in the world’s problems.
What I didn’t like about this book:
This book was an eye-opener to me about the amount of darkness that surrounded the logging industry during this time frame. The author based the villain and another character off of real historical people and I was saddened by the fact that the evil was indeed real.
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. Although the author did tackle a dark subject in this book, I thought it was extremely well written and presented in the light of hope. I would also recommend that anyone reading this book also read the authors notes about the characters and historical background. This is the first book in this series and I am looking forward to reading the others.
Where can I learn more about this author and their books?
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