Review: Reviewed by Deena Peterson
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 5, 2013
In the first novella of her new series, Mary Manners introduces some new characters and takes readers on a journey of forgiveness, redemption and hope. "Miracles & Mischief" is a brief story, but it packs a powerful message within its pages.Nate Saylor's football career may be dead in the endzone. He blew the big game for his team, the Tennessee Titans, then a tabloid story threatens his reputation. Discouraged and unsure of the future, he reluctantly agrees to take part in a program called "Moments For Miracles".Shayna Grady has one wish: to keep her son alive. But Zac is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant and time is running out. Neither she nor her ex-husband are a match, and the clock is rapidly running down on a miracle for her young son. Zac's wish? To meet his football hero, Nate Saylor.Mary has carefully crafted a story that takes supposed random circumstance and places God's fingerprints everywhere. Her tale is a good lesson to both those who believe and those who are still searching: chance is a myth, and God does care.My only issue with "Miracles & Mischief" was the passage of time. I had no problem believing events could unfold quickly (they did in my own life when I met 'the one'), but then a random sentence would reveal that weeks had actually passed.I would have enjoyed more clarity on the timing of events, but that didn't detract from the overall story. Nate, Shayna and Zac were all well developed characters that easily capture the reader's heart, and don't be surprised if you tear up toward the end of the story.This is the second book I've been privileged to read by Mary Manners, and she's becoming a favorite author.(The Wordsmith Journal strives to guide readers to books of personal interest, with the understanding and respect that what appeals to some may not appeal to others. Therefore we attempt to keep our reviews focused on content, genre and style. The rating is necessary to make use of Goodreads and Amazon. It reflects the reviewer's own level of enjoyment, but the review is intended to be informative for the benefit of all readers.)