5 Stars *****
What a roller coaster ride of emotions A Passion Most Pure takes the reader on! Not only are the romantic readers satisfied by the countless warm moments, but this book over bounds with lessons! Faith's personal relationship with the Lord was really sweet and watching her parents, Patrick and Marcy, relying on the Lord through every dark moment was inspiring. You can't read A Passion Most Pure and not learn something by the end!
This was Julie Lessman's debut novel, and I'm blown away by it. It was so well written and each character brought to such vivid life! Her writing was bold, but at the same time so soft and sweet! I can really understand now why Julie continues to rack up fans as she keeps turning out such powerful fiction!
I'd personally recommend this book to mature or adult readers. There are many sensual and passionate kisses between different characters throughout the book that, depending on the reader, might be okay or way too much. Collin and Mitch are both known to sleep around frequently with other women (but as the story progresses, I was excited to see them changing!). There's cheating on relationships (with painful consequences following) and once Charity thinks about her best features while undressing. Patrick and Marcy have a lot of tender moments and frequently "make love" to each other, though Julie doesn't go into explicit detail beyond heated kisses.
The tender moments between Patrick and Marcy were actually one of my favorite parts of the book. I love reading about couples that have been married for years, but still are madly in love with each other! So sweet! When I reached the end of this book, I was elated at how Faith's story ends...but at the same time, I was dying to know what would happen to Mitch and if Charity would ever learn her lesson! Also, I was a little disappointed that Faith didn't ask Charity's forgiveness for the things she said and did before leaving. I was kind of hoping she'd make peace with her before it ended. Guess I'll just have to wait and see in A Passion Redeemed!
So, all in all, I enjoyed this read. Definitely a pretty edgy romance for me, with many passionate kisses, but the passion wasn't all about kissing, either--there was also the passion in Patrick and Marcy's marriage, the passion for the Lord in Faith, and a passion to find true healing, love, and acceptance in Collin. There were parts in A Passion Most Pure that had me smiling in joy, and other times that had me in a puddle of tears. No character in here is perfect, each one stumbles--as we all do in this life. With ups and downs constantly throughout this book, you just have to hold on for dear life!
A Passion Most Pure Formats: (Available for purchase on Amazon in Hardcover, paperback and Kindle versions and on CBD in ebook and paperback.)
CFP: Thanks for your review, Katie, and for being our Friend on Friday!
GIVEAWAY: We are giving away your choice of Julie's books in your choice of format. Leave your email and comment. Thanks for stopping by!
KATIE ... thanks again for SUCH a great review, my friend -- I am blessed by it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think I already mentioned to you when I first saw your review that my new series will be somewhat toned down in the passion area, so hopefully it won't be quite as "edgy" as the last two series and a WHOLE lot shorter ... :)
Happy Friday, all!!
Hugs,
Julie
Would love to win one of Julie's books, thank you for the chance.
ReplyDeletewfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Really great review, Katie! Thank you for being our "Friend on Friday". When you get to be an old fogey like me, the edgy really isn't edgy anymore.;-)
ReplyDeleteI loved your review! You handled the "warning" very well. Probably the thing I fell in love with was Lessman's willingness to handle passion in a realistic but not explicit way. Still, excellent handling of that somewhat touchy subject while giving the book its due.
ReplyDeleteJulie - You are very welcome! I had such a wonderful experience going on that emotional rollercoaster ride in APMP! :-) Yes, you did mention that, thanks! I'm already seeing that in A Hope Undaunted--which I am enjoying a LOT! ;-) I'm half way through it already!
ReplyDeleteDiana - Haha, yeah, probably not! I've yet to experience my first kiss, so maybe afterwords my viewpoint will change! ;-) lol
Katmeredith - Thank you! I always have a hard time writing that warning section, because I never want the reader to think "stay away!!". I just want them to be aware of what it does contain, in case it's a younger reader. ;-)
I love Julie and love her books; have read all but her latest....which I would love to win...AHR. Thanks for this chance!
ReplyDeletejackie.smith[at]dishmail[dot]et
Oops...got so excited ...I need to REPOST my email addy:
ReplyDeletejackie.smith[at]dishmail[dot]net
WFNREN ... you're back!!! Good girl ... and here's to a win ...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
DIANA ... BITE YOUR TONGUE!!! NEVER ... and I repeat, N-E-V-E-R use the words "old fogey" in a blog with a 60- (almost 61) year-old woman!!! What? You want to cause heart failure???
ReplyDeleteAnd you are NOT an "O.F.," do you hear??? Not as long as your guest blogger is older than you. It's a rule. Gee ... I reallllly need to guest blog on the blogs of gals older than me. Problem is ... there aren't any!!! :)
Hugs,
Julie
KATMEREDITH ... thank you for your kind words, my friend. Real passion for God first and romance second is my heart and soul, so I am THRILLED you feel I handled both properly! :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
After reading Katie's story in "A Hope Undaunted", I want to read the first three O'Conner family books. I, too, love the romance in the "old" married couple. It's great to see them still so very much in love with one another...much like my husband and I after 20 years of marriage! I would love to win a Julie Lessman book! Thank you for the giveaway and the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Kelly Y in Virginia
kelly*at*dkcountryarts*dot*com
KATIE ... Soooo glad you are enjoying AHU!! And I know you are young, so it's understandable that a young girl of your incredibly high moral standing would NOT have indulged in a kiss yet, but I gotta tell you, it sure isn't because guys haven't wanted to, I'm dead sure!! You are one cutie-pie, girl, and unless you're saving that first kiss for your wedding (which some people do, I know, and more power to them), I can't imagine you won't get the chance in the next few years!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Katie, Thanks so much for doing this review for us! It is always a pleasure to have you here. Julie - I am praying that you will keep on writing Julie-style and not anyone else's idea of what you are supposed to be doing!
ReplyDeleteJACKIE!!! You go, girl!! Hope this nets you a win, my friend! :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
KELLY ... I'm with you, girlfriend about the romance among the ... ahem ... more mature audience. Frankly, I got pretty sick and tired of the young people getting all the fun in romance novels, so I decided to write THE TRUTH as I know it and include a great marriage with great romance. Ironically, my publisher told me it was Marcy and Patrick's story that put the decision over the top to publish APMP, which blessed the socks off of me!! You see, Marcy and Patrick's marriage is basically my husband's and mine, so I KNOW that it's not only possible to have such a relationship, but also probable if God is at the center and Biblical precepts are applied. In fact, my poor husband got a real jolt when he started reading my books and saw "our lives" spilled across the pages. "Nobody knows that happened to us, babe," I would assure him, but even so, he was a bit skittish at first. So much so that one time at a family reunion, I told Keith I was tired and wanted to go home, and my brother-in-law grinned at Keith and said, "Yeah, Keith, you gotta get going -- you're chapter sixteen tonight ... :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
CARRIE ... you're not going to believe this ... or maybe you will!! But in the last 24 hours since you and I had our conversation, I have gotten umpteen notes confirming what you said to me INCLUDING one from a woman in Spain who told me she was a bit surprised at the passion in my books but that the spiritual message blew her away. She said that I should NEVER stop writing the way that I am and that she has taken it upon herself to pray for me in this "valuable ministry." WOW. Talk about confirmation over and over and over. But then God usually has to hit me over the head more than once to get my attention ...
ReplyDeleteThank you, my friend, for you VERY wise and Spirit-led counsel!!
Hugs,
Julie
I would love to be entered in the giveaway! I have been very eager to read these books, especially A Passion Most Pure! Being recently married, it is heartening to read stories of married couples still very much in love and passionate with one another. It gives me a lot of hope for the future. :)
ReplyDeleteBeth
bharbin07[at]gmail[dot]com
Jackie - I'm really liking A Hope Undaunted so far, and can't wait to dive into A Heart Revealed! :-)
ReplyDeleteKelly - Yes, I am really enjoying seeing that in A Hope Undaunted! Next to reading a good story of two people falling in love, is to read a good story of two people who are STILL in love after many years of marriage!
Julie - Aww, how sweet of you! I'm actually have the mindset right now, to save that first kiss for my wedding day. As I mentioned on my blog the other day, that restraint hasn't really ever been tested yet, so we shall see!! :-)
Carrie - Thanks! I love joining in the FoF posts! :-)
Beth - Ohh, you're going to enjoy APMP, then! I loved reading the scene with Patrick and Marcy (Faith and Charity's parents). They reminded me of my own parents, who've been married twenty-something years and are still madly in love!! :-D
Julie, now you made me cry again! Praise God that He would give your confirmation of your heart's direction in your writing!!! Oh, and I loved March and Patrick - in fact I think I commented on them in my review. I loved them and felt it gave a nice multi-generational approach and a beautiful layer to the story.
ReplyDeleteKatie, this is a good review of A Passion Most Pure. I hope you keep reading and enjoying this wonderful series. Julie, you know I'm a big fan of yours. I don't see a need for you to tone down the passion (whether for God or spouse) at all. I'm one of your "mature" readers so your books don't seem "edgy" to me at all. I too, hope you keep on writing the way God leads you. Thanks for giving away a book.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net
Julieeeeeeeee...LOL! You are too funny, gal! I can only DREAM of looking as good as you in a pair of jeans! Since they say today's 50 is actually forty, that makes you only going on 51 then.;-)
ReplyDeleteHi Julie, I did not read the first book in this series and would love to read About Marcy and Patrick. I did so enjoy reading A Hope Undaunted and plan to read all the books in the series. This is a great series with many lessons to learn.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by to chat and share with us.
misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com
LOL, BETH, if you're looking for "married couples still very much in love and passionate with one another," then buckle up, girl, because those are my books to a T, especially books 3, 4 and 5 in this passionate family saga!!
ReplyDeleteI would rather you start with A Passion Most Pure due to a number of big surprises that would be ruined if you read this saga out of order, BUT, the stories are also stand-alone, so if you want to read one right now, you can actually DOWNLOAD A Hope Undaunted (book 1 in the 2nd series) FREE on Amazon Kindle and B&N Nook and Sony e-reader.It's only available for a limited time and can be downloaded on PCs, Macs, Droids, i-Phones, i-Pads, etc., so GO FOR IT!!! And if you like my style, then good luck in the contest!!
Hugs,
Julie
KATIE ... I actually know two young couples that did exactly that, having their very first kiss after the minister pronounced them man and wife, in front of the whole congregation!! I gotta tell you, I really admire that.
ReplyDeleteThe sad truth is that you are a rarity among today's young people, Christian or no. My son married a girl who's mom is a pastor and she actually performed the ceremony. She told me that only about 1% of the Christian couples she's had pre-marriage counseling with are virgins when they get married. I was SHOCKED, and yet incredibly blessed because her daughter and my son were part of the 1%, but even they didn't wait on the first kiss, so more power to you!
Hugs,
Julie
Thanks, CARRIE, and no offense, but I am SO glad I could give you some tears back, girl, because you sure have given me some with your wise and gentle counsel!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, Marcy and Patrick have a soft spot in my heart, obviously, since they are modeled after my hubby and I! :)
Hugs,
Julie
Thanks, PAM, and thanks to Carrie's wise counsel, I am probably going to do just that -- write my heart, albeit a bit shorter ... uh, if I can ... :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck in the contest, sweetie!
Hugs,
Julie
Ooooooo, DIANA, I like the "going on 51," girl, although I am pretty sure there are young gals out there (like Katie!!) who think, "why would ANYONE "like" being 51??? :) Because it sure beats the alternative ...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
MISSKALLIE!!! You go, girl!! LOVE seeing your name pop up on all the giveaways, and I am hoping and praying you pull out a win, my friend! :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Pam - Thanks! Yes, I aim to pick up more books by Julie Lessman in the future. In fact, just finished A Hope Undaunted last night. Wowza! REALLY liked that story. I've already begun A Heart Revealed. :-D
ReplyDeleteJulie - 1%??? Oh my word! I'm just shocked, too! I knew it was a minority...but, wow. Something that God created so sacred and special for the union of a man and woman...it's sad to see it so easily and carelessly trampled on nowadays.
By the way, as I told Pam above, I finished A Hope Undaunted. LOVED Katie and Luke's story. You sure know how to complicate matters so much---I had no idea how it could all work out!! Enjoyed every moment I spent in the book. :-) Way ta go!
Hey, KATIE, soooo glad you enjoyed AHU!!! Yeah, I'm a complicated gal, and if you think Katie and Luke's life is complicated, you should see mine!! :)
ReplyDeleteKatie and Luke's story is my fave -- just LOVE those two and the interplay between then, WHICH is pretty fun in AHR too! Happy reading!
And, Katie, keep in mind that that was just one pastor's take -- not an official statistic, although I'm guessing it's not much higher in reality. :(
Hugs,
Julie
Katie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous review...Loved it :)
Julie,
Just checking in to say HI...And I am ready to read about the passion....... I loved how you compared Marcy & Patrick's story to that of you and your hubby.
karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
So nice to have Katie visiting with us and Julie, too, and I should be doing the drawing soon. Blessings to all!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Kelly and Wyn, who will each be receiving a fabulous book by Julie Lessman! What a fun week this has been! Thank you, Julie, for being our lovely guest, and thanks to all for your encouraging comments that I KNOW have been such a blessing to Julie this week!
ReplyDeleteHey, KAREN -- yeah, I gotta say that my books may be fiction, but most of what I write is pulled from my own experiences with God and in marriage, because I like to pass on what I learn. Why keep a good thing to yourself???
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
CARRIE AND DIANA AND KATIE ... this was SO much fun this week, and I cannot thank you enough for hosting me on your incredible blog. LOVED it and LOVE you!!! Carrie ... live hugs coming your way in St. Loo ...
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Julie
Wonderful review! Another must-have book, to be sure! And thank you so much for the One Lovely Blog Award for my blog! I'll post it and pass on the award in the next few days. :-)
ReplyDelete