A Gathering of Angels
Welcome back to Dorsetville, Connecticut, the little town that is the setting for Valentine's series of faith-based novels. In this second outing, the sequel toA Miracle for St. Cecilia's, the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception are about to open their retirement home for priests and nuns. Among the characters familiar from the first book, Father James is sidelined by a hit-and-run accident; Mrs. Norris, his redoubtable housekeeper, still runs the rectory with an iron hand; and Harry Clifford, owner of the Country Kettle, pursues his cautious romance with schoolteacher Nellie. Several new characters are brought into the mix--Wendy, a transplanted New Yorker whom Harry takes on as a waitress; developer Barry Hornibrook, who is running out of time to repay a loan; and Molly, the bag lady who camps out on the town green, to name just a few. Valentine displays a surer touch than she did in her first novel, and handles her large cast well. She has plenty of good material to draw on for upcoming installments to please a growing readership.Mary Ellen QuinnCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved