Book Review: Porch Swing Promise by JoAnn Durgin
Sometimes God’s greatest gifts don’t change our plans. They change our understanding of home.
After a career setback at a Michelin-starred Nashville restaurant, aspiring chef Brielle Kearney agrees to house-sit in the charming mountain town of Dogwood Creek, Tennessee. For two months in the summer, she’ll sharpen her culinary skills in the fast-paced, high-volume local diner while her widowed aunt travels the world. Then she’ll return home to Nashville to pursue the career she’s worked years to achieve.
Enter Micah Hayes. Quietly dependable, deeply faithful, and known throughout Dogwood Creek for putting others first, the town’s homegrown electrician isn’t looking for romance. When the fire chief calls him to inspect The Gathering Place after an unfortunate incident, Micah clashes with the new cook who caused a commotion on only her third day on the job. Brielle is feisty, defensive, beautiful, and unforgettable.
Micah tasted fame and walked away. Brielle seeks to prove herself worthy in her chosen field. Somewhere between shared meals, porch swing conversations, church potlucks, and simple acts of kindness, two guarded hearts begin to discover that the sweetest things in life are often the ones never planned.
As Brielle’s dream opportunity in Nashville draws near, and her time in Dogwood Creek comes to an end, she and Micah face a question neither is prepared to answer. Is love asking someone to stay…or loving them enough to let them go?
Filled with memorable characters, including the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers, heartfelt humor, delicious comfort food, gentle faith, and the reminder that God’s plans are always worth trusting, Porch Swing Promise is a tender Christian romance about finding home, embracing God’s timing, and discovering that sometimes the greatest adventures begin with the courage to meet in the middle.
Kindness still matters. Faith still matters. Community still matters, and love is patient enough to wait.
Julie’s Note & Review:
Porch Swing Promise is part of the Dogwod Creek Matchmakers series, and I am also one of the authors. As a reader I’m such a fan of the series. Other authors include Leah Atwood, Robin Bayne, JoAnn Durgin, Dawn Kinzer, Lisa Prysock, and Lori Soard. Porch Swing Promise released in July, and then my novella, Autumn’s Grace, released in September.
Because I was preparing Autumn’s Grace, I am late reading this novella. I couldn’t wait to read about Micah and Brielle.
MY REVIEW:
Porch Swing Promise begins with a curious warning, and it might be the truest thing I’ve read in a long time. JoAnn Durgin cautions readers that a lot of food is mentioned and hunger may occur. I assumed we’d get a meal here and there.
Instead, this book sat me down with a bib and served a feast.
Food is woven deliciously throughout the story as Brielle, an experienced chef, lends her talents to Dogwood Creek’s beloved diner, The Gathering Place. Every scene in that kitchen is delectable.
But the story offers so much more. The slow burn between Micah and Brielle is tender and steady, full of longing and possibility. Nashville is calling Brielle, yet so is the romance blossoming right in front of her. JoAnn crafts hearty meals and a sweet, measured love story where everything feels just right. Never too heavy, never too sweet.
Micah’s place in Dogwood Creek and how cherished he is adds depth, while Brielle’s pull toward Nashville keeps the tension honest. And then there’s Robbie from The Gathering Place. Her arc is deeply satisfying as she steps beyond the apron and into a beautiful secondary storyline about new seasons, answered prayers, and courage to embrace change.
Of course, the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers make their delightful appearance, and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains provide the perfect backdrop for a story full of warmth, faith, and flavor.
Porch Swing Promise is a charming, comforting read that nourishes both heart and appetite.
I highly recommend.
