It’s 1910 and Charlotte Gregory has a dream to operate her very own kitchen, and not the domestic-bliss kind. She has recently graduated from the Fannie Farmer’s School of Cookery and is searching for jobs in a hotel setting.
Handsome Dr. Joel Brooks is striving to grab a permanent assistant superintendent position at the struggling City Hospital.
When Charlotte and Joel meet, it’s an immediate “vinegar and baking soda” or “oil and vinegar” moment. The two just can’t seem to get along, and yet they can’t seem to stay away from each other either.
After Charlotte wins a cooking contest with the Greater Northern Natural Gas Company, the business offers her a job as a traveling lecturer on how to cook with its new gas stove. Charlotte reluctantly takes the position, even though it’s not exactly what she feels is her “dream job.”
Both Charlotte and Joel must learn numerous valuable lessons. Seilstad fills the novel with themes of giving up control, learning to trust, finding true contentment and not just settling for second best, deciding between pleasing man or pleasing God, and the biblical lesson of allowing God to fill your empty vessels in life.
“While Love Stirs” is filled with great characters, and both funny and terrifying moments (including a tornado and an explosion). It teaches us about integrity, trust, faith and commitment, as well as reaching out to help one another. Although it mainly focuses on Charlotte’s story, it offers more of Hannah’s story, featured predominately in book #1, as well as gives us more of youngest sister, Tessa’s, story. I’m looking forward to what else is in store for these three lovable sisters.
Five stars out of five.
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.