As a person living with chronic illness I can truly say that reading has become nearly second to breathing for me. I have spent many sleepless nights finding solace and distraction in a good book to help take my mind of the pain and ache that pummels my body. It was my goal to do more reading this summer and I created a laundry list of books that I would get me through the summer. One of the books on my list was Night Blooming Jasmine by indie author Lisa L. Keck. I can’t remember how I came to meet Lisa but we have become acquaintances through social media. We are different in more ways than one but have many things in common including our love of books, our affinity for writing books, and our battle with the oft debilitating effects of fibromyalgia.
Night Blooming Jasmine is the first release in Lisa’s Shadow of Steeples Series and it is a story of faith, perseverance, and triumph in the face of seeming insurmountable obstacles. The story’s main character Amber is a real life heroine who overcomes challenges throughout her entire life while maintaining a hope and humanity that would cripple even the strongest. This story is one of hope and making the most out of terrible situations; two themes that I know all too well. The first half of the book is riveting and kept me engaged and glued to my my e-reader while the second half meanders into a slow groove of character development and plot details. I attribute this to the fact that Night is the first part of a three part series and Lisa had the challenging task of setting up characters and story arcs that will lead us into the next two books.
I don’t want to give the plot away but a Night Blooming Jasmine is a plant that only blooms at night releasing a beautiful fragrance. The closing sentiments in the novel struck a chord with me since most of us are accustomed to flowers blooming during the day amidst sunshine and good weather. The metaphor for me was that sometimes we bloom our finest fragrance during the darkest and gloomiest of times. I now liken myself and my spirit to a Night Blooming Jasmine.
I recommend Night Blooming Jasmine to anyone looking to have their faith strengthened in the resilience of the human spirit.
Click the photo above to purchase Night Blooming Jasmine and visit author Lisa Keck’s blog for more faith based reading.
Photo credit: Dave’s Garden
