The Prayer Box (#01 in Carolina Heirlooms Collection)

I loved this book. The characters were engaging and I just wanted to read more. I am so excited that this is a series as I will be reading them all. I do not often reread books but this is one in a few years I could pick up again. If you are wanting a great read for a holiday or just to have some escape at home I would definitely recommend you pick this book up!

It's been a while since I read this book, but it still stands out in my memory as one of the most powerful Christian novels I have read. The ending to the story is simply beautiful, and its inspiring message about the power of prayer has influenced my own approach to praying for others, because you never know just how important that prayer might be in someone's life. I definitely recommend this book.

I will admit I didn't actually buy this novel based on the cover blurb. I bought it because it had a character named Iola (even though Iola is dead by the time the novel starts). Iola isn't exactly a common name, and I was intrigued. \\r\\n\\r\\nMy curiosity was rewarded: The Prayer Box was certainly worth reading. It's been nominated for the 2014 Christy Awards in the Contemporary Fiction category, and it has to be a strong contender. The plot is tightly-woven, the characters are real and interesting, and the writing is excellent. \\r\\n\\r\\nWhile this novel is written by a Christian author and published by a Christian publisher, it's not preachy come-to-Jesus Christian fiction, but the nature and theme of the novel-prayer-is certainly Christian. The Prayer Box about a broken woman with a life full of mistakes trying to rediscover herself, slowly realising that her identity is about her, not about her boyfriend or husband:\\r\\n\\r\\n""""I wasn't looking for Iola in these boxes. I was looking for myself, for the answer to the question I'd be asking and avoiding for years. How do you finally move beyond the past?""""\\r\\n\\r\\nRecommended\\r\\n