A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman

From the Back Cover
Has she fallen in love with a man who cannot love her back? Elizabeth O'Connor has been like the little sister John Brady always wanted, sharing his love of literature and his thirst for God. But in the throes of the reckless Roaring Twenties, Lizzie has grown up. Suddenly she wants more from the man who has been her friend since she was a child. When this shy little bookworm blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving John, she discovers that his past won't let him return that love. But Lizzie refuses to give up—until his shocking secrets push her away. Can true love survive the betrayal and deceitful of a painful past . . . or will it be shattered like the fairy-tale dreams of a girl in love? Brimming with romance, longing, and redemption, A Passion Denied, will quicken your pulse and gladden your heart with a riveting story of the true power of love.

Julie Lessman is the author of A Passion Most Pure and A Passion Redeemed and is the recipient of ten Romance Writers of America awards. She resides in Missouri with her family.

Margie’s comments: Julie Lessman is a master of her subject matter. With this third book in the Daughters of Boston series, she brings to life a cast of characters who are truly endearing and transparent. And she doesn’t shy away from the sexual tension in both courtship and marriage, but neither does she cross the line in erotica. The passion in her books is not only physical, something that may go a little further than you would expect in a Christian romance, but it also expands on spiritual, emotional, and even intellectual passions. While the main story line of A Passion Denied centers around Lizzie and John, the author expertly ties in the continued story lines of Lizzie’s parents and her two older sisters and their husbands. This book is the third in the series, but the rich characterizations and attention to historical detail allows it to stand alone. This book is well worth reading, even though it is longer than most books in its genre. If you like family sagas in any era, you will enjoy reading about the O’Conner family.