The Lumberjack from the Cabin Next Door by Emily Hampton

The Lumberjack from the Cabin Next Door by Emily Hampton
4 Stars 

This was really precious! A sweet Christian Rom-Com with nice faith moments and plenty of laughs!

Kate goes back to Maple Bay after her Aunt June's estate needs to be settled. What she finds instead is a bucket list to complete from her Aunt after her passing...to be able to get the cabin she left her. The bucket list takes her out of her comfort zone and into experiences she needed to heal and live life. The "lumberjack next door" Eli walks through the bucket list items with her....bringing friendship, romance and faith.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book. Reading with a friend certain adds to the enjoyment :) but the faith and forgiveness thread in the book stood out. 

I highlighted many quotes on grief and faith and really connected with the main couple here. 

Seeing Kate work through her issues with her Mom really had me wishing that could be something my own mother and I experience one day. It was an ideal situation for forgiveness and moving on, even if it doesn't always happen in real life.

While it didn't really hit a 5 star fav for me, I still recommend it for a good Christian rom-com read when you want to genuine emotional connections, unexpected moments over pancakes and sweet faith content in a romance.

Aunt June's bucket list is a great reminder that the best adventures are the ones we never plan.

Fav Quotes:

"June told me once that forgiveness never stars with can. It starts with can't. You tell God you can't do it, and He doesn't argue. He helps."

"You learned that rest isn't failure and love isn't a performance and God's quiet is not His absence."

"Grief teaches us that life is fragile. But love - real love - reminds us that life is not pointless. Eternal life doesn't just mean heaven someday. It means hope now. A reason to breathe today. A God who stays."

"Forgiveness isn't weakness; it's muscle. It's choosing - every time the old pain knocks - to stop the echo and start the healing. It's hard, it costs you, and it's always worth it because it gives you back your future."

"Tell the truth to God out loud. He can carry it. He has been carrying you."

"God's love isn't disproved by what he takes away - it's proven by how He stays. She showed me that life's purpose isn't in building something impressive here, but in loving so deeply that eternity feels like going home."

"You don't have to figure God out before you let Him love you."

"But listen to me: sometimes the healing we need looks nothing like we planned. Even when it feels broken, God is still working. Especially then."

Content/Trigger Warnings: grief from loss of loved one, strained mother/daughter relationship, healing, no language, clean romance

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4eGaHV0
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