Book Review: Return to Walhalla by Laura Hodges Poole
Return to Walhalla by Laura Hodges Poole
When financier Penny Ruskin returns to Walhalla, South Carolina, she has one purpose—to settle her grandmother’s estate and sell the Victorian house she grew up in. Not an easy task with the downturned economy. What she doesn’t count on are all the roadblocks thrown in her path.
Walhalla is Tommy McAllister’s life. Between his family’s feed-and-seed store and the bank he’s vice president of, he’s stretched thin trying to survive the recession. But when a girl he hasn’t seen since high school breezes back into town, he’s ready to push himself even further to help her feel at home—and convince her to stay. He reaches out to Penny, but the last thing she wants is to be trapped in a small town that holds painful memories—one dark secret in particular.
The town matchmaker and bank manager, Miss Betty, a motherless teen Emma who lives down the lane from Penny, and the church ladies of Walhalla’s First Baptist add both heartwarming and challenging moments to Penny’s life.
With the past dogging Penny’s steps, dredging up painful memories she’s tried to outrun, relatives threaten the future she has begun to hope for…But somewhere deep inside her, a spark of hope remains. Tommy isn’t the only one praying for a miracle.
Return to Walhalla is like sitting on a porch in the summer and drinking a glass of sweet tea. I loved the small town, southern feel the book had, and I instantly loved the sparks between Penny and Tommy. These two were strongly written with conflict hitting their sparks every time they take a step forward. Miss Betty is a sweet, humorous secondary character that adds to the story and keeps things humming both at the bank, and between Penny and Tommy, even when they don’t want it to.
It really was a well-crafted romance that transported me to a small town down south with memorable characters. If you need a book to read, I hope you choose Return to Walhalla.
To purchase Return to Walhalla, click HERE.
Laura Hodges Poole is a freelance writer with dozens of articles, devotions, and short stories in publication. Her novellas and devotional are available on Amazon. Laura is the 2016 ACWC Badge of Honor winner, a 2014 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist, and a 2012 RWA Emily finalist. As an editor and member of The Christian PEN, she enjoys mentoring and helping other writers polish their work. Laura is also a non-fiction ghostwriter/collaborator. Her passion is encouraging others in their Christian walk through her blog, “A Word of Encouragement.” When she’s not writing, you might find her hiking, playing the piano, or being crafty. A mother of two, Laura lives in South Carolina with her husband and son.
Website: http://laurahodgespoole.com/
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