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After the Storm #2
Marrying Minister Right
It was the happiest day of her life…
Until Heather Waters was cruelly jilted at the altar. Yet now that very church is a beacon of hope for the tornado-ravaged town. With her charity mission, Heather finally comes home to High Plains and faces the man she believes betrayed her trust that Reverend Michael Garrison. As they work together to restore the town's faith, Heather's own heart remains in tatters. Until Michael, along with his precocious niece, helps her realize she's truly found Minister Right.
Until Heather Waters was cruelly jilted at the altar. Yet now that very church is a beacon of hope for the tornado-ravaged town. With her charity mission, Heather finally comes home to High Plains and faces the man she believes betrayed her trust that Reverend Michael Garrison. As they work together to restore the town's faith, Heather's own heart remains in tatters. Until Michael, along with his precocious niece, helps her realize she's truly found Minister Right.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 13, 2018
A friend gave me this book in a box of books, and my mom found this to be "one of the better ones." Um. I'm afraid I have more reservations about it than she did. Nothing "wrong." Just not very wise. Unnecessarily hurtful to oneself and to others.
Most stories about ministers either use them as hypocritical "strawmen" against Christianity or else they go to the other extreme and idealize them. And of those in the second category, most seem to be written for readers seeking kindness. Or perhaps insight, although that generally doesn't play out as well in print as it can in real life. But the Reverend Michael Garrison is portrayed as a real person, good and bad, flaws and all.
There is kindness in this book. I'd even say the book is more about kindness than it is about romance. It's interesting to me, reading about a minister helping his community recover from a devastating tornado on the eve of another real-life natural disaster affecting part of the nation.
More credit, respect, and help are due all those who work or volunteer for natural disasters - first responders, the flood of electric company people and trucks heading in, those giving either time, goods, or effort to help. As in real life, not all the volunteering and helping in this book is glamorous or exciting ... or even interesting. (Perhaps unfortunately for the book, but in that sense, it is realistic.)
And as far as insight goes, I did like Michael's comments to the society on recovering from the tornado, putting on the armor of God, and standing their ground. Powerfully put.
Heather had "no idea what had just happened," when the 14-year-old Avery character taunted her and Michael as being in a relationship, when they weren't. I felt that, as a grown woman, Heather should have known. Most 14 year old girls try to pair up various people, or contemplate which people should be paired with whom. Or, in stories, looking for the "OTP," "One True Pairing." They don't do it either subtly or well, and it consumes a lot of their time and thought. Even 14 year old girls not actively participating in pairing up others are at least familiar with that obsession for girls that age. And yes, there is a great deal of teasing involved. If the person objects too much, then they'll take that as proof they were right. If the person admits it, then that also opens them up to more teasing. And, at that age, it doesn't even matter to them whether or not they're right, but whether or not the pairing would've been interesting. They'd rather believe something interesting than true.
Heather thought that Michael put the community first in his heart - not as in that was a problem, but as in her whimsical thoughts of him. But any minister worth his salt will want Jesus first in his heart, even if they, like all of us, have to struggle with keeping Him in first place.
They talk about volunteering and whether or not that brings fulfillment to life. I think that's astute that they even consider it. Our former church DID think that volunteering was the big end-all, do-all, cure-all for all life's ills, never considering WHY helping others is the right thing to do, or that it might point to something deeper. Some good 'whys' include: because God cares about people, because He commanded it, because He wants us to practice compassion, because people are made in God's image and He values them, because He not only cares about people here and now, but He also calls us into a deeper relationship with Him for eternity, because He loves people so much that He died for them, and wants us to love them as well ...
And yes, I do have to smile, some, because volunteering, in general, does help people feel better about themselves. But there are some ills in life that volunteering can't cure, some darkness that is too deep for it ... and there we find that we need Jesus.
Unfortunately, Heather comes to the wrong conclusion. She thinks that volunteering isn't enough to fill the void in her life because she wants a relationship, a husband. And while that can bring a sweet goodness to life, ultimately, we still need Jesus. Neither volunteering nor a husband are a good substitute for Him.
In Heather's dispute with Michael, Avery tells Heather that she's over-thinking things, but I think, really, she's not thinking too much. She's just not thinking correctly. She doesn't tie her thoughts to reality. She doesn't check to validate her thoughts by actually talking to the people or asking them what their motives are.
Heather insists irrationally that Michael "should just know," i.e., that he be a mind-reader, and she assumes the worst motives of him without really even bothering to find out his point of view. She shuns him *for years* for this and shows herself to be resentful and holding grudges to extremes. So, since her thoughts are not tied to reality, and she chooses not to do any course-correction or verification on that, she turns misunderstandings into gigantic, unrealistic monsters.
She is so bad at this that I suspect the author had no way for her characters to connect or communicate, since Heather had shut out Michael so completely. Since they couldn't talk, the author had to intervene and have Heather overhear some things Michael said in order to get them out of this rut. So they would actually talk to each other and move on.
I got so tired of these characters *not* talking that my husband wondered why I didn't just give up on this book. And I considered it, but I did hang in there.
And no, deciding when the best moment was to give the teen some bad news is not at all the same thing as refusing to tell someone the truth indefinitely. There are deep discussions as to whether silence, or omitting the truth, is the same thing morally as lying, and while I don't want to get into that philosophical discussion, I don't think Michael did the wrong thing in waiting to tell Avery the bad news in a better, less public setting. He did plan on telling her. Of course, having Heather spill the beans is not the best way to reveal the news to Avery.
SPOILER - When the characters finally did decide to talk, they abruptly decided to get married, without even going on a first date. Um. I think Michael should've been much more cautious. If Heather insists on giving cold shoulders rather than working through problems, and if she holds resentments for so long, then they need good, third-party counselling to even have a hope at sustaining a marriage.
Most stories about ministers either use them as hypocritical "strawmen" against Christianity or else they go to the other extreme and idealize them. And of those in the second category, most seem to be written for readers seeking kindness. Or perhaps insight, although that generally doesn't play out as well in print as it can in real life. But the Reverend Michael Garrison is portrayed as a real person, good and bad, flaws and all.
There is kindness in this book. I'd even say the book is more about kindness than it is about romance. It's interesting to me, reading about a minister helping his community recover from a devastating tornado on the eve of another real-life natural disaster affecting part of the nation.
More credit, respect, and help are due all those who work or volunteer for natural disasters - first responders, the flood of electric company people and trucks heading in, those giving either time, goods, or effort to help. As in real life, not all the volunteering and helping in this book is glamorous or exciting ... or even interesting. (Perhaps unfortunately for the book, but in that sense, it is realistic.)
And as far as insight goes, I did like Michael's comments to the society on recovering from the tornado, putting on the armor of God, and standing their ground. Powerfully put.
Heather had "no idea what had just happened," when the 14-year-old Avery character taunted her and Michael as being in a relationship, when they weren't. I felt that, as a grown woman, Heather should have known. Most 14 year old girls try to pair up various people, or contemplate which people should be paired with whom. Or, in stories, looking for the "OTP," "One True Pairing." They don't do it either subtly or well, and it consumes a lot of their time and thought. Even 14 year old girls not actively participating in pairing up others are at least familiar with that obsession for girls that age. And yes, there is a great deal of teasing involved. If the person objects too much, then they'll take that as proof they were right. If the person admits it, then that also opens them up to more teasing. And, at that age, it doesn't even matter to them whether or not they're right, but whether or not the pairing would've been interesting. They'd rather believe something interesting than true.
Heather thought that Michael put the community first in his heart - not as in that was a problem, but as in her whimsical thoughts of him. But any minister worth his salt will want Jesus first in his heart, even if they, like all of us, have to struggle with keeping Him in first place.
They talk about volunteering and whether or not that brings fulfillment to life. I think that's astute that they even consider it. Our former church DID think that volunteering was the big end-all, do-all, cure-all for all life's ills, never considering WHY helping others is the right thing to do, or that it might point to something deeper. Some good 'whys' include: because God cares about people, because He commanded it, because He wants us to practice compassion, because people are made in God's image and He values them, because He not only cares about people here and now, but He also calls us into a deeper relationship with Him for eternity, because He loves people so much that He died for them, and wants us to love them as well ...
And yes, I do have to smile, some, because volunteering, in general, does help people feel better about themselves. But there are some ills in life that volunteering can't cure, some darkness that is too deep for it ... and there we find that we need Jesus.
Unfortunately, Heather comes to the wrong conclusion. She thinks that volunteering isn't enough to fill the void in her life because she wants a relationship, a husband. And while that can bring a sweet goodness to life, ultimately, we still need Jesus. Neither volunteering nor a husband are a good substitute for Him.
In Heather's dispute with Michael, Avery tells Heather that she's over-thinking things, but I think, really, she's not thinking too much. She's just not thinking correctly. She doesn't tie her thoughts to reality. She doesn't check to validate her thoughts by actually talking to the people or asking them what their motives are.
Heather insists irrationally that Michael "should just know," i.e., that he be a mind-reader, and she assumes the worst motives of him without really even bothering to find out his point of view. She shuns him *for years* for this and shows herself to be resentful and holding grudges to extremes. So, since her thoughts are not tied to reality, and she chooses not to do any course-correction or verification on that, she turns misunderstandings into gigantic, unrealistic monsters.
She is so bad at this that I suspect the author had no way for her characters to connect or communicate, since Heather had shut out Michael so completely. Since they couldn't talk, the author had to intervene and have Heather overhear some things Michael said in order to get them out of this rut. So they would actually talk to each other and move on.
I got so tired of these characters *not* talking that my husband wondered why I didn't just give up on this book. And I considered it, but I did hang in there.
And no, deciding when the best moment was to give the teen some bad news is not at all the same thing as refusing to tell someone the truth indefinitely. There are deep discussions as to whether silence, or omitting the truth, is the same thing morally as lying, and while I don't want to get into that philosophical discussion, I don't think Michael did the wrong thing in waiting to tell Avery the bad news in a better, less public setting. He did plan on telling her. Of course, having Heather spill the beans is not the best way to reveal the news to Avery.
SPOILER - When the characters finally did decide to talk, they abruptly decided to get married, without even going on a first date. Um. I think Michael should've been much more cautious. If Heather insists on giving cold shoulders rather than working through problems, and if she holds resentments for so long, then they need good, third-party counselling to even have a hope at sustaining a marriage.
June 12, 2024
A sweet and clean love story.
December 6, 2018
I've read a couple other books in the After the Storm series by Love Inspired (Each book is written by a different author). This was easily my least favorite of the 3 I've read so far. To me, Avery's character was grating. (Though another reviewer pointed out that her pairing people up is pretty normal for a 14 year old girl.) I'm sure she feels she's being punished by being sent to stay with her Uncle Michael. Based on how her parents handle the news that they want her to stay in High Plains, I'm guessing they don't communicate well with their daughter. I think Michael really does love his niece, but for whatever reason, he tries to communicate with her the same way he used to communicate with Heather--and he doesn't seem to realize that his one-style doesn't fit-all.
Avery tries several times to tell him that she feels like no matter what she does (or tries to do) it is never right. Michael doesn't seem to "get it".
I agree with another reviewer that Heather's MO when confronted with something she doesn't want to handle is to run away. She also expects Michael to be a mind-reader and know what he did wrong so many years ago without having to be told. Unrealistic expectations and I agree with that same reviewer who pointed out that this method of coping isn't conducive to a "'Til death do us part" marriage.
I can understand Michael wanting to marry the female he's loved for years. I'm not so sure I understand Heather agreeing since she didn't seem to know he loved her until Colt Ridgeway pointed it out to her. She does protest, but not very strongly, before agreeing to marry him. In real life--I'm not sure this relationship would work out long-term without some real behavioral changes that might require some counseling to accomplish.
Avery tries several times to tell him that she feels like no matter what she does (or tries to do) it is never right. Michael doesn't seem to "get it".
I agree with another reviewer that Heather's MO when confronted with something she doesn't want to handle is to run away. She also expects Michael to be a mind-reader and know what he did wrong so many years ago without having to be told. Unrealistic expectations and I agree with that same reviewer who pointed out that this method of coping isn't conducive to a "'Til death do us part" marriage.
I can understand Michael wanting to marry the female he's loved for years. I'm not so sure I understand Heather agreeing since she didn't seem to know he loved her until Colt Ridgeway pointed it out to her. She does protest, but not very strongly, before agreeing to marry him. In real life--I'm not sure this relationship would work out long-term without some real behavioral changes that might require some counseling to accomplish.
August 6, 2022
This is a book to read when you just don't want to think, just go with the flow with a cast of likable people that are pretty realistic; screwed up about some things, kind, funny, and loving about most things. I can't remember exactly why this was added to by TBR list around eight years ago, but it may have been because it takes place in my home state. I didn't remember that until I started reading.
Set in a fictional Kansas "small town" (never clear how small; the word sometimes means something different to those from urban areas) after a devastating tornado (almost sounded similar to the real Greensburg tornado), this is also the friends to ??? story of a bride left at the altar and two lives that have moved on in similar paths: one as a church pastor, the other as founder/director of a Christian charity group. Mix that up with a shared past and a teenager in need of good influences.
I found the story to be a fast read and satisfying way to spend time. Sometimes I may have been somewhat irritated with a characters actions or thoughts, but I remind myself that not everyone reacts to situations like myself (maybe a good thing). I was cheering for the main characters and their re-building hometown. I might check out some others in this series now.
Although this is definitely considered "Christian Fiction", it's not preachy. Most action does happen around a church, but the characters are more involved in the clean-up/rebuilding efforts for the community.
Set in a fictional Kansas "small town" (never clear how small; the word sometimes means something different to those from urban areas) after a devastating tornado (almost sounded similar to the real Greensburg tornado), this is also the friends to ??? story of a bride left at the altar and two lives that have moved on in similar paths: one as a church pastor, the other as founder/director of a Christian charity group. Mix that up with a shared past and a teenager in need of good influences.
I found the story to be a fast read and satisfying way to spend time. Sometimes I may have been somewhat irritated with a characters actions or thoughts, but I remind myself that not everyone reacts to situations like myself (maybe a good thing). I was cheering for the main characters and their re-building hometown. I might check out some others in this series now.
Although this is definitely considered "Christian Fiction", it's not preachy. Most action does happen around a church, but the characters are more involved in the clean-up/rebuilding efforts for the community.
August 23, 2022
This was an interesting addition to this series. I had seen Reverend Michael's feelings for Heather hinted at in the first book, but to see the situation from both of their perspectives definitely gave it more nuance.
While I did enjoy the way that Heather and Michael were able to recapture their friendship and realise that their feelings for each other actually went beyond friendship, I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed.
I did appreciate the reminders that they gave each other about trust in God's timing and not their own, and that they didn't need to 'do' anything to be worthy of love. I also really liked the way Michael's niece Avery did a little matchmaking, and a little figuring out of her own place in High Plains as well.
I am intrigued to see what's in store for Lexi and Colt in the next installment of the series.
While I did enjoy the way that Heather and Michael were able to recapture their friendship and realise that their feelings for each other actually went beyond friendship, I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed.
I did appreciate the reminders that they gave each other about trust in God's timing and not their own, and that they didn't need to 'do' anything to be worthy of love. I also really liked the way Michael's niece Avery did a little matchmaking, and a little figuring out of her own place in High Plains as well.
I am intrigued to see what's in store for Lexi and Colt in the next installment of the series.
April 22, 2023
Another enjoyable read in this multi-author series. Heather and Michael have a history... and not one that ended on a good note. And neither is forthcoming in laying it out there to deal with it. Avoidance seems to be their preferred "solution." But when a weather disaster brings Heather back to their hometown and Michael is the hub around which all rescue efforts revolve, avoiding each other, their past and their feelings can no longer be avoided.
May 31, 2018
This is the 1st book I read by Annie Jones. I'm sorry I stopped reading this story at chapter 3 because it didn't hold my interest.
December 18, 2020
Great story!!
August 26, 2022
kinda slow start but, very interesting
June 17, 2023
A Christian based romance series, written by multiple authors, involving a small town, its residents and their lives and loves in the aftermath of a tornado which devastates the entire town, causing upheaval to all. I like the way the series intertwines all the characters in the books as part of the background story
March 5, 2012
MARRYING MINISTER RIGHT by ANNIE JONES is a sweet romance. The storyline is unique, the characters different than others I've read, and the writing is good. I felt there was telling at times when there could have been showing. I would have loved to have a deeper point of view for the characters. I did find myself smiling at several unique lines.
MARRYING MINISTER RIGHT is a quick and easy read.
Heather Waters life is suddenly disrupted when she finds herself back in her hometown after a tornado ravages the town she ran from years ago. Heather must face her fears of entering the very building where she was humiliated, and a man she had been disappointed in since she was last there.
Reverend Michael Garrison puts out a call to an old friend to help clean up his town. If he were honest with himself, he hoped Heather would never leave again. Right from the start Michael senses things aren't right between Heather and him. If only she knew of the love he has for her...has always had.
A teenage girl and a town in ruins have Michael and Heather working side by side. In time they admit their weakness, and let God's love triumph.
MARRYING MINISTER RIGHT is a quick and easy read.
Heather Waters life is suddenly disrupted when she finds herself back in her hometown after a tornado ravages the town she ran from years ago. Heather must face her fears of entering the very building where she was humiliated, and a man she had been disappointed in since she was last there.
Reverend Michael Garrison puts out a call to an old friend to help clean up his town. If he were honest with himself, he hoped Heather would never leave again. Right from the start Michael senses things aren't right between Heather and him. If only she knew of the love he has for her...has always had.
A teenage girl and a town in ruins have Michael and Heather working side by side. In time they admit their weakness, and let God's love triumph.
June 10, 2010
Facing fears from the past, helping others through a tragedy, and waiting on the Lord's timing are all crucial in this book. Avery, a young, troubled teenager, changes as she helps clean up after a devastating tornado, and Heather and Michael are forced to face things in the past in order to have a chance to renew their friendship. This is great story, but sometimes I feel like the regular love-inspired books need a little more time to tell the story that's there, and not be quite so limited by page count. It felt that way in this one; things happened extremely quickly, and, although it was well-written, I think it could have been better with more pages to tell it. I am planning to read the others in this series; I did enjoy it.
October 10, 2009
Second book in the After the Storm Series.
Heather Water comes back to High Plains after leaving 10 years before. She ran out of the church after being a stood up at the altar. She felt her good friend Michael Garrison betrayed her by letting her walk down the aisle knowing her groom was not there.
Now the town needs her Helping Hands Charity's help and she must face the Pastor of the church, Rev. Michael Garrison.
The story also includes much about the niece who lives with Michael, Avery.
Heather Water comes back to High Plains after leaving 10 years before. She ran out of the church after being a stood up at the altar. She felt her good friend Michael Garrison betrayed her by letting her walk down the aisle knowing her groom was not there.
Now the town needs her Helping Hands Charity's help and she must face the Pastor of the church, Rev. Michael Garrison.
The story also includes much about the niece who lives with Michael, Avery.
August 27, 2013
This is a mini ‘Books For Christian Girls’ review. It is not a full content review and will not receive one. These mini-reviews are years old and just for clarity on the rating the book received on Goodreads.
8/24/2013-
“Personally, I liked the first book in this mini series better. This one was fine, but nothing really stood out to me.”
Main Content-
*Kisses; Touches & Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Love, falling in love, & the emotions.
8/24/2013-
“Personally, I liked the first book in this mini series better. This one was fine, but nothing really stood out to me.”
Main Content-
*Kisses; Touches & Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Love, falling in love, & the emotions.
September 9, 2012
cute and humorous love story
February 4, 2014
Fairly predictable, light reading when you need some fluff with a happy ending. My favorite character was the headstrong niece. She added some great life and color (and realism) to the story.
June 5, 2016
#2 in After the storm series. Books written by different authors.Deals with Heather Walters and Rev. Michael Garrison, her childhood friend.
Read
June 16, 2018the book is very intresting. read it in two days
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews