A Match Made in Good Hope

A Match Made in Good Hope is the 9th book in the Good Hope Series by Cindy Kirk.

This is Katie Ruth Crewes’ and Dan Marshall’s story. This story is told from their point of view in 3rd person.

This story is located in Good Hope, a small township in the Door County peninsula in Wisconsin. This series is wrapped around the wonderful people of Good Hope.

There’s no crude language or violence. There is also no sexy scenes in this one at all.

So far, in this series, I’ve noticed that these characters have an external and an internal issue to deal with.

A few things happen during this story that ties it to the other stories in this series:

• Eliza is pregnant.
• Ami’s daughter, Sarah Rose, is 2 years old.
• Edna Peabody, an annoying conservative member of the congregation, drives Katie Ruth crazy.
• James Thomas “JT” Cross was born to Ami and Beck.
• Olivia Vaughn, born to Lindsay and Owen Vaughn.

Book Summary

This is Dan’s and Katie Ruth’s story.

It’s a touching story of learning to love even when we make mistakes.

Dan is the pastor of the local church, the First Christian church. Katie Ruth is on of the many volunteers that help out keep things running smoothly. She’s also the writer behind the Open Door e-newsletter and the Gazette newsletter.

Previously, Dan had asked Lindsay Lohmeier to marry him. And as you know, that didn’t work out. Now he’s a bit leery about starting something new and especially starting anything that is anything that’s improper with anyone. He’s the pastor, ya know!!

We also get to meet Dan’s younger sister, Oaklee. She literally drops by and decides to stay. And she’s completely different than Dan. Where he is conservative and buttoned-up, she’s outlandish and outgoing!! 10 years younger then Dan, Oaklee is the daughter that their parents didn’t know they didn’t want!!!

And she brings color to Dan’s life. And she teams up with Gladys, Ruby and Katherine and becomes one of their cohorts in matchmaking!!! But that’s for every story!!

This is also a touching story about acceptance and forgiveness. We all make mistakes and want to be accepted and loved after those mistakes comes to light.

Well, Katie Ruth, and please know it’s not just Katie, it’s always Katie Ruth!!!

Katie Ruth had to live down a monumental scandal as a teenager when the fact that her parents were swingers came to light to not only the current paster, but also to the community.

And then when she made a huge mistake herself, she’s been Good Hope’s “good girl”!! But sometimes our mistakes come back to haunt us:)

In a spectacular drunken weekend, Katie Ruth married a man she just met. Now years later, she finds out that this marriage is actually for real and now she and Dan have to deal with it.

So as Dan and Katie Ruth are getting to know each other, and never being alone, cus that would be completely improper for unmarried couple, he has no idea he’s been dating a married woman. And that throws him.

But when he decided to interview for another pastoral position in a larger center, he comes to realize that the smallness of Good Hope, the wonderful people there, and the love of a good woman are the things that he’s been looking for.

Conclusion

It’s a touching story learning to trust and growing.

It was an easy read with only 246 pages. I found it to be more “been there, done that” type of story. So while I did enjoy this story, it was very much a repeat of many other stories I’ve read. It was almost like the author knew that these characters had to have a story, and just fit it in in the shortest story possible.

Yes, the pastor the community did need a story, and it does fit with the overall storyline.

Check out the other books in the Good Hope Series:

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