A Love to Come Home To | Blog Tour and Giveaway

I have been waiting for months for this book to come out! Last year, I read both of Alicia Ruggieri's books back-to-back and knew that, when book three was coming out, I wanted to be on the list! Well, here it is, folks! And it definitely does not disappoint!

BACK COVER BLURB:

Hardened Ben Picoletti thought he’d turned his back on Depression-era Rhode Island years ago. Nothing remains there for him, except for haunting memories of an abusive childhood. Yet when a criminal accusation shatters his ambitions, Ben has nowhere to flee but back to his stepfather’s home.

There, he finds that redemption yet waits for him… but the sacrifice required to attain it may exceed the limits of his family’s hearts.

Meanwhile, his musical sister Grace continues her studies in New York. She longs to hear a word of affection from her high-school beau… yet only Paulie’s silence greets her. Grace must decide whether she wants to live in the past or move into an unknown future with unexpected love.

Lyrical and sensitive to the aching heart, A Love to Come Home To affirms that God delights in being a stronghold in times of trouble; that He renews His mercy every morning; and that He will work every bitter thing together for the good of His children.

MY REVIEW

Oh... I didn't want this story to end. And I'm hoping that the series doesn't end here. ;) I don't gush over many book series, but here is one I will definitely "gush" about. I don't think there was a single main character in any of the three books I didn't fall in love with (I suppose if Mr. Picoletti in book 1 was a main character, of course I didn't like him).

But this book. Oh how sweet it was! Heart wrenching at times, but hope filled! I really liked the journeys of Ben, Grace, and Paulie. It seemed very realistic. I found almost the whole book predictable -- down to the climax -- but it was one of those books where it didn't bother me at all (okay, maybe I wasn't predicting, but hoping; yeah, I even hoped for the roof incident... horrid me ;) ).

"Paulie will help you." Oh my. When I read those words, I could feel the tension there was going to be between Ben and Paulie! This was amazingly real. And I really could identify with Paulie and how his personal struggle affected his attitude and actions towards Ben. Wow.

I loved glimpses of Ben's tenderness underneath his crusty, hardened exterior. Especially his tenderness towards David.

Kirk truly was an amazing guy! The only thing that held me back from liking him is probably the same thing that will hold a lot of other people back: Grace belongs to Paulie, not anyone else. Poor guy. He really was upstanding.

And the epilogue with geraniums, tying it back to book 1! That's all I'll say, but it was amazing! Loved that touch!!

Yeah, I just feel like gushing and not like writing a comprehensive book review. Sorry! :)

Some quotes that stood out to me:

"Was she really trusting Him? Or was she using His will as an excuse to give way to her fears?"

“There’s the kind of prison sin has locked every last one of us into. It’s the worst kind of jail. And only Jesus Christ holds the key to get us out. Because only He has paid for our release with His own blood.”

*I received this book from the author in exchange of my honest review *

Purchase: http://bit.ly/1XVezoM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alicia G. Ruggieri writes grace-filled, Christ-centered fiction, including the A Time of Grace Trilogy. She’s a graduate of Rhode Island College, where she studied Communications and History, and her adventures include children’s theatre direction, restaurant management, and small business ownership. Alicia and her husband live in coastal New England, where she may be found drinking far too much coffee and penning stories with her emotionally-disturbed second-hand pug by her side. 

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://www.aliciagruggieri.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AliciaGRuggieri

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AliciaRuggieri

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/AliciaGRuggieri

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/aliciagruggieri

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/aliciagruggieri

RELEASE WEEK SALE

Trust me, you don't want to miss grabbing the first two books for free/reduced price!!

July 21-25, 2016 – The Fragrance of Geraniums (Book 1) – FREE on Kindle – http://bit.ly/1VXSyDO

July 22-28, 2016 – All Our Empty Places (Book 2) - $1.99 on Kindle - http://bit.ly/1UOfV02

GIVEAWAY

What is a book release without a giveaway? There's only a few hours left to enter, so hurry! Enter the giveaway HERE.
Note: Givewaway is pen to U.S. residents only due to shipping costs.