Janice Thompson’s “A Book of Love” is a great romantic comedy (heavy on the comedy) with amazing spiritual lessons along the way. You’ll quickly fall in love with the zany Pappas family, a Greek family headed up by Niko “Babbas” Pappas who has decided to bring his California restaurant to Galveston Island, Texas — right across from the Italian restaurant Parma John’s.
Niko immediately decides Parma John’s, and the Rossi family who runs it, are mortal enemies. But since everyone on the island seems to be a Rossi, married to a Rossi, in business with a Rossi, or good friends with a Rossi, it’s very difficult for the members of the also-quite-large Pappas family to start any kind of life or friendship without “cavorting with the enemy” and disappointing Babbas.
Main character Cassia Pappas, 23, isn’t initially so sure about this move to Galveston Island — nor about being constantly tied to her family’s Super-Gyros restaurant. You see, her dream has always been to become a florist. And on top of everything else, she begins to develop great relationships with Rossis — as well as a handsome, half-Greek cowboy, Alex. She struggles between pleasing her self, and pleasing her father.
Thompson tells a great and hilarious story, with just the right moments of seriousness. She uses some lovely imagery to convey her points — relating the healing in our lives to the miracle at Bethesda; and relating the blossoming nature of love to the image of a rose bud slowly and beautifully coming to bloom.
She teaches us lessons of love, forgiveness, acceptance and compromise.
And besides introducing us to the new lovable Pappas family, we are able to revisit so many of the great characters of the series’ prior installments — Uncle Laz and Aunt Rosa, Bella, Hannah, Gabi, Scarlet and the Splendora Sisters, just to name a few.
This book will have you saying, in the words of flower shop owner Marcella, “Praise the Lord and pass the pruning shears.”
Five stars out of five.
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.
“A Bouquet of Love” (Weddings by Design, Book #4) by Janice Thompson