Sophie's Heart

Recently, I haven’t read much but this book caught my attention and held it. I believe the Lord lead me to it because it held a story of tragedy, change upon change, and constant situations where the characters had to just trust God or look to Him for their healing. The author did an amazing job of portraying what it means to live out one’s faith and be content in God no matter the situation. I loved it and would recommend it over and over, especially if you’re on a road of healing, waiting, or change.

A recent Czech emigre, Sophie is battling language difficulties, thoughtless cultural stereotyping, loneliness, and financial hardship. A church friend helps her land a job as a housekeeper to Alec Riley. Alec has lost his wife in a car crash. He reacts by desperately turning himself into a workaholic and emotionally abandons his three children (ages 16, 12, 10) to wander in their own pain-filled daze. Sophie arrives and wonderful life-changing mayhem ensues. Sophie's tenuous grasp of English helps fill this book with laugh-out-loud humor and all five main characters have fully developed story lines that entices the reader right into the family. You will live the story with them.

I have to admit I began to read this book a bit cautiously. I had several friends tell me it wasn't Lori Wick's best work. I couldn't disagree more. This book was wonderfully written and showed that Lori Wick is capable of writing incredible contemprary fiction. I was pleased with the plot although predictable in a lot of places, it was still thrilling. Each of the characters were fully developed and the book ended so well that I don't feel that there would need to be a sequel.Well done Lori Wick!

I loved this book. It's a nice "read on the couch" book and is touching and sensitive. My three sisters and my mom all loved it, too. Lori Wick is a great author. I couldn't believe it when someone reviewing the book said it went on and on...sure, it had a lot of pages, but it's the type of book you WANT to keep reading, so I don't know what went into her\his head. Otherwise her review was pretty good. Sophie is a lovable person who has a tender heart. She was a translator, but obviously didn't get cocky over that because she wanted to be a housekeeper, which most people assume is for "dummies" Sophie wasn't that. She wouldn't have wanted housecleaning as a career. One thing I love about these books are the characters are so good....While people in life are lucky to get someone as good as in the romance novels, it's lovely reading about these wonderful people so vividly described so you feel like you know them. Like always after a good book, after I finished reading it, I just sat there and wanted to keep reading. I always want to get to the end, no matter what I'm reading, but once I'm there, it it's really good, I want it to go on and on and on....

Set in a small town in Wisconsin during the late '80's and early '90's, Sophie's Heart, by Lori Wick, is a story of true love. After Vanessa Riley died in a fatal accident, Alec Riley was left to take care of his three children by himself. He did not realize he was bearly making it until Sophia Velikonja walked into their lives. An immigrant from Czechoslavakia, Sophie took a job as a housekeeper for the Riley's. Trying to show the love of Jesus through her actions, she gets much more love back than she could ever ask for. This was a wonderful book. Instead of showing love as a feeling that changes with the moment, it showed a realistic picture of two peole who fall in love, with all the uncertainties and trials that go along with it. Anyone who likes to read about loving others and loving God should definitely read Sophie's Heart.

I have read many fiction christian novels, but this one tops them all! With each and every page I became so involved in the lives of each character. Never before have I cried and laughed at the same time! Throughout the whole book, I kept telling myself that we are so spoiled in America and that we need to be more like Sophie and enjoy the "simple" things that God does for us! Truly, Sophie is an inspiration to my own personal christian walk, and I daily try to seek God and what He has for me! Great work, Lori! I need these inspirational characters to keep me in check! Keep up the good work!