Book Review: "Ava's Longing: A Marriage of Convenience Short Story Historical Romance" (Agate Bay, Minnesota Book 2); written and independently published by Christine Sterling - 1st Edition, 07/2021.

I purchased "Ava's Longing: A Marriage of Convenience Short Story Historical Romance"  in Kindle format in early August, 2021.  This is book 2 in the Agate Bay, Minnesota series. Amid the meatier books I read, there are times I desire to read a short story like this book within a few hours to get my reading fix. 

"Ava's Longing" is endowed with a lovely cover that truly pays homage to the longing conveyed throughout the book as portrayed by Ava.  It is a tangible thing. Very pronounced.  Just that pose alone on the cover conveys expectation... as if waiting for something to happen. She wants to find love with someone who cares for her and loves her in return.  Time is passing and being matchless in the romantic sense weighs on Ava and is very much noted by her family.

Ava is a lovely woman displaying many talents such as cooking, baking, housekeeping, accounting skills, etc. and lists them off at one point as if she was trying to prove her worth and that made me very sad reading that scene. "She wanted to prove to the men and women in town that she was desirable for marriage." That line got me. My heart hurt for her. She doesn't have to prove to anyone that she is "marriageable" or a good prospect. It is painful to feel that way, as if you have shortcomings and need to boast your perceived attributes for recognition.  This made Ava a very vulnerable female main character and very much easy to connect with the reader on a raw, personal level. She is very human with her uncertainty and her hopes and dreams. There was such a realism about her in the book, it overrode the rest of the elements in the book for me...in a good way.

I did find the beginning half of the book a little slow paced but it was still a good read.  The romance between Ava and Matthew is a simmering,  sweet romance and relies on their longing and physical attraction to bring their love to fruition.  There is also a mystery mixed into the storyline which adds another element to it.  

In conclusion, I would recommend this short story.  It is a wholesome story that touches your heart strings.
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Special Notes:

• You can acquire a copy of Christine Sterling's Ava's Longing: A Marriage of Convenience Short Story Historical Romance" (Agate Bay, Minnesota Book 2) via Amazon Canada by clicking HERE and Amazon USA by clicking HERE ​
• Check out Christine Sterling's Goodreads page by clicking HERE​.

I was not requested to do this review. I did it of my own volition, volunteering my views in an effort to bring the author and potential readers together.

If you read a book, please remember to leave a review on any site of your choosing.  It acts as an incentive for other readers to purchase an author's book.  Writers are super appreciative of this kind act.

Book Review: "Ava's Longing: A Marriage of Convenience Short Story Historical Romance" (Agate Bay, Minnesota Book 2) written by Christine Sterling.

Book Blog Copyright (C) 2021  Mary-Lisa Russo ​

Author

You have stumbled into the writing world of Mary-Lisa Russo, an avid storyteller observing the universe around her and her humble place amongst the stars. “Excerpts From The Wandering Mind” is Mary-Lisa’s first collection of poems and she is currently working on her next book, a compilation of romantic poetry. She is a university graduate h​aving majored in English Literature and continues to nurture her ongoing writing education at a local college and other educational avenues. She is a member of the Ontario Poetry Society and various writers’ groups.  She enjoys reading and giving a voice to fellow authors.

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