PRAYER BOX (Carolina Heirlooms Novel)

I love this book. Lisa Wingate’s exquisite prose drew me in from the first paragraph as she paints in delicate watercolours this brief period of time in the life of Tandi Jo. I love the complexity of the characters and the myriad little surprises throughout the book. This is a story of redemption, of forgiveness, and of faith. I loved Tandi Jo’s transformation as she immersed herself in Iola’s secrets. Her new faith was tested time and time again, and that realism enhanced my appreciation. This is a book I will read again and again. The Prayer Box is worthy of five stars, and that is what I award it.

A great story. I shall be looking out for more of Lisa Wingate's stories. I had great difficulty putting it down once I started it. I would recommend it highly as suitable for all age groups. Like all good books I will be returning to it again in the future. It is well written, the story flows well, the characters are credible and it keeps your interest right up to the last page. God bless you.

It's nothing life changing but it was a good read and it was free so that was fine. It was written well and I would recommend it as a light read.

...with warmth, light, hope, and a promise. Lisa Wingate has moved to first place in the category of favorite authors. She has such a way with words, God gave her the gift to write, to be an author and with this book she has made that gift mine. A gift given to anyone who reads The Prayer Box. I began reading this book last night not knowing how the story would draw me in, how the characters would become almost real, how Ms. Wingate would wrap me up with those letters, Iola's life. At 2:00am I wanted to write a recommendation for this book, to let you know how I felt at that moment...safe and loved and secure...the letters reminding me again what faith can do when that faith is in my Father. The descriptions of life on the island created a clear image of water, earth, village, and the people lucky enough to live there. But then we are shown that island life isn't what we see in our dreams. Those lucky enough to make a living on any island are not immune to the struggles and worries we face. That reality doesn't occur in my daydreams. This novel is written around the inevitable storms and hurricanes that anyone living on an island fears. The water damage or destruction of homes and businesses. Communication with the mainland cut off, no way to travel on or off the island because of damage to bridges. Loss of life. Yet we still build there, move there, daydream of making a life on an island understanding that hurricane can happen at any time. Every place has its dangers. Preparation, knowledge, and hard work along with islanders ready to help where and when needed will get you through every time. This book tells the tale of a woman who lived most of her life on the small island in a home that survived every storm, hurricane and flood waters Mother Nature sent their way. Tourists make up the majority of income for the businesses in the village but during the off season they can catch up on what happened to who, how everyone is doing, until everyone knows everything about each other, whether you want them to or not. But for Iola Anne, an old lady who stays in her home, the rare visitor being the UPS driver, delivery of groceries, or someone to mow the lawn. Assumptions made long ago with no effort made to verify, known but left I corrected by Iola led to Iola dying alone in the house. No one to notice her absence, no one to check on her but a newcomer to the island renting a small cottage located on Iola's property. We get to know the renter and her two children, the life she lived that she struggled to overcome. We get to know other villagers, their businesses and struggles to repair hurricane damages before the tourist season opens. But most of all we get to know Iola as a child, the life she lived because of who she was didn't define who she became. In her letters to her Father, letters stored in prayer boxes that give us glimpses of 80 years of her life. No one really knows who we are, they know only what we want them to see. We can't hide ourselves from everyone all the time...during times of stress and pressure our masks can crack giving a glimpse of our true selves to anyone looking beyond our surface. Iola's mask never slipped, successfully hiding her true self from the rest of the town. But in her case that mask hid goodness, kindness, and faith from a daughter for her Father. Faith and assurance that helped the islanders survive as well as many others who she happened to notice or hear about. I will end by saying this is a book full of highlighted pages, passages that I will be reading over many times because of how they make me feel. I never wanted the book to end because it meant the end of Iola's letters. Letters I didn't think much about when I started the book. If Lisa Wingate could publish a book that contained the rest of the letters (yes...all 80 years worth!) I would never want for anything again. This book satisfies me that much, fills all those empty places. I cannot recommend it enough.

I loved this book. Very well written, deeply thoughtful and some really good twists and turns. I so admire Iola and learned some wonderful life lessons. Highly recommended.