Love Starts with Elle by Rachel Hauck

I am so glad I "hung in" with this book. I found the first few chapters a little off-putting - the characters have cutesy names and the romantic lead was not appealing to me.

BUT this book has many levels and it is one of the BEST books I have read in terms of presenting a Christian message with subtlety. On the most basic level, it's a love story. It's also a story about two people and how their faith comes into play when a crisis hits. There's also a side story that highlights the importance of family and maintaining those relationships. (Another level is a story that the second romantic lead is writing, and imho it could've been left out - I found it an annoyance rather than adding anything to this book).

This book reminded me of the importance of prayer, real prayer that's not convenient or easy or all about me. It also inspired me to take another look at my dreams and aspirations in the context of whether I had outgrown them OR given up on them. Had I even asked God about them?

A happy, fun, yet thought-provoking read.