Where She Belongs

Johnnie Alexander is the award-winning author of Where Treasure Hides.  Johnnie is an accomplished essayist and poet whose work has appeared in the Guideposts anthology A Cup of Christmas Cheer.  In addition to writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with her grandchildren, and taking road trips.  She lives near Memphis, TN.



You can connect with Johnnie at her website, Welcome to My Spacious Place, found at http://johnnie-alexander.com/.  Be sure and stop by her Facebook page HERE.

Can love redeem a broken past?

Shelby Kincaid is ready to move forward afer the death of her husband left her devastated.  With high hopes for the future, she longs to purchase her family's homestead, Misty Willow, so she can raise her young daughters in the only place she ever truly belonged.  She plans to transform the abandoned house into the perfect home of her memories.  But she has her work cut out for her.

AJ Sullivan never wanted Shelby's family homestead in the first place.  His grandfather left it to him as punishment for not following his wishes, and he's let it fall into ruin.  AJ's more than happy to unload it to this spitfire of a woman.  But even after angry exchanges over the state of the house, he can't get her off his mind.

My Thoughts:
Where She Belongs is the first book in Johnnie Alexander's Misty Willow series.  Johnnie is a new author to me and I was a little wary that this book would be your typical "contemporary romance".  I was pleasantly surprised and Johnnie Alexander's book has earned a spot on this avid reader's keeper shelf and I will be following the Misty Willow series closely.
Shelby and AJ's story is one of moving life beyond devastating family history and finding one's place. Shelby learns that finding one's place isn't always tied to the confines of the physical realm and that God really can  accomplish for us above and beyond anything that we can even imagine.  His plans are so much better than ours!

"He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.  He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.  He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me." Psalm 18:16-19

Alexander's plot in Where She Belongs is intricate and well-developed.  Her characters carry a depth to them beyond what you will find in many other contemporary romances where boy meets girl and in the end they live happily ever after.  Alexander delves into family dynamics, bringing out every emotion along the way.  There are many unexpected twists and turns and in the end, I closed the book thinking, "Wow...I did not see that coming".  In the end, Where She Belongs is a lesson in this truth:
Your past does not define your future!  Often God brings about the greatest good out of some pretty ugly and painful bad...this is AJ and Shelby's story and Johnnie Alexander tells it well.
The second book in the Misty Willow series releases this Fall and I can not wait.

*I received a complimentary copy of the book for the purpose of giving this review.  All opinions are my own and a positive review was not expected.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer