For Love of Eli by Loree Lough

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
For Love of Eli
Abingdon Press (February 1, 2013)
by
Loree Lough




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

With more than FOUR MILLION copies of her books in circulation, Loree has 98 books (fiction and non-fiction for kids and adults; four novels optioned for movies; more books slated for release between now and 2014), 68 short stories, over 2,500+ articles in print, and over 19,000 letters from fans!

Loree loves sharing learned-the-hard-way lessons about the craft and the industry, and her comedic approach makes her a favorite (and frequent) guest of writers' organizations, book clubs, private and government institutions, college and high school writing programs both here and abroad.

A writer who believes in "giving back," Loree dedicates a portion of her income to Soldiers' Angels, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and other worthwhile organizations.

She splits her time between a tiny home in the Baltimore suburbs and an even tinier cabin in the Allegheny Mountains, and shares both with her real-life hero Larry, who rarely complains, even when she adds yet another item to her vast collection of "wolf stuff."


ABOUT THE BOOK


When unspeakable tragedy leaves young Eli an orphan, two families are devastated. But Taylor, Eli’s aunt and legal guardian, vows to help him remember his parents by creating a Memory Quilt. As she begins piecing together the moments of his parents' lives, the story of the young family emerges and Taylor and Eli begin to heal. But Eli’s uncle Reece is slow to let go of the past and still blames Taylor’s brother for his sister’s death. So, although he has long been attracted to Taylor, Reece keeps a safe distance away. Can their shared love for Eli pave the way to forgiveness or will Taylor and Reece be separated by pain?




If you would like to read a first chapter excerpt of For Love of Eli, go HERE.


Margie's comments: Have I mentioned before how much I'm enjoying Abingdon Press's Quilts of Love series? Each story has been unique, but all center around a special quilt to the characters. In For Love of Eli, I'm immediately captivated by Eli, a four-year-old who has greater wisdom than most adults. Taylor and Reece are also very likable, although I'll have to admit that Reece took me a little longer to like because of the grudge he still carries. Taylor and Reece are bound by their love for their nephew, but of course the path to forgiveness is never easy, but they each have to make their own decisions to forgive the other's sibling. All the little twists and turns the plot takes kept me riveted to the story. As it deals with the subject of grief at the loss of loved ones, I appreciated Loree's excellent portrayal that grief affects each of us in both similar and dissimilar ways. I highly recommend this quick read.