Giver of Wonders

"God's plan is a living thing because it deals with living people." I have been meaning to read this book for a long time and I'm glad that I got to read it during Advent. Roseanna M White is masterful at immersing her readers into the world of her story - it is true today of her newest books as it is of her older ones like this one, released in 2016. The city of Patara in Lycia under the rule of Augustus Diocletian was a fascinating place and time to visit and I loved learning about the history of the early church through Cyprus' family and Nikolaos' involvement in the local church. I loved Nikolaos and the faith lesson he learns through his portion of the story - that God is the ultimate healer and fixer and it has nothing to do with us. His unwavering faith and devotion, even in the midst of pain and loneliness, painted a true picture of holiness and abandon we can pursue. Petros, with his gifted tongue, was more jovial and more inclined towards living out his faith in his vocation and family. Cyprus was a spunky child who unfortunately got beaten down by circumstances of her life but finds her purpose and meaning again. Her faith, as well as her older sisters' faith, was admirable in the face of persecution. Though I did not enjoy the love triangle in the story, I loved all the other aspects of the book. If you are a historical romance fan and want to reimagine how the legend of Saint Nicholas came about, this is the perfect story for you. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of WhiteFire and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.