Small Town Girl (Rosey Corner, #2) by Ann H. Gabhart

Small Town Girl (Rosey Corner, #2) Reviews

• 
  Margaret Chind

  Five stars. When was the last time I gave a real book five stars?
  Small Town Girl is really wonderful. It's a war-time novel, but it's about a battle on the field of the heart. A struggle to be won with God and with human companionship love, not the Japanese or Germans of the outbreak of the second world war at the attack of Pearl Harbor, that's just the setting.
  Words Spoken True and it's 1855 setting Louisville setting put upon me to become a real fan of
  Ann H. Gabhart and while I am one that has yet to read
  Angel Sister it has been added to my Kindle and I look forward to going back and finding out more of the story behind Kate, Lorena and her family. After finishing "Small Town Girl" I wish there was more to read in their futures as now only my imagination can fill.
  
  Kate is an interesting character as is Jay and I was with a slight grin from about the third chapter onward. If you read other Christian Historical Fiction authors, this thought might help you decide whether you might like this one or not... Take a hero from
  Mary Connealy in personality and place him in a time frame and writing like
  Sarah Sundin and give him a romantic heart and desire such as those growing in love and faith from
  Julie Lessman and then have that story written by the amazing
  Ann H. Gabhart. That's what you'll find here.
  
  Another one for the favorites shelf, and now I'll have to go delve into "Angel Sister".
  
  
  I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
  
• 
  Shantelle

  Aw... I have come to love this historical era... kind of in-between the Great Depression and World War II... when all the girls curled their hair and wore poodle-skirts and red lipstick, :) Cars were still a newer thing, and most movies were still silent.
  
  Kate Merrit's story was fun, suspenseful, and bittersweet. Loved Jay Tanner as well. What a beautiful story to redemption and forgiveness for both the main characters. "Birdie" is so cute and was a big part of the story. Rosey Corner and her residents were so charming!
  
  The only thing that kind of made me hesitate with this story, is that Kate so willingly went into a relationship with Jay even though he was so uncertain about God and all that. It just disturbed me, because a romance like that can turn out terrible if the unbeliever never turns to God. So yeah...
  
  Otherwise, I adored this story... and would love to read more stories from Rosey Corner!
• 
  Audrey

  Kate's sister Evangline gets married to the new preacher. Kate is the bridesmaid and the groom's best friend is the best man
  They are immediately smitten with each other but there are complications to their budding relationship especially with the war looming on the horizon.
• 
  Rissi

  REVIEW: Living up to its name in the best possible way, I didn't think a reader could be so charmed by a story that took place on the eve of a historical catastrophe, World War II. This book invests its readers, inviting us into a small-town Kentucky and leads its reader into a story that's deeply poignant.
  
  We follow the lives of Kate Merritt and her family along with newcomer, Jay Tanner (a guy, I don’t mind saying, completely wins me over as an all-American “good guy” hero). Telling the “grown-up” story of Kate (who features in Ann’s prior novel, Angel Sister), this book may not be a “sequel,” but it's a kind of follow-up. I'll confess this story doesn't immediately (more later on for the reason why) capture me, and yet there's something that beckons us to look beyond the surface. Read the review in its entirety on
  Finding Wonderland.
  
  With thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes
  
  © Copyright 2011-2013 Dreaming Under the Same Moon / Scribbles, Scripts and Such.
• 
  Joleen

  Generally I love Ann Gabhart's books, and can get into her books right away and stick with them solid until I finish in a day or so. This book took me over a month to finish. It was too easy to put down.
  
  Loved the characters, especially Birdie, but the pace was a bit slow and thoughts were repeated too often. Inner monologues were bothersome.
  
  Part of my problem was the unequally yoked thing. Kate knows darn well Tanner isn't a person of faith, and yet she doesn't stop the romance happening. She's even warned by her brother-in-law pastor that she should avoid him. She is going against a principle God ordained in the hopes Tanner might come to faith? No, it doesn't always work that way.
  Yeah, this one isn't my favorite...in fact it's my least favorite of her works.
  
  On a plus side, I also listened to the Audible version, in between reading the Kindle version, and have to say...Cristina Panfilio Did a great job of reading it. Kudos for her.
• 
  Rebecca Jordan

  Still catching up reviews on Ann's books I read in last couple of years. Love them all!
• 
  Laura

  Title: SMALL TOWN GIRL
  Author: Ann H. Gabhart
  Publisher: Revell
  July 2013
  ISBN: 978-0800721848
  Genre: Historical
  
  In the autumn of 1941, rumors of war whisper through Rosey Corner. The town practically vibrates in anticipation, as if it is holding its breath. But for Kate Merritt, it seems life is letting out a prolonged sigh. As Kate watches her sister marry the man Kate has loved since she was fifteen, her heart is silently breaking. And even the attentions of Jay Tanner, the handsome best man, can't draw her interest.
  
  Then suddenly, Pearl Harbor changes everything. Kate's friends are rushing to get married before the boys go off to war. The newspapers talk of women making airplanes and bombs. Everyone in town begins rolling bandages, planting victory gardens, collecting scrap metal. Kate finds herself drawn to Jay in surprising ways, and when he enlists she can hardly breathe worrying about him getting killed. Could she truly be in love with him? And if she is, will she ever see him again?
  
  In her gentle and textured style, Ann Gabhart tells a timeless story of love, sacrifice, and longing that will grip the heart and stir the spirit. Fans of Angel Sister will be thrilled to see Kate Merritt all grown up. New readers will find that Ann Gabhart weaves in Small Town Girl a beautiful story that will touch their hearts and win their loyalty.
  
  SMALL TOWN GIRL is the follow up story to Angel Sister and Words Spoken True. Rosey Corner Book 2 (probably because Angel Sister is the prequel to the series.) Readers might want to read those two books first to find out Evie’s and Lorena’s stories. But SMALL TOWN GIRL does stand alone. Kate considers herself practical—other than being in love with the man her sister is marrying. But when handsome, carefree Jay Tanner comes to town as Mike’s best man, everything changes. Even Mike’s and Jay’s friendship—as Mike tells everyone that Jay isn’t good enough.
  
  I fell in love with Jay. He was wounded, but my heart hurt for him. I just wanted to pull him in my arms and hug him and tell him he’d be okay, and he was good enough. I cheered for him to move beyond the hurt and embrace family and love.
  
  SMALL TOWN GIRL was a great story. My only complaint is it is unfinished. It ends with WWII just beginning and… I’ll say no more, but I want a follow up book! $14.99. 400 pages. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
  
• 
  Hope

  Kate Merritt worries love's passing her by until Jay Tanner shows up to charm her hesitant heart. Then Pearl Harbor changes everything-including Kate's chance for love.
  
  This was an engaging book that dealt with themes of trust, love, and forgiveness.
  I really loved all the characters in the book, especially the little sister Lorena Birdsong who Jay Tanner called "Birdie." I had never read the previous book in the series, "Angel Sister" but had no problem picking up this book and understanding all the characters in the small town of Rosey Corner.
  
  The only problem I had with this book was that when Kate fell in love with Jay Tanner who is not a Christian, she as well as her family seem to have no problem encouraging her to love him, because "that's all that matters." The book was filled with her family actually encouraging her to give her heart emotionally to Tanner because of "the way he looks at you" and because of how much she loves him. Regardless of the fact that she loves him, she should not becoming emotionally attached to a man that does not love the Lord. Kate even plans on going to Georgia where his base is and plans to ask him to marry her even before she knows he becomes a Christian.
  At this point I do not know if I agree with all that the author has put into her novels and am now probably going to take everything that she writes in her next novel into consideration and not as fact.
  
  However, I really like the way that Gabhart depicts her characters and the way she words phrases.
  Here is one of my favorite quotes from the whole novel that literally had me smiling and crying at the same time because of how utterly tender and sweet the words were perfectly phrased:
  
  "Will you still be jumping out of airplanes?" Kate said.
  "Maybe. I hope so." Tanner smiled.
  "What's it like?" She got a wondering look on her face. "To simply thrust yourself out into the sky to fall through the air."
  "It grabs your breath and squeezes your heart tight inside your chest." He stared down into her beautiful eyes. "Actually, it feels a lot like loving you. Scary, but at the same time, a jump I'd do anything to take. No matter the landing."
  
  Ahh! How sweet are those words or WHAT?!
  
  Anyway, I am still going to read Gabhart's next book despite my disagreement with some of her Christian ideals.
  
  Recommended for readers of historical or WWII time-period romance novels.
• 
  Renee

  The last time I read a book by Ann Gabhart, Words Spoken True, I was extremely impressed. Although Small Town Girl is set in a completely different time period with new characters I am still impressed with this author's work. I enjoyed that while set at the very beginning of World War II for America, it had all the emotion of a book that was set right in the thick of it like say, Sarah Sundin's wonderful WWII era fiction. Ms. Gabhart certainly knows how to tug at the ol' heart strings!
  
  The reason for the 3 star review is that the book moved so slowly at the beginning. I was wondering if anything was going to happen between Kate and Jay since they were dancing around each other from pretty much the first page. To top it off, for the first 100 or so pages I was annoyed, very annoyed, with Kate's sister, Evie and Kate's brother-in-law, Mike. Those two, who were supposed to be likeable (I think) just rubbed me the wrong way. Evie was full of herself and Mike came across as a bit intrusive in the lives of Kate and Jay. He was a preacher and friend to both Kate and Jay but I just did not care for him as a character. I'm glad to say that in spite of having a beef with those two characters, I still enjoyed the story. The latter third of the story had me welling up and near tears! There were a few moments that made me catch my breath especially where Kate's little sister, Birdie was concerned.
  
  All in all, in spite of starting off slow, Small Town Girl is a good book for those who like their stories heavy on faith and full of emotion. There are a few characters I hope we get to see more of in the future, including Kate's sister, Tori! I'd really like to follow this family through the war and see how they grow and change during such a trying time.
  
  *I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher. I was not compensated for my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*
• 
  Maureen Timerman

  Kate Merritt is a small town girl, we met her in Angle Sister. Now if you haven't read that book, don't worry, there is enough information in this one to make it a stand alone. We reunite with some of the characters from the first book, and meet some new ones.
  We meet Jay Tanner at Kate's sister's Evie's wedding to Mike. Kate has always thought herself in love with Mike, and Mike only has eyes for Evie. Jay's upbringing has been tough, but he always had a friend in Mike, and he is here to be best man. Jay likes what he sees in Kate, and loves little Lorena, who he calls Birdie, and she calls him Tanner.
  When Mike warns him to stay away from his new sister Kate, he realizes that he must. Fate does have away to putting the two of them together, and they each realize "love", but can't bring themselves to it admit it to himself.
  There is much talk of the War in Europe, and the fathers all remember the War to end Wars...but we know it wasn't. Ann Gabhart brings us into the living room on that Sunday in December, the 7th. Playing games and just just being family. There is no TV, of course, and they don't have the radio on. They have no idea at the time, that their lives have just changed forever at the hands of the Japanese.
  The Merritt family have a great faith in the Lord, but Jay is struggling. Will Kate and Jay ever be able to make a match? Or will the curse of drink throw them apart.
  Don't miss this warm book about the life just before the Second World War, and walk for a few minutes in the peace of the Small Town.
  
  I received this book through Revell Publishing Book Blogger Program, and was not required to give a positive review.
• 
  Melanie

  I have read a couple of Ann's books, Angel Sister was not one of them. It was not necessary to have read it for understanding in reading Small Town Girl. You will however after reading Small Town Girl, want to read Angel Sister to find out how young Birdie became part of the family! So there are a few details you will want to check out by picking up the first book, out of your own curiosity.
  I really enjoyed Kate's character. She was a strong willed, strong personality type of character. She was the one that people called 'cold' yet you could see deep down her love for her family and her town. She was always the sister who came on the heals of her sister, yet her character models one that shows confidence and strength that would be needed during this time in history.
  Jay was very likeable and definitely portrayed as a 'looker'. He was funny, cute, and caught the eye of all of the girls, other than the one he wanted to catch. Jay's best friend Mike is a Pastor and Jay comes to be in his wedding. Mike had some skills to learn in ministering to his friend Jay I felt. I was thankful that despite Mike's selfishness, Jay was able to find Christ pulling for him.
  This was a wonderful story about a small town awaiting news of their loved ones heading out after Pearl Harbor. A story of attack across the world, yet the effect it had on so many in this country as well.
  Very well organized and thoughtful story!
• 
  Sara

  I really enjoyed the first book in this series – Angel Sister – so when I found out there was to be another book about Kate and her family, I was so excited. As I began the book, I delighted in returning to Rosey Corner and reconnecting with all of the characters from the first book.
  
  After I was reacquainted with the characters and the story, however, I thought the plot moved rather slowly. I appreciated that the author was giving Kate and Jay time to get to know each other – quick romances are definitely a pet peeve of mine – but the whole story just moved very slowly, especially in the middle. Since the bombing of Pearl Harbor and other crucial events didn’t take place until at least ¾ of the way through the novel, there didn’t seem to be enough to keep the plot moving before that. It was mostly just inner monologues from Kate and Jay.
  
  Even though these inner monologues were somewhat repetitive, they did help to develop the main characters very well. I really felt as if I knew them, and I thought Jay’s growth throughout the novel was excellent. The character of Lorena is just a delight, and I absolutely loved how Kate and her family embraced Jay and showed him how a relationship with God completely changes your life.
  
  Read my complete review here:
  http://shoopettesbookreviews.blogspot...
• 
  ASC Book Reviews

  I had always wanted to read angel sister so when I saw that this was about the same characters and sorta a sequel I was hooked! After reading Small Town Girl I want to read Angel Sister all the more! Ann has come up with a great group of characters, personalities, and back stories. I saw tiny feelings of Taming of the Shrew and Sense and Sensibility as well as slivers of To Kill a Mockingbird (Lorena and Scout are almost one and the same ;) ) in this stand alone novel. For me it started out interesting and then lulled a little, but I have found that Ann's writing, for me, starts out slow, grows in interest, and then she completely blows me AWAY!!! Small Town Girl is no exception. There are similarities in the characters and back stories from her book The Scent of Lilac, but they are good similarities! :) As I read on the pace picked up a bit and I was REALLY hooked! From little Lorena to quirky but wise Fern I LOVE THESE people! LOL! Ann weaves history with fiction and a wonderful message beautifully! Excellent read! :)
  
  Songs for Small Town Girl: "Shall We Dance" sung by Julie Andrews, "Bringing in the Sheaves" sung by Patti Page, "God Shaped Hole" by Plumb, and "Rock of Ages" sung by The Mills Brothers
  
  Psalm 139:8
  
  ~ASC
• 
  Rosie

  What an adorable story!
  
  If anything is true, it's this: you can't judge an author by one book. In my case, I did not like Gabhart's Words Spoken True but I loved Small Town Girl. The WW2 setting, the sweet characters, and endearing love story all come together for a fantastic read. I loved how some of the character's accents popped off the page; it rounds the characters in a great way for me.
  
  Kate is a great heroine. I haven't read Angel Sister, but it is very apparent what a great big sister she is, not to mention the deep affection she has for her little sister, Lorena. I was really proud of how Kate handled herself in some of the awkward situations she found herself. That being said, she does have flaws, but she has her faith.
  
  One thing is for sure, Gabhart keeps you hanging on until the literal last page. Her writing style is smooth and her characters are so lovable! I wonder if she'll be writing a book for Lorena? Either way, I am very pleased I opted to review Small Town Girl. It's a great historical read with which to spend the afternoon.
  
  Available July 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
  
  
  I received this book from Revell in return for an honest review of my opinions, thanks!
• 
  Molly Anderson

  This book was good. I did enjoy it and the characters were very vivid. I would recommend this to someone, it was very appropriate and it was a good storyline. However there was a few things I did not like.
  
  1. First of all, I did not like the pastor at all. He came across as a hypocrite. I also didn’t like his wife. She didn’t seem like a Christian, she only sounded really religious. He “put on his preacher face” they said in the book multiple times. That disturbed me. His faith was very shallow, as was his wife’s.
  2. Some characters in the book called their faith “religion” and I think that is unacceptable. As Christians we are not a part of a religion. we are followers of Christ. Jesus followers.
  3. The main girl in the book was a Christian, but Jay, the guy she likes, is not Christian. This was also very disturbing to me. The Bible is very clear concerning this topic in 1 Corinthians 6:14. Also in 1 Corinthians 7:12-15 that this relationship is unacceptable.
  
  Overall, the main thing that I didn’t like in this book was the faith of the characters. I still gave this book 3 stars because I enjoyed it. However I would not recommend this book to non-believers because of how confusing the faith aspect was.
• 
  Faye

  Kate Merritt has only ever loved one man, her sister's fiancé. But when Jay Tanner comes to town for her sister's wedding, her other sister, Lorena Birdsong quickly befriends him, but Kate finds him more than annoying. But when Pearl Harbor is bombed everything changes...
  
  
  This was a sweet small town love story with endearing characters that I couldn't help but be enchanted by, like Lorena and Graham.
  
  
  I noticed in the middle of this book that it was a sequel to the much acclaimed Angel Sister, yet it stood on it's own quite well, as I had never read Angel Sister and I got along just fine.
  
  
  Overall this was a gentle story set in the 1940's with some great characters that Ms. Gabhart really took the time to develop. The only thing for me personally, was that this book felt a bit longer than it had to be. I really enjoyed the characters and setting, and would happily recommend this book to someone who likes a subtle plot and a heart warming romance.
  
  
  I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
  
  
  
  “Available July 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
  
• 
  Amanda

  What a wonderful book! I have to add a warning, though, that this is not a book to skim. I found that it took me longer than normal to read Small Town Girl, simply because I wanted to enjoy each carefully chosen word. Lyrical prose and deeply felt emotions make this a book to savor.
  
  Ann Gabhart paints an unforgettable picture of small town life with characters on the brink of love and the world on the brink of war. It's not necessary to have read the first Rosey Corner book, Angel Sister, to enjoy this book, but they're both so good that I recommend you read them in order and then do what I'm doing, count the days until the next Rosey Corner story is released.
• 
  Selena

  I literally couldn't put it down! I was hooked as soon as I read the first sentence.:)
• 
  Crystal

  awesome read. the characters here are so endearing and vivid, you can almost see them on film. Gabhart paints a realistic picture of life in the 1940s before and during the war. Decisions were made hastily during this era in history due to all the unrest overseas. Couples got engaged or married before the men headed off to war. But younger sister kate fears love has eluded her. two of her sisters have found it but will she ever. Will a man ever look past her nondescript features to the woman of substance inside/
  Jay Tanner rolls into Rosey Corner to be best man to his friend Mike, the towns well-loved pastor. Kate catches his eye at first sight. her grace, her beauty, her love of books all draw her to his attention. but Jay is a man scarred who fears that his troubled past make it impossible to love anyone or stay anywhere for any length of time. Can his feelings for Kate tear down those walls?
  a beautiful tale about a Small Town Girl from a kentucky town called Rosey Corner.
• 
  Stacy

  I loved Angel Sister and somehow I didn’t realize that this was the second book in the series until they mentioned the beloved “angel sister” in the story! I was pleasantly surprised and it was fun to “see” the Merritt family again in the charming town we’ve grown to love in good ol’ Kentucky. My grandparents lived in a very similar country town in Kentucky and visiting them there are some of my favorite childhood memories! So I have a fondness in my heart for this series.
  
  This second book really leaves you hanging, so I’m looking forward to the third book!
• 
  Erin Laramore

  This was a great sequel to Angel Sister and follows the Merritt sisters a few years down the road. While this could be a stand-alone novel, I would recommend reading "Angel Sister" first as it gives a good bit of background that is helpful. We're introduced to all of them finding love and what that might mean for Kate. I love how these characters are so "real" and their situations are ones that could happen to any of us. Another great novel by Ann Gabhart!
• 
  Janie R.

  I loved this story, set in the early 1940's, at the beginning of World War II, I enjoyed the descriptive time set of that era. My favorite characters were Graham, Rosie, and Jay Tanner-who was said to be a charmer, and he did charm my heart away. You will love this book, too-I highly recommend it!
• 
  Allyson

  I just don't know. I really liked this book in the middle. The beginning...meh. The end, on the other hand, just felt really rushed. I think I'm just used to books that take place during WWII. Plus there wasn't much history in it. I got to chapter 23ish and it's like "Pearl Harbor...finally! That took forever!"
  
  Just...meh.
• 
  Beverly

  Nothing like an easy going continuing of the story of those that live in a small country town. Life can be tough but if you look hard enough these folks love on one another. They depend and count on each other. I didn’t have to work hard at figuring out the plot. I enjoyed learning about these folks. Simple but worthwhile read.
• 
  Sherri

  I love Rosey Corner!
  
  Ann Gabhart sure has a way with words. She makes me feel I’m living right there with her characters in their time period. I fell in love with Jay but was glad to see Kate fall hard for him too. Now I’m going on to see how everyone fares through the war.
• 
  Brittnie

  I love Ann H. Gabhart’s books! She’s inspiring and realistic, her characters aren’t perfect, they’re relatable, with real life problems to overcome with the help of the Lord. I’ve loved everything of hers that I have read!
• 
  Hermione

  I loved this book! It was really good and entertaining. I loved the story line and the ending, and can't wait to read Love Comes Home!
• 
  Rhonda

  Enjoyable story that continues Kate Merritt’s journey through life.