Hope Road

A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin ****

I can always expect a good read from Lynn Austin. I feel that she’s one of Christian fiction’s more stellar authors. From the excellent Refiner’s Fire trilogy featuring different women’s perspectives during the Civil War, to the multi-generational storytelling of Eve’s Daughters and All She Ever Wanted, to the touching and intriguing Israel novel Wings of Refuge, she consistently releases strong, interesting novels.

A Proper Pursuit is no exception. Twenty-year-old Violet, beautiful, independent, and impulsive, spends a few months in Chicago living with her grandmother and her great-aunts. She wants to find her long-lost mother and to prevent her father’s impending marriage. Her grandmother and aunts would like her to find romance, and she wouldn’t mind it either. More than that, though, she wants to find out who she is, and who she wants to be. Threads of suspense, romance, and conflict are interwoven through the story to make for one very interesting summer!

I like this novel because while it’s not the most groundbreaking or evocative fiction ever, it’s skillfully written and consistently engaging. Although it’s written in a bit of a lighter tone than some of Austin’s other books, it’s not shallow. Violet is a truly lovable character. I related to her in many ways. Get to know her and I don’t think you’ll be sorry.

Recommended age level: 15+. There is a lot of mostly-discreet romance in this story that is best suited for older readers.