On My Nightstand - A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

The O'Connor clan thinks they know Emma Malloy. After Charity O'Connor Dennehy rescued her from an abusive husband, the family embraced her as one of their own. She holds firm to her vows, but love ambushes her from an unexpected source.

Sean O'Connor, the oldest O'Connor sibling, is a dyed-in-the-wool bachelor. When Rose Kelly sets her sights on him, he's faced with the fact he's not so impervious to female charms. The only woman he feels comfortable with is Emma, a good friend and confidante.

Since both these characters appeared in Julie Lessman's other books, I thought I had quite a bit of information on their backstory. Well, let me go on record: I was wrong. The straightforward facts took some intense and surprising turns. While I caught one little clue that Julie dropped during the story, it wasn't enough to give me the full picture about Emma. Toward the end of the book, my bedtime came and went. I couldn't wait to see the ending.

If you've read any of the author's other books, you know she's heavy on the romance. Yet, while she's realistic, she's careful with her descriptions. Her stories have a strong moral compass, as well as spiritual themes. Even when her characters mess up, they understand the consequences and see that God's ways are better than our ways. 

I'm curious who will be the subject of Julie's next novel. My guess is Steven, the younger brother. Once she goes through all the siblings, I wonder if she'll start writing about the grandkids. Hmm, maybe it's time to invite Julie for another interview. What do you say, Julie?

If edgy romance is your genre, you'll love all of her books. Have you read any Julie Lessman books? Which one was your favorite?