Small Grain of Sand

by Pamela Carrington Reid

In her line of business, she really shouldn’t have favorites—but as a supervisor at a New Zealand early childhood center, Jennifer Mason finds it impossible to resist the charms of the Durand twins. Her female coworkers, however, are more focused on the allure of the children’s enigmatic single father, Phillippe Durand. When the handsome Frenchman is faced with a trip abroad with his children, he approaches Jennifer with an offer: a summer job as the twins’ nanny—on the idyllic island of Tahiti. Amid swaying palm trees and blazing sunsets, Jennifer forges a tentative friendship with her employer and begins to put together the pieces of this mysterious man. Phillippe, a former member of the Church, is haunted by a past fraught with death and heartbreak. Determined to help him rekindle the flame of his faith, Jennifer is caught off guard by the spark of romance that grows more undeniable by the day. But when Phillippe’s painful past threatens their blossoming relationship, will true love really have the power to conquer all?

Genres: Lds Fiction, Romance, Clean Romance

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2013

Reviews

[Tausha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not even sure why I liked this one so much. It was pretty predictable, but kept my full attention easily. I just fell in love with the twins and wanted them to be part of a family. Jennifer was obviously the key to that happening. The major conflict of the story was resolved way to easily, but I actually appreciated that this time. The faith of the Mason family came through very strong but without being pushy or judgemental. Phillippe returned to his childhood faith rather quickly but I have seen that happen so it didn't bother me. I believe miracles do happen everyday and feel like this author did a great job of portraying that. Maybe that right there is why I liked this so much...I needed the reminder to watch for the miracles that surround us daily. :)

Good, clean read. Not a lot of action but very well put together.

[Lynette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely got into this sweet little LDS story about a return missionary working at a daycare. Nicely woven symbolism of a grain of sand making a pearl throughout the book. It's nice to be reminded of gospel principles while reading a romance, as weird as that is. If I'm going to be caught up in a story, it might as well be clean and gospel centered. That makes it totally guilt free!

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read ebook version of this book and it took me a while to get through it but it was a cute story. I loved the pearl comparison. It wasn't one of my favorites but it held my interest, even over a long span of time and none of the characters really drove me crazy. It was a great back up book to have on hand. :)

[Jessica Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book. Super predictable, but still enjoyable for me.

[Amanda Caswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book in the Deseret Book catalogue and it looked interesting enough to get on the waiting list at the library. When it was finally my turn, I read it and returned it the next day with a new author to add to my favorites list.
Jennifer Mason works manages a childcare facility in New Zealand and really come to care for a pair of twins with a divorced father. She's delighted to receive an offer to nanny the children for a few weeks in Tahiti, but reluctant to encourage a relationship with someone who hasn't attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Whew! I forget how long that title is until I have to type it!) in decades. With the help of family and friends, she comes to know her own heart and he again finds joy in the gospel.
With some LDS authors, I find their plots or the mention of the Church awkward or simply too trite to take seriously. Reid seems to create genuine characters in difficult circumstances that never feel forced or perfect. For a while I thought the story was taking a turn into a suspense novel, and was disappointed because the simple story was excellent, but that element remained small and resolved pretty well, if slightly miraculously. I couldn't wait to read another of Reid's novels when I finished this one (and, in fact, finished Remember No More the next day.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about a returned LDS missionary who runs a daycare center in New Zealand. Although she's not supposed to have favorites, she's grown tremendously fond of the Durand twins over the last 18 months. Enter their long-work-days, handsome, French-speaking divorced dad. He's gone through a sting of nannies, and needs some help with kiddos while he goes to Tahiti for several weeks to help with a family project.

Nice story with a slowly developed romance (as opposed to insta-love) and a lost testimony, rediscovered, set in an exotic, tropical location. While I did find some aspects a bit cheesy (and seriously - who proposes to a person before they've even kissed?!!) and it took me several days to finish, I did like the story.

Very clean (a smidge more chemistry would've been nice); pretty much just hand holding and a little kissing. No language. LDS themes, but not overly preachy.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read with a steady pace and pull to see what will happen. The characters were so personable.
Spoiler: jennifer mason had a roll as the day care director and didn't mix work, or play favorites, that is until she met the Durand twins. They didn't have a mother figure, they had a handsome French father that she didn't want to admit she noticed and the twins had a special place in her heart because of her mission to France.
What happens is she gets talked into nannying the two children on her school break when she should have been vacationing with her two sister instead. She gets more attached to the children and learns more about their father and his broken heart and testimony because of the tragedies of his life and H F not saving his brother or allowing him to. Great read.

[Jenni C · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would really give this book 2.5 stars if I could.

Cute story... Balanced amount of romance with reality problems with religion...

I wish the author made Tahiti more meaningful to the reader; gave the audience something to hold onto (in their soul) about this foreign and interesting land...instead basic descriptions of water, flowers, wind, sun was presented.

I thought the author did a great job building the character of Philippe, but Jennifer's character was a bit shifty and I had a very hard time accepting her as a grounded heroine.

Even though it was a cute story, and I read all of it, I do not think I would recommend it... I would not discourage someone from reading it either.

[Linnae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jennifer runs a childcare center in New Zealand. While she loves all the kids, her two most favorites are a set of twins. When their father, a good-looking Frenchman named Phillipe, makes an offer for her and her sister to travel with them, Jennifer agrees--though with some reservations about mixing work with personal life. Then her sister is unable to go, and it's Jennifer who is the solo nanny for the trip.

She is determined to help Phillipe find his faith in God again, and soon finds herself falling in love with him.

I liked the characters in this one; the plot was a bit predictable.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Mason is the director of a day care. One of the parents makes her and her sister, Dani, a proposal. He needs a nanny for his twin children while the family is in Tahiti. There is a glitch, and Jennifer ends up going alone with the family. She and the twins have several adventures while in Tahiti. The twin's father is trying to protect his children from their mother, and several things happen, but there are twists to this story. I really liked this book, as did my daughter. It is a great story.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this LDS fiction story. Probably what I liked the most is that it was different. It was in a different setting--New Zealand and Tahiti. The characters weren't your mainstream Utah/Idaho Mormons. The main characters didn't objectify each other. There were not a lot of the old romance novel cliches. I found it a very sweet and refreshing story. I was a little put off by the dearth of reviews but decided to take a chance and read this anyway. I am glad I did. I would like to read more by this author if there is anything else.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Mason is a teacher at a day care center. Among her favorite children are Simmone and Patrick Durrand. They are four year old twins. Through interesting events Jennifer becomes their nanny for a few weeks on Tahiti. She and Phillippe, the twins father, fall in love. Sweet story. I may have not been in the mood for romance since I found the happily ever after just a little too good to be true.

[Rachael Dorronsoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts a little slow for me and took me at least a couple of chapters to actually want to read it and not put it down, the story is sweet and clean, Jennifer Mason works at a daycare and has a relationship with two twins, when she meets there father, he intrigues her, he asks her to nanny for him while he works and she agrees, I don’t want to give too much away but this story is about loss, love, betrayal and happiness, a great story.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It is by an LDS author and has good morals in it. Jennifer is supervisor at a New Zealand early childhood center and has twins that she is really attached to. She ends up being a nanny for the children for the summer in Tahiti and many things happen while she is on this island. It was an easy, relaxing read.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was predictable, but sweet. The hero is wallowing in dark places and the heroine is able to lift him out of the darkness and into a world with love and light. A cute little story of love and redemption.

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A predictable but cute story. Recently returned missionary Jennifer Mason works as a supervisor at a childcare center in New Zealand. Being a twin herself, she becomes attached to the Durand twins, that are being raised in a single parent home by their father, Phillippe.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so good. My mom pointed out that the physical description of the heroine is never explicitly laid out, making her easy to relate to. It is almost impossible to find a novel- Covenant Communication or not, that is not about beautiful, perfect extroverts.

[Jennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow and predictable, but fascinating detail about Tahiti and members of the Church outside of the USA.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic LDS romance but I enjoyed it being set in the South Pacific islands.

[Lynette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the characters, and I got to pretend to be in New Zealand and Tahiti. Fun!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book.

[Susan Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a fun easy read without all the suspense. Love the happy ever after ending!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light LDS romance in a beautiful exotic location. (I gave it and extra star just for the setting.)

[Francie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice escapist LDS romance -- this time based in Tahiti even more than NZ. Sometimes its fun to just read a sweet story with a happy ending. :)

[Liz Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A silly LDS romance novel that I picked up to have something to read. I really liked that the author didn't immediately have the heroine quit her job and be saved by the man in the story.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting how a small grain of sand irritates the oyster until it turns into a pearl. Jennifer irritates Philippe until she becomes his pearl, and he becomes a man of her dreams.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful beyond words!

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was good and the book flowed.