A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman

  Amazing story!  For those who have read Julie's two series' about the O'Connor family, The Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change, you will not want to miss this prequel about the parents' love story.  For those who haven't read her other books, you can read this first and be surprised about who she ends up with!

More than anything Marcy wants to find a man who loves God as much as she does.  She's always had  a crush on her best friend's brother Sam and when she moves back to town, both he and his best friend Patrick are interested in her.  However, they both have reputations as rogues and she wants nothing to do with them.  They end up volunteering at the local parish where Marcy is running the fundraising program for the Christmas season.  She's directing a play about the Irish tradition of putting a light in the window starting on Christmas Eve to welcome the Holy Family.  As the two men build sets and help at the soup kitchen, she starts to see who they really are and wonders if she might have been wrong about them. For one of them, getting to know her and the God she loves will change his life forever.

This is a great story about the start of the O'Connors!  I loved the redemption, the importance of forgiveness, and reserving judgment.  One thing that bothered me is instead of saying a character cursed, it actually shows a character taking God's name in vain.  I would have preferred it to say he did that instead of spelling it out.  Julie does an amazing job of showing her characters' flaws and making them seem extremely real.  I also loved the romance.  This is definitely a must-read!

Only available as an e-book.