Review: Wonderful!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 17, 2014
Endorsement - “Very mature, and well written, intricately laced with unique metaphors of southern flares! These heart spring short stories will leave you pondering and satisfied with immense literary appreciation. ~ Miranda A. UyehBell FlowerThis short story is my favorite in the series! I loved the Annabelle’s straight-forwardness from the get-go. Her character had no illusions of life; she knew it wasn’t her fault that she ended up where she did, but she didn’t complain about it either. She was tough and vulnerable at the same time, in a way that seemed very real, like a beautiful flower caught in a storm that somehow didn’t break.Jacob on the other hand, was very guarded most of the time, at least, that’s what I thought, as it took a while to reveal his true intentions toward Annabelle (even to the reader).I loved that as they came together, there were no games, no lies, just an honesty that stemmed from mutual understanding. They each knew the other was far from perfect, but were willing to give love a chance. This love, by the way, is the mature kind that loves with eyes wide open to the whole truth.As much as I loved this story, I would have loved to see the faith element in it, which I didn’t. However, I understand that this book is meant to create a clearer picture for us, the Heart Spring fans. So, it’s fine. FAIRY SLIPPERThis is a retelling of the Cinderella story, but this is not your typical tale of one. The best thing about this story is that, both of the main characters are considered write-offs by the people around them. But it’s amazing what a flower found in the forest can teach you. Here’s what I learned: as a flower, you may not look as tall and strong as the trees in the forest, but the trees don’t look as pretty as you either. The very difference between you and those trees is what makes you STANDout. Add some faith into that mix, and you could become … well, OUTstanding!I believe Zachary and Meg are kindred spirits, as they were both able to recognize the significance of the fairy slipper in the forest, a lesson that changed their lives for the better. And in a way, each was a Cinderella who needed rescuing. Thankfully, each was also, a knight in shining armor who came to that rescue! Sweet, right?Once again, this is a mature love story between two people who have an understanding, or at least a sense/awareness of each other’s difficulties, but chose to love all the same. I find it peculiar that Fairy Slipper is similar to Bell Flower in its core message: stepping up with courage in the face of odds to rescue whom will become your true love, knowing full well that you’d get your hands dirty dusting and cleaning them up. That’s just lovely!And the faith element? No one is forgotten by God, even if they’re forgotten by people. No one is without hope of loving, or even beyond loving. We just need to look beyond the obvious to see the beauty inside the person standing right in front of us. Let us pray to God, like Brandon Heath (Christian Song Artist), to give us His eyes, even if it’s for one second, so we can see.