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Anna Jensen is convinced that she is unlovable. After all, her first fiancé, Gustaf, dumped her months before the wedding to marry another woman. Then her second fiancé, Olaf, disregards Anna’s wishes and goes on a month long hunting trip just before the wedding. He comes home in time—but instead of being married, he is buried.
Since Anna feels she can’t be loved, she agrees to be co-owner in a friend’s dress shop. Soon, Anna is a savvy business woman. She puts her wedding dress in the shop window to demonstrate their sewing abilities and to help draw customers.
August Nilsson has loved Anna forever. But he’s shy and afraid to approach her. When he waited too long to talk to her, his brother Gustaf stepped up and courted Anna instead. Now August in consumed with jealousy. Even though his brother is happily married to another woman and has a child, August is still hesitant to approach Anna. He isn’t sure he wants his brother’s castoff. Is there any hope for Anna and August to discover love?
Anna is a realistic heroine who has been hurt by love and the reader quickly comes to care for her. August is also realistically developed as a shy, quiet man. I feel certain things are drawn out too long in the story, and other things aren’t developed enough. The author brought characters in that really didn’t have anything to do with the story line although they could have been further developed to bring a different twist to the story.
All in all, HIS BROTHER’S CASTOFF is a well-written sweet romance that the
reader is sure to love. I was able to read it in a day, so the story
moved along quickly. Pick up HIS BROTHER’S CASTOFF today for a
satisfying read.
Reviewed by Laura V. Hilton
for The Road to Romance
May 11, 2004
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What’s wrong with Anna Jensen? Does God intend for her to be single forever? Her heart is patched with scotch-tape made with tears that fell after her first fiancé, Gustaf, marries another woman, and Olaf, her second fiancé goes on a hunting trip she begs him not to and returns dead.
When her close friend (Gustaf’s sister) approaches Anna with a business venture, to open a dress making store, Anna channels her energy into the new project. When she puts her un-worn wedding dress in the window to attract new customers, a new page in her life is turned. She frees herself from past pain, and plunges forward.
Shy, timid, and quiet, August Nilsson, (Gustaf’s brother) has watched Anna for a long time. He loves her but is unable to express that love. First his brother beat him to her, and then broke her heart, and then she became engaged to Olaf. It’s the engagement to brother Gustaf that burst open the seed of jealousy in August’s heart. He still wants Anna, but she’s his brother’s castoff, does he want that past history to follow them around? Will he overcome jealousy, to finally follow his heart to discover what God has for him? Will Anna open her heart again to love?
Anna is a warm, wonderful heroine. I could feel her pain, and the confusion she has about love is understandable. Did God want a husband for her at all? It sure doesn’t seem like it! August is a shy, sweet man, and the way he deals with his feelings is real, (we all know most men don’t volunteer emotional information, and the author shows this well).
I enjoyed the play between characters and the close community the author developed.
His Brothers Castoff is second in a series and I look forward to the third book! Lena has a talent for sweet, yet deep character development and story-line that keeps the pages turning. The slim novel is a quick read, perfect for a day at the beach!
Reviewed by Linda Mae Baldwin
for The Road to Romance
May 19, 2004
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