Jodie Bailey's Quilted by Christmas ~ Reviewed

Quilted by Christmas: Quilts of Love Series
by Jodie Bailey
Series: Quilts of Love
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 21, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426773617

Description: 

Taryn McKenna believes she’s easy to forget. Abandoned by her parents and left behind when her high school sweetheart joined the army, she vows to never love again and throws herself into her love for the outdoors and the pursuit of a college degree—something no one else in her family has ever accomplished. Her goal, as a young teacher in the hills of North Carolina, is to leave a legacy in the lives of the middle-schoolers she teaches. When Taryn’s grandmother Jemma, the only other person who ever held her close, has a heart attack that reveals a fatal medical condition, Taryn is corralled into helping Grandma work on a final project—an Irish chain quilt that tells the story of her history and the love Jemma knows is out there for Taryn. As the pieces of the quilt come together, Taryn begins to see her value. Can she learn to believe that God will never leave her behind even though others have?

Review: 

Quilted By Christmas centers around a young woman named Taryn McKenna. She was raised by her grandmother after her mother passed away and her father abandoned her. She feels alone in the world, except for her grandmother, Jemma. The only other person she ever loved, Justin, her high school sweetheart, joined the military after they graduated, and their parting was anything but amicable. Now, twelve years later, it's Christmas time, and Justin returns home from the military. He has no idea what has gone in in Taryn's life, but when her Jemma suddenly finds herself in the hospital, Justin steps up to help Taryn with Jemma's home, as well as a quilt that needs to be done by New Years. As they begin to spend more time together, Taryn realizes her feelings are still there for him, but doesn't believe he could ever love her again, especially with the secrets she's carrying.

I really enjoyed this story. I could relate to Taryn in a few ways, so I empathized with her and what she was going through. The storyline was easy to follow, and after a turning point in the story, I found it hard to put the book down as I wanted to see how everything was going to turn out. I wasn't disappointed.
Sarah Meyers