Wedding Invitation by Alice J Wisler Review

Samantha Bravencourt receives an invitation to a wedding that changes her life. She attends the wedding only to discover that she's at the wrong one. But while staying with her aunt for the wedding, she runs into a former student of hers from the Philippines. This encounter with her former student eventually brings Carson Brylie, the only man she's ever loved and who broke her heart years ago, back into her life. Together Samantha and Carson face their shared past as they help one of their former students, Lien, in locating her mother.

This was a really good book. Interwoven with Sam's experience in the Philippines and the events that have brought Sam and Carson together, I found myself drawn into the story from the beginning. Sam isn't perfect. And each trip to North Carolina brings her failings a little more to light. It's while she's there at her aunt's home that Sam comes to the realization that perhaps she was wrong about Lien so many years ago. She realizes that she needs to let go of the past and ask Lien's forgiveness, which the girl graciously gives. Yet through it all, Sam is trying hard to deny her feelings for Carson. Feelings that she believes she has no right in feeling after their time in the Philippines. Carson's a gentle, yet strong, presence in her life. He pursues her relentlessly until they both admit how they feel about each other.

One of the things I loved about this book, was the mother-daughter or aunt-niece relationships that were built. Sam is very close to her mother. Yet she resents her mother's independence. Her aunt offers genuine love and encouragement that Sam's mother doesn't give her. Not that Sam's mother doesn't love her - she does; she just has a hard time telling Sam that. The bond of friendship is also very prevalent in the book. Sam's aunt shares a deep bond with the women who board at her home. A bond of friendship that goes very very deep. And she shows Sam how important little things are in life. Forgiveness is another big theme in the book. Sam must forgive Carson for breaking her heart and learn to trust him again. She seeks Lien's forgiveness for not believing in her innocence while in the Philippines. And overall, Sam must really learn to trust God when things are out of control.

I'd never read anything by Alice J Wisler before. In fact, I'd never even heard of her. I'm pleased to admit that I will be willing to try out some of her other books and see if I enjoyed them as much as I did this one.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for an honest review. I was not required to like the book, though I did so very much. My thoughts and my opinions are my own.