Jocie is a on the edge of becoming a high school freshman, and getting her prayers answered. Jocie lives with David, her preacher father, and Aunt Love. When Jocie was only 6 years old her mother left in the middle of the night along with her sister Tabitha.So, Jocie has been praying for a dog, her sister to come home and that her father gets to be the full time preacher at church.First she finds Zeb, a dog who happens to be ugly but immediately loves her and becomes her constant companion. Then, they come home from an evening at church and find Tabitha on the front porch waiting for them. And finally, it appears her father will be asked to be the full time preacher.This is a book about faith and family and different kinds of love. It is a book about finding the truth in things no matter how painful that truth. But, most of all it is about hearts that trust in the Lord to help them find the right path.This is a terrific book. Ms Gabhart is a wonderfully talented writer who understands human beings and finds them to be not perfect but wonderful.The plot is a well developed, although I was able to see some of the curves in the road before we arrived there. I think that the reader feels some of the heartbreak is inevitable because of the nature of the characters. Even those characters who are a big part of the story and yet seen only in flash backs.The characters are wonderful. Jocie is so bright and inventive and energetic that she jumps of the page. David is a kind and caring man. He is devoted to his faith and his strong belief that God lives. At the same time, he is real enough to worry about paying bills, dealing with a car that needs work and worrying about the future. He has a second job or a first job, depending on how you look at it. He runs the weekly newspaper in their small town. At the newspaper, we meet Wes. He is one of the most interesting of characters and a very vital part of Jocie’s life and family. This is a story of human beings who are very human. There are secrets but in a small town secrets do not stay hidden. Each of the people in this book is interesting and most of them are people who would make wonderful friends. There is caring and comfort one for the other, just as life should be. I hope that you will read this book and enjoy it as much as I have. And for readers who are not comfortable talking about faith be warned this can still be a book you would enjoy.
This story takes place in small-town Hollyhill, Kentucky during the summer of 1964. Thirteen-year-old Jocie Brooke has two prayers, her dog prayer and her sister prayer. She has always wanted a dog, and she wants her older sister to come home. Her mother and older sister left for California whenJocie was five years old, and Jocie questions her mother's reasons for leaving her and her father. Jocieis bombarded with daily bible verses from her elderly aunt, and her father's friend claims to Jocie that he's from Jupiter, and tells her tales of his adventures on a spaceship. Scent of Lilacs is an endearing and timeless story of family dynamics where untold secrets are revealed, and generational parallels surface. Ann Gabhart writes with wonderful insight into this rural community in small-town America. Her characters are realistic and represent an abundance of colorful personalities, from an eccentric "biker" who claims to be from Jupiter, to her elderly great aunt whose forgetfulness is cause for concern. I discovered I had read the book previously when it was originally published, but it was well worth a second reading. It's a story that warms the heart and restores faith in humanity.Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from BookFun.org and Revell for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review. Thank you to Fred St Laurent at TBCN and Revell for making this review program possible.
What do You think about The Scent Of Lilacs (2013)?
Ann H. Gabhart's writing sparkles in The Scent of Lilacs. When you finish this book, you will want to read all that she has written. Ann H. Gabhart shows so much love and care with her characters. So many times while reading I was wishing that I could actually meet them and talk to them!The author brings the story of the characters in Hollyhill, Kentucky in 1964 alive and makes you hope that things will turn out alright for them. This story begins with Jocie Brooke, a thirteen year old girl who says one prayer for a dog to come into her life and another one for her sister, Tabitha to return home. Jocie narrates and we meet her unusual friend, Wes who has all sorts of stories of coming from Jupiter and her Aunt Love who spouts bible verses constantly but who is hiding her own tragic story. Then her father takes his turn in telling the story. He is hoping to be the fulltime instead of a temporary preacher. He loves both of his daughters deeply hides his pain from his wife’s desertion of him. He thinks he has failed. We go back and forth the narrators and the pieces of the puzzle of this story fit so neatly.There are plenty of quirky characters and all of them have their own secrets which spill out bit by bit through this story. There is humor throughout and the characters feel closer to each other as their private secrets are revealed. This is a tale of forgiveness and the building of love.I recommend this book to all lovers of Christian fiction and everyone who loves the story of To Kill a Mockingbird as this book is about human values and love. This is a book that you will want to hug!
—Carol
I usually don't read books along these lines, but when I read the first page on Amazon I fell in love immediately. Ann Gabhart sucked me into with her way of writing and then further with the shocking twists, turns, and absolute surprises within. I was amazed at how many surprises came out in this one book. I loved it! I was always on my toes waiting to see what would happen to these characters next! While it is a coming of age kinda tale, with Jocie, Scent of Lilacs is so much more to! Learning that you don't always know all the circumstances about someone's past and how to trust in the Lord through thick and thin is the base of the story, I feel. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I love the character traits that I shared with Jocie which drew me closer to her character and Ann's writing and story is wonderful all the way through the end!! I can't wait to see what else Hollyhill has to hold and be told! :)There are so many wonderful songs mentioned in the pages that I couldn't choose just a few so...: "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley, "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley, "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford, "Amazing Grace//Bristol, Tennessee- November 1964" by Tennessee Ernie Ford, "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" by Soundtrack/cast Album, "Trust & Obey" by Chelsea Moon & The Franz Brothers, and "The Twist" by Chubby Checkers! :)And finally I don't know why, or even if this song truly goes with Scent of Lilacs, but I feel led to pair Amy Grants "Better than a Hallelujah" with it. Read the book listen to the song and see what you think :)John 14:1~ASC
—Amada
I really enjoyed this one too! I plan to look for more by her. And I'm glad to know there is a sequel to this one, I didn't realize that :) Happy Reading!
—NancyInWI
