I just finished this book and it has emotionally wrecked me in such a beautiful way. On Amazon it says that the reading age for this book is 16 to 18 years—really? Because I am 55 years old and this book made me cry like a baby.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions are my own.
Season of Hope by Sara Jane Jacobs (Author), Lisa Lynn Sandlin (Narrator)
Series: The Seasons Series – Book 1
Publisher: Rose Cottage Books
Publication Date: January 5, 2022
Genres: Christian Romance | Contemporary Romance
Length: 6 hours and 47 minutes
Format: audiobook – received from narrator
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Memories of his abusive father fuel Tyler Armstrong’s desire to make the world a safer place, so Tyler will do whatever it takes to become a Navy SEAL. Falling in love with his best friend, Amanda Jarvis, though, wasn’t part of his plans.
Maybe his failed attempts to confess his love turned out for the best. Even if their shared faith helps them navigate the demands of SEAL life, he fears asking her to live with the uncertainties of his career. Amanda deserves better.
When Amanda’s plans for college fall through and her summer job in New York catapults her into a modeling career, she welcomes the distraction. Not only is she falling for her best friend, Tyler, but his impending deployment is also turning her world upside down.
The more she learns of Navy SEALs, the more her dreams of finding out Tyler’s in love with her fade behind the fear that she’s not strong enough to spend her life with him. Will Tyler and Amanda let go of their fears and give love a chance before it’s too late?
My Review and Reflections
The book follows Amanda Jarvis and Tyler Armstrong from about the age of seven to the age of 18. At the beginning of the book, given their young ages, you get some history from the mother’s point of view—and then slowly, over time, it becomes Amanda and Tyler’s point of view only. It’s done at a nice pace so that it doesn’t feel like you’re suddenly missing part of the story. It just naturally evolves as you continue to see the friendship grow.
It truly is quite some time before you get to that point where they start realizing that maybe there’s more there, and it genuinely feels like a perfect relationship—the kind of relationship that you would want for your children, or that, if you didn’t already have this, you wished you had for yourself.
Honestly, I’m afraid to say too much because I feel like I’m going to tell you everything, just because I want to be able to tell everyone how absolutely amazing this book is and let them know what they’re missing out on. It really should be read by so many people.
It’s a Christian romance, but it isn’t overly done—so if you usually shy away from that genre, I don’t think you should pass on this one. I believe it’s written in a way that is both inviting and relatable to Christians and non-Christians alike.
I will say that the book ends on a cliffhanger, and you will become deeply invested in this story and not want to put it down—so be prepared to keep going, because there’s no way you won’t want to.
I did read this as an audiobook, and the narrator, Lisa Lynn Sandlin, is exceptional. She has taken the heartfelt writing of Sarah Jane Jacobs and given it such a moving emotional voice. I’m really not sure I could have captured that on my own reading, so if you enjoy audiobooks, I strongly recommend that you go for that. But if you don’t, please pick up the book and read it the way you enjoy—because you will be absolutely captivated.
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