Tuesday, October 7, 2014

"Playing by Heart," by Anne Mateer

"Playing by Heart," by Anne Mateer
Lula Bowman has finally achieved her dream: a teaching position and a scholarship to continue her college education in mathematics. But then a shocking phone call from her sister, Jewel, changes everything.

With a heavy heart, Lula returns to her Oklahoma hometown to do right by her sister, but the only teaching job available in Dunn is combination music instructor/basketball coach. Lula doesn't even consider those real subjects!

Determined to prove herself, Lula commits to covering the job for the rest of the school year. Reluctantly, she turns to the boys' coach, Chet, to learn the newfangled game of basketball. Chet is handsome and single, but Lula has no plans to fall for a local boy. She's returning to college and her scholarship as soon as she gets Jewel back on her feet.

However, the more time she spends around Jewel's family, the girls' basketball team, music classes, and Chet, the more Lula comes to realize what she's given up in her single-minded pursuit of degree after degree. God is working on her heart, and her future is starting to look a lot different than she'd expected.


I enjoyed this book,  It was not a hard book to read and there was enough action in it to keep you interested.  I will say I am NOT a basketball fan, so there were a couple of paragraphs where I skimmed over.  However the way the author did write about the play by play were enough not to overwhelm you.  Also some of the true historical facts that were added into the story made it a bit more interesting.

All the characters were believable and all were described in such a way that you could visualize them as well.  I have been lucky to have not grown up in a time where war has been declared and have had close loved ones sign up.  I thought Chet's struggle with staying back to look after his mother and educate the youth of the town and not knowing whether or not he should sign up was also written well.  I am sure many men and now women would be able to relate with that struggle.

Stars out of 5 : 4 a pleasurable book to while away a couple of afternoons.  I enjoyed the message of God does things for a reason and sometimes it does take a while for you to realize that.  It's a feel good book that's not overly taxing on the brain.  Well worth reading.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".


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