The Quilted Heart

by Mona Hodgson
WaterBrook Press

Like a beautiful patchwork quilt, the three novellas in The Quilted Heart tell stories of lives stitched together with love and God’s unending grace. 

Once a week, Elsa Brantenberg hosts the Saint Charles Quilting Circle at her farmhouse on the outskirts of the riverside town of St. Charles, Missouri. The ladies who gather there have all experienced heartache related to the intense hardships of the Civil War, and together, they are facing their painful circumstances with friendship and prayer. Can the tattered pieces of their hearts be stitched together by God’s grace? 

Dandelions on the Wind

When Maren Jensen took a job on Elsa Brantenberg’s St. Charles, Missouri farm, she never expected to call the place her home. As she grows to love Mrs. Brantenberg and her granddaughter, Gabi, Maren is transformed from a lonely mail-order bride-without-a-groom to a beloved member of the Brantenberg household. But when Gabi’s father, Rutherford “Wooly” Wainwright, returns to the farm unexpectedly, everything changes for Maren, and she feels compelled to find another job. Are her choices in obedience to God, or is she running from His plan? 

Bending Toward the Sun

Dedicated to her education and to helping her father in his general store, Emilie Heinrich is convinced she doesn't have time for love. But when a childhood friend returns to St. Charles, Missouri, after serving in the Civil War, his smile and charm captures Emilie’s eye and her heart. Will she be forced to choose between honoring her father and a future with a husband and family of her own? 

Ripples Along the Shore

Change is brewing in St. Charles. A group of brave souls are preparing to head west on the Boone's Lick Wagon Train, led by the mysterious and handsome Garrett Cowlishaw, who served as a Confederate soldier in the war that killed Caroline’s husband. Despite her dislike for him, Caroline is tempted to join the wagon train and start fresh somewhere new, but when Mr. Cowlishaw forbids her—a single woman—to travel with them, will one man’s prejudice destroy Caroline’s hope for a new future? Or will the ripples of God’s love bring the answer she needs?

My Review:

All three stories tied in very well together, while keeping the story moving along at a good pace. I felt as if I was in Saint Charles, Missouri, as Hodgson did an excellent job in conveying her settings. Capturing the essence of the past can be quite the feat, and she did a stellar job of not only conveying her character's emotions, but also drawing me in as the reader no matter what was going on in the book. 

The spiritual lessons in this book is not the only reason I love these stories, but makes it a book I will recommend to fans of Christian fiction, quilters, and history buffs alike! Hodgson is not shy with making God the center of the story, and clearly portrays her characters as people who need His guidance. Her stories are thoughtful, attentive to historic details, and just a wonderful read overall. This omnibus is a sweet collection of incredible stories that are not to be missed! 

This book was provided by the author for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Mona!