Into the Fire

Well, guys, take the day off because if ever there was a book written with the female persona in mind . . . the absolute sweet little romance . . . the novel that brings both snort-out-loud laughs and wipe-your-eyes tears . . . Susan Meissner’s Blue Heart Blessed is that book.

Some of you might have read the interview conducted here with Susan last year cleverly titled “Featuring Author Susan Meissner” or something creative like that. I believe her friends nicknamed her “Sooz”, but she might have adopted it herself. Regardless of what you choose to call her, she truly is an amazing writer.

This little novel, all 277 pages of it (and you know how I feel about short novels), is utterly charming. You know from page one what’s going to happen, how it’s going to end, what the heroine Daisy Murien is going to have to work through to gain back what she’s lost in life’s wicked workings in her situation. You know it all, and yet you are entranced to move on through each new character, some precious, some absurd, some annoying, anticipating the conclusion but wondering right down to the wire how in the heck it’s going to happen—which of course makes it all the more satisfying when it does.

Susan uses three different fonts, several diary-like exchanges with Daisy’s alter-ego and self-titled Voice of Reason Harriet, and writes primarily from the first person, present tense POV. Supposedly a definite “no no” in publishing circles. Read this! Ha! You know what I say about rules . . .

The Christianity in this novel is low key while the consistent thread of God’s love and wisdom is viewed through a retired and widowed Episcopalian priest by the name of Father Laurent who says a blessing over the quarter-size blue hearts sewn into the refurbished wedding gowns sold in Daisy’s shop “Something Blue”.

The only “faults” I found in this wonderful little book are the typos. I believe there were three. I don’t get this. I counted nine errors in my first self-published novel which has 744 pages of type filling out nearly all the white on each page, and the reason for those errors is because of unique circumstances I won’t take time to explain right now. The only reason I mention this again is because of the purported superiority of professional publishers. While some of the writing is indeed wonderful—and Susan’s is definitely in that category—there isn’t a huge difference in the other facets of publishing a book by custom publishers vs. the “real thing”.

I’m not going to describe the basic plot to you because Susan has a website specifically created for this novel (http://www.blueheartblessed.blogspot.com/), and I just don’t want to spoil a single thing about the brief but oh so pleasant experience of reading Blue Heart Blessed. You will find the original cover on that site which somehow should’ve been the final selection because of its poignancy to the story.

After reading a couple of novels about serial killers, it was time to take a little break and have some light but meaningful refreshment, and since I won (!) a signed copy of this mini-treasure accompanied by a significant little netting envelope filled with Jordan Almonds (which I adore), this was one sweet treat.

Father, thank you for the tenderness and sensitivity of Susan Meissner. Her incredible talent and snort out loud sense of humor is beyond enjoyable. You gifted her in so many ways, and I pray you would continue to use her multi-talents to point people to you, to your healing ways, to your forgiveness and grace. Bless her, Lord, in the Name of Jesus, Amen.

**As a postscript to this review: Guys, if your lady loves romance, this book’s a keeper.**

*Please continue to pray for Kristy Dykes.*