A TIME TO FORGIVE

Author: Darlene Gardner ISBN: 0373713606 7/2006 CONTEMPORARY SERIES Publisher: HARLEQUIN

Every moment counts... When Connor Smith has to unexpectedly care for his nine-year-old niece, he isn't prepared. In fact, he's overwhelmed. Blending their lives poses one problem after another until Jaye's violin teacher throws them a lifeline. Abby Reed not only knows how to get through to his niece, she also makes an impression on him. Soon their time together means everything to Connor -- and the tragedy his family faced a decade ago begins to have less power over him. Then he discovers Abby's family's connection to his own... Can their love survive Connor's bitterness and Abby's insistence that her brother isn't the awful person he's been branded?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

A TIME TO FORGIVE is a warm, moving essay strengthened by a trio of interesting characters and deepened by a thought-provoking sort of exposé on the consequences of violent crime.

Ms. Gardner not only does a nice job with her character sketches but with showing the life-altering effects of violent crime on families. And not just the effect upon the family of the victim but the effect upon the family of the perpetrator as well.

Workaholic Connor Smith is having more than a bad hair month. He's not only confounded with the sudden, unexpected care of a niece he doesn't know, but with his maddening attraction to a young woman who—he soon discovers—is the half-sister of the man who killed his brother 10 years before.

Connor's character is well done. All his bitterness, his insecurities, his day-to-day struggles are generously explored in A TIME TO FORGIVE. Ditto with Abby Reed, the killer's half-sister and Connor's love interest in this story. These two characters are appealing, everyday people faced with more than everyday problems in A TIME TO FORGIVE.

Ms. Gardner's portrayal of nine-year-old Jaye, Connor's niece, is another plus for this story. Bewildered and scared when her mother abandons her to Connor's care, Jaye fights back with anger. The little girl is the catalyst for bringing the romantic couple together and for holding them together through times of trouble.

My only fault with this story lies with Abby's somewhat overzealous defense of her half-brother. I'm sure Ms. Gardner meant to show Abby's whole-hearted support as a sign of her loyalty, but I found some of her actions later in the story pretty annoying.

Overall, I enjoyed the sometimes emotional A TIME TO FORGIVE. The characters and the premise were intriguing. And the little mystery about what really happened the night of the murder thrilled the suspense lover in me.

Debbie Jett