Love's First Bloom by Delia Parr*a review

Ruth Livingstone's life changes drastically the day her father puts a young child in her arms and sends her to a small village in New Jersey under an assumed name. There Ruth pretends to be a widow and quietly secludes herself until her father is acquitted of a crime. But with the emergence of the penny press, the imagination of the reading public is stirred, and her father's trial stands center stage. Asher Tripp is the brash newspaperman who determines that this case is the event he can use to redeem himself as a journalist. Ruth finds solace tending a garden along the banks of the Toms River--a place where she can find a measure of peace in the midst of the sorrow that continues to build. It is also here that Asher Tripp finds a temporary residence, all in an attempt to discover if the lovely creature known as Widow Malloy is truly Ruth Livingstone, the woman every newspaper has been looking for. Love begins to slowly bloom...but is the affection they share strong enough to withstand the secrets that separate them?


Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Bethany House; Original edition (September 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764206710
ISBN-13: 978-0764206719
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces



The Author
With prestigious credentials such as the Laurel Wreath Award for Historical Romance, Romantic Times Award for Best First Book, and the Aspen Gold Award for Best Inspirational Book, author Delia Parr endears herself to critics and readers alike.
Delia is the author of twelve historical novels who now devotes herself to writing inspirational historical romance. The mother of three grown children, she is a full-time high school teacher in southern New Jersey who spends her summers writing on Anna Maria Island in Florida.
http://www.deliaparr.com/pages/about.html


My Review
This is the second book I read of Delia Parr’s and I enjoy her style of writing very much. In this book Ruth Livingstone's father is accused of killing a prostitute, he is a minister, her father sends Ruth into hiding with the murdered woman's secret child. Many reporters are trying to find out all they can about Ruth and her father, so they follow here everywhere. Ruth gets herself into a new life. She makes believe she is the recently widowed, Ruth Malloy, with her child little Lilly. She moves into the home of the Garners, a retiring couple who are part of a association of Christians who support her father's ministry.
Jake Spencer says he is an injured craftsman, but is a reporter seeking liberation at any cost. He means to write the biggest story to hit New York newspapers in years, successfully sealing his comeback, Jake tricks Ruth into feeling sympathy for him.
You will read how hard it is for Ruth to raise a toddler when she isn’t use to children and Lily misses the only life she has known. Many battles are fought and many emotions are displayed.

You will see how Jake and Ruth get to know each other and how their friendship starts.

In this little town there are many colorful characters. Come along for the journey of Ruth, Jake and little Lilly.
This book is full of heartbreak, tenderness, loss, kindness, friendship and many more things.
I enjoyed reading this book, but my favorite of Delia’s is still her last book Hearts Awakening. I recommend Love’s First Bloom. It is a light kind of read with a sweet ending. I love ending like this.



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I wish to thank Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a free review copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.