Far as the Curse is Found
by Amanda Barrat
This month I am reviewing each novella from the Joy to the World: A Regency Christmas Collection. First up was Carolyn Miller’s “Heaven and Nature Sing.”
Today’s novella, “Far as the Curse if Found” by Amanda Barratt does not disappoint. While the tone and material is darker and less light-hearted than the other two, the characters in this story are probably my favorite. This story tends to feel more gothic in the reading because of the brokenness of the main characters, but the hope and love found within these chapters stick with you for a long time. Both the hero and hero carry scars–some visible, some not. It is a story that pulled at my heart-strings. In some ways, it reminded me of a Beauty and the Beast story–the disfigured recluse is changed by a woman who comes to live in his house and under his protection. The way the characters affect each other and come to life under each other’s influence makes me smile even now, more than a week after reading it. This story probably isn’t for everyone–it isn’t your typical light-hearted, sweet Christmas romance–but I definitely loved it. The characters are real. They struggle and need redemption. These characters are the type of people my heart breaks for and long to show the love of Christ to. Read it, you won’t regret it.
Genre:Â Historical Romance, England, 1816
Plot Overview:
One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?
What I loved:Â I loved the characters and their struggles. Maybe it’s because I’m working through my own story with broken characters in need of redemption, but the characters really touched my soul and evoked strong emotions.
Favorite Character and Why:Â Dwight, hands down. My heart was wrapped up in this man who hurt and struggled to move beyond the past. He had such an amazing heart, and I hurt for him. He struggled, grew, and changed the most throughout the story, and I love him for it.
Rating and Why: Five Stars. It was exactly the type of story I love to read. It contained a depth of emotion and truth that I haven’t often found in Christmas novellas. May authors err on the side of happy and upbeat, but Amanda Barratt tackled a tough story that shows the true beauty of Christmas.
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I would love to read this book after your review! If it is rather new, it may not be in the Brownwood Library, but I don’t intend to patronize the library for a while because they kept telling me that I still had a book which I had returned weeks ago.
Merry Christmas, Crystal! I pray for you every night so that Jesus would guide you in your writing endeavors.