I have read the entire Hickory Ridge Series by Dorothy Love. The main character of Every Perfect Gift is Sophie Caldwell. I enjoyed the first twp books of this series more because I did not like the ending of this book as much.

Sophie had her doubts whether returning to Hickory Ridge was a good idea or not. When she was growing up in the orphanage, she only had ragged clothes to wear, and she was teased that she might be a mulatto. No knowledge of how or why she was put in the orphanage, she felt inferior to the other children. But she was adopted and raised by a loving couple. Sophie had always been a good storyteller, and she had a plan to revive the old newspaper in town. She interviewed Ethan Heyward who hired to build Blue Smoke, a resort, and over time fell in love with him.

Ethan had a secret about a horrible thing that happened when he was and a falling with his step-brother. He, like Sophie, did not know what really happened in his past and this came between the young couple until later in the book.

What I most liked about the book was the wonderful friendship that developed between Sophie and Gillie, who was determined to set up an infirmary with the local doctor to help the town people and beyond. They had a mutual admiration for their determination and their desire to help others.

Besides that, I enjoyed reading about Sophie dealing with the old printing press, how hard labor was required to keep it running and the mess of the ink that went with it. It really showed how much she wanted to be a journalist.

I did enjoy the story very much, but I would have written a different ending! ( )

Dorothy allows her reader to see the action by her detailed descriptions.

Although part of a series, I was able to jump into this book without reading any others.

Although church, faith and God were mentioned throughout the book, I would not consider it "Christian." Faith was more a routine, expected obligation, not a life-changing choice.

I failed to understand why she struggled to answer the "big question" for 75 pages...her misgivings didn't seem enough. The ending dragged on.

It was a quick read, with expected outcomes, but good descriptions. ( )

1.5 ( )

This book was amazing. I read it in less that 24 hours which is fast for even me. I instantly fell in love with Sophie and Evan. While I was reading the book I hoped that they would end up together because they seemed so perfect for each other. The author does a great job of describing things and also does a great job of keep the reader on the edge of their seats. I didn't put this book down until I was finished with it and I am going to read the other books in the series along with any other books that the the author has written. ( )

After being taken in by some very kind people, Sophie has spent a long time in Texas. However, she feels the pull to return to her home in the small town of Hickory Ridge. Sophie wants to start up the local paper again. The biggest news is the new resort opening up in the mountain above Hickory Ridge. Sophie decides to interview the supervisor in charge on things at the resort, and he turns out to be a very handsome young man named Ethan. Ethan and Sophie immediately feel drawn to each other, but they are both hiding secrets about their pasts. Ethan and Sophie will have a chance to make it if their pasts don't overrun them.

This was a very enjoyable book. I loved Sophie. She was a hardworking woman in an age where she was not entirely accepted. She knew what she wanted to do and was determined to do it. I loved her zeal for reporting. You want her to succeed because she is so determined. Ethan was equally determined to do his job, but I felt like you didn't get to know him quite as well. I think some of this is due to the fact that his secret stays hidden until much closer to the end than Sophie's. Ethan and Sophie had a host of other characters to help them through their tale, and they had equally interesting lives. I especially liked the storyline involving building an infirmary.

There were some very important topics discussed in this book. One of the most important was the idea of equality. This was touched upon in a couple ways. One was racial equality. As Sophie deal with her past, she must deal with the poor way she has been treated because of her suspected bloodline. Ethan has to deal with something similar but in a very different way. Another thing touched on was the ability we have to take care of our fellow men. There were many poor who were not able to get adequate medical care, and the building of an infirmary was meant to help with that. So many people pitched in to make this happen out of love of others. Overall this was a very enjoyable book that combined history and romance into a fun package.

Galley provided for review. ( )