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Mirror Lake #2
Love Finds a Home
Widowed mother Emma Barlow knows her shy, studious son needs a male influence. And where better to find him than in the mentoring ministry at their local church? But when the new chief of police becomes her son's mentor, Emma is worried. As the widow of a fallen officer, she's nervous about letting a lawman into their lives. Especially one as handsome—and conflicted—as Jake Sutton. But when her son comes out of his shell, and even Emma finds herself smiling, she knows that love just might find a home in Mirror Lake…and create a new family.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 24, 2010
37 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Springer
59 books493 followersKathryn Springer grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child, she spent many hours sitting at her mother’s typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books – which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own.
After a number of busy years, when she married her college sweetheart and became a stay-at-home mom, Kathryn rediscovered her love for writing. An unexpected snow day from school became the inspiration for a short story, which she submitted to Brio magazine. She went on to publish over a dozen more short stories for Brio, but it wasn’t until her youngest child started school that she decided to pursue her dream to write a book. In August 2004, her Love Inspired® debut novel, Tested by Fire, was published.
Fast forward to today and Kathryn has written over thirty novels. She lives on a lake in northern Wisconsin where she enjoys long walks in the woods and the change of seasons (although sometimes she wishes the "change" between winter and spring didn't last quite so long!) When she isn’t at the computer, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, paging through cooking magazines or sitting in the sun. A really, really good day includes all three! If you want to know more, follow her blog Table Grace. . .thoughts and musings on living a life with nothing artificial added.
After a number of busy years, when she married her college sweetheart and became a stay-at-home mom, Kathryn rediscovered her love for writing. An unexpected snow day from school became the inspiration for a short story, which she submitted to Brio magazine. She went on to publish over a dozen more short stories for Brio, but it wasn’t until her youngest child started school that she decided to pursue her dream to write a book. In August 2004, her Love Inspired® debut novel, Tested by Fire, was published.
Fast forward to today and Kathryn has written over thirty novels. She lives on a lake in northern Wisconsin where she enjoys long walks in the woods and the change of seasons (although sometimes she wishes the "change" between winter and spring didn't last quite so long!) When she isn’t at the computer, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, paging through cooking magazines or sitting in the sun. A really, really good day includes all three! If you want to know more, follow her blog Table Grace. . .thoughts and musings on living a life with nothing artificial added.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 2, 2013
WooooHOOOO! Another one! Dang, but this is awesome. I'm having a ball, over here, for the record. GOOD books. Really, really good books. I'm going to have an entire SHELF dedicated to this author if she keeps this up (BIG if... but I'm hopeful).
Emma is a fallen cop's wife. Nobody has ever rallied around to help her and her son, so she's closed up, unfriendly, and still - after six years - completely mired in grief and pain. Until the new chief of police hits town, and realizes that something is very WRONG with the annual ritual of delivering roses to Emma on the anniversary of her husband's death. Nobody should have a cop show up once a year, shove roses in her arms, and walk away without a word.
So he ditches the roses for an apple tree. Has her son help him plant it. Befriends the boy - who is an attention-starved bookworm in the back of the library where his mother works. The cop realizes the boy just wants another guy to be with, and he doesn't really have any friends or family in the area, yet, so...
But he's a COP. Emma lost a cop. She sees his badge, not him. And she's afraid of her son getting too close, of all the things that could go wrong, of getting too close to anyone.
The story was just... amazing. I love these books. REAL faith, REAL spirituality, REAL people. More. MORE!!
Emma is a fallen cop's wife. Nobody has ever rallied around to help her and her son, so she's closed up, unfriendly, and still - after six years - completely mired in grief and pain. Until the new chief of police hits town, and realizes that something is very WRONG with the annual ritual of delivering roses to Emma on the anniversary of her husband's death. Nobody should have a cop show up once a year, shove roses in her arms, and walk away without a word.
So he ditches the roses for an apple tree. Has her son help him plant it. Befriends the boy - who is an attention-starved bookworm in the back of the library where his mother works. The cop realizes the boy just wants another guy to be with, and he doesn't really have any friends or family in the area, yet, so...
But he's a COP. Emma lost a cop. She sees his badge, not him. And she's afraid of her son getting too close, of all the things that could go wrong, of getting too close to anyone.
The story was just... amazing. I love these books. REAL faith, REAL spirituality, REAL people. More. MORE!!
October 20, 2010
Widow Emma Barlow has a lot of responsibilities - a young son, job, house - she doesn't have time for anything else. Not the rambunctious dog the new chief of police foists off on her. She certainly doesn't have time for the chief himself, the handsome Jake Sutton. So how come he keeps inserting himself in her life? And why does her heart suddenly start clanging when he gets near?
I love Kathryn Springer's books, and couldn't put this one down. Her characters are so rich that you feel like you are inside them, quirks and problems and joy and all.
Kathryn does a great job building the romantic tension between the H/H, as well as developing each character, including the heroine who is still dealing with the grief of losing her first husband. The character growth seems really organic as you read and each step in the romance comes so naturally.
This is a lovely read and I highly recommend it.
I love Kathryn Springer's books, and couldn't put this one down. Her characters are so rich that you feel like you are inside them, quirks and problems and joy and all.
Kathryn does a great job building the romantic tension between the H/H, as well as developing each character, including the heroine who is still dealing with the grief of losing her first husband. The character growth seems really organic as you read and each step in the romance comes so naturally.
This is a lovely read and I highly recommend it.
July 11, 2023
I enjoyed this and it was a quick read. It is the story about Emma and Jeremy whose husband and father, a policeman, had been killed in the line of duty. It was also the story of Jake the new police chief, former undercover cop in the city, and his relationship with God, Emma, and Jeremy.
November 14, 2019
It was so cute! :)
March 3, 2020
I loved, loved, LOVED his book! Such a sweet, God inspired story!
May 14, 2020
Sweet story.
June 5, 2020
Emma and her son join a mentoring program at the local church. Jake wants to help Jeremy but doesn't want to hurt Emma who lost her husband on duty.
July 20, 2020
sad sweet story with a happy ending. probably wont read it again though
January 24, 2026
A very enjoyable read that left me feeling happy.
May 16, 2023
This one checks all the emotion boxes.. sweet story but with angst and uncertainty mixed in. I loved watching Emma process the relationship between her son and Jake. And Jake's patience with Emma. Book 2 of a wonderful series!
November 9, 2010
Wasn’t sure when I started this one that I would finish it. Normally books in this genre are centered around a female character and you view the story from that perspective pretty much the length of the tale. This one takes a somewhat different approach in that the story begins with the lead male character and much of what transpires in this tome is seen through his eyes. Jake Sutton is the recently hired chief of police for the Mirror Lake police force. Jake comes to this new assignment after spending five years in an undercover assignment with a metropolitan police department. That experience took its toll on him spiritually and emotionally. He saw and did things that have left both physical and mental scars. This small, tourist town is just what Jake needs to bring some peace and stability to his life.
Jake walks into his office one morning and finds his officers drawing straws to see who will be the office rep to deliver the annual vase of memorial roses to the widow of a fallen officer. He understands by the miserable looks on their faces that none of them our anywhere near enthusiastic about undertaking this assignment, so Jake says he will deliver the flowers and asks
for directions to the widows home. When he knocks on the door of the home the widow answers. Jake meets Emma Barlow, the young, attractive widow who is still grieving for her deceased husband. Behind her comes a young boy seven to ten years of age. Jake explains who he is and why he’s there and then says he made the decision to bring a sapling apple tree instead of roses, figuring that a growing tree would be a more lasting memorial than a vase of flowers. Then, with the help of Emma’s son, Jeremy, Jake plants the young tree in Emma’s back yard.
Thus begins this story about three people who, with the application of some prayer and faith
come together to find the healing peace and happiness they seek. This is faith based fiction.
For me, Springer did a wonderful job of creating an interesting story centered around very recognizable Christian concepts and managed to do it in an entertaining fashion. One of my favorite quotes from this novel is: “ But I have things that God is working on, too. Which means we’re both under divine construction.” [Andy Sutton to his brother Jake in “Love Finds a Home” by Kathryn Springer, pg. 100] An enjoyable and inspiring read.
Jake walks into his office one morning and finds his officers drawing straws to see who will be the office rep to deliver the annual vase of memorial roses to the widow of a fallen officer. He understands by the miserable looks on their faces that none of them our anywhere near enthusiastic about undertaking this assignment, so Jake says he will deliver the flowers and asks
for directions to the widows home. When he knocks on the door of the home the widow answers. Jake meets Emma Barlow, the young, attractive widow who is still grieving for her deceased husband. Behind her comes a young boy seven to ten years of age. Jake explains who he is and why he’s there and then says he made the decision to bring a sapling apple tree instead of roses, figuring that a growing tree would be a more lasting memorial than a vase of flowers. Then, with the help of Emma’s son, Jeremy, Jake plants the young tree in Emma’s back yard.
Thus begins this story about three people who, with the application of some prayer and faith
come together to find the healing peace and happiness they seek. This is faith based fiction.
For me, Springer did a wonderful job of creating an interesting story centered around very recognizable Christian concepts and managed to do it in an entertaining fashion. One of my favorite quotes from this novel is: “ But I have things that God is working on, too. Which means we’re both under divine construction.” [Andy Sutton to his brother Jake in “Love Finds a Home” by Kathryn Springer, pg. 100] An enjoyable and inspiring read.
July 19, 2015
Love Finds a Home is the second book in the Mirror Lake series by Kathryn Springer. It's a contemporary Christian romance, but still has a bit of an old-fashioned feel to it.
Emma Barlow, the widow of a police officer, is responsible for the upbringing of her 10-year-old son Jeremy, and supports them financially with her librarian's job. Jake Sutton, the new police chief in town, has until recently been on a long-term undercover job in a large city.
Jake finds Emma extremely interesting. He wants to know her better, and gets along extremely well with Jeremy. Emma likes him but isn't sure she wants to let anyone enter into her safe little world, specially a police officer. However, Jake becomes Jeremy's assigned big brother/role model via a church function and she feels somewhat stuck.
What I liked:
*The characters in this book felt so real. I was so interested in what would happen, and the relationship seemed to progress so naturally.
*The spiritual growth that happened in the main characters was encouraging.
What I didn't like:
*Jake made some moves that seemed presumptuous on his part. I found that pretty frustrating at first, as I am a very protective mother, as Emma is. (Emma is overly protective, but I totally empathize with that!) After a while, he learned his lesson and started communicating with Emma more, rather than assuming that she'd be OK with this or that.
Contemporary romance, even when it's Christian, is NOT my favorite genre to read. I definitely prefer historical fiction, but for a few select authors I will branch out into contemporary.
I was impressed with Kathryn Springer and plan to try another of her books in the future, perhaps the first in the Mirror Lake series!
I'd recommend this contemporary romance to anyone. This is clean, but be aware that a police officer discusses his experiences dealing with drugs and drug-related crime.
Emma Barlow, the widow of a police officer, is responsible for the upbringing of her 10-year-old son Jeremy, and supports them financially with her librarian's job. Jake Sutton, the new police chief in town, has until recently been on a long-term undercover job in a large city.
Jake finds Emma extremely interesting. He wants to know her better, and gets along extremely well with Jeremy. Emma likes him but isn't sure she wants to let anyone enter into her safe little world, specially a police officer. However, Jake becomes Jeremy's assigned big brother/role model via a church function and she feels somewhat stuck.
What I liked:
*The characters in this book felt so real. I was so interested in what would happen, and the relationship seemed to progress so naturally.
*The spiritual growth that happened in the main characters was encouraging.
What I didn't like:
*Jake made some moves that seemed presumptuous on his part. I found that pretty frustrating at first, as I am a very protective mother, as Emma is. (Emma is overly protective, but I totally empathize with that!) After a while, he learned his lesson and started communicating with Emma more, rather than assuming that she'd be OK with this or that.
Contemporary romance, even when it's Christian, is NOT my favorite genre to read. I definitely prefer historical fiction, but for a few select authors I will branch out into contemporary.
I was impressed with Kathryn Springer and plan to try another of her books in the future, perhaps the first in the Mirror Lake series!
I'd recommend this contemporary romance to anyone. This is clean, but be aware that a police officer discusses his experiences dealing with drugs and drug-related crime.
December 20, 2014
I enjoyed reading this light fictional novel as bedtime reading. It is a sweet story of a police officer's wife who became a widow very early in their marriage leaving her with a young son to raise on her own. As this has happened to three young police officer's wives recently in our city, the story became more personal to me as I thought of the three families who's lives have been dramatically changed within a few minutes by a great tragedy. Emma, in this story, is very hesitant to get involved with anyone again as she has a great fear of being hurt once more, but when handsome Jake becomes a mentor to her young son, she realizes she can't escape the feelings that she gets when Jake comes around. This story is also a reminder of how we all can become involved in the lives of those who have been greatly affected by tragedy, and it illustrates the importance of church families becoming involved to help people get back into life after their mourning a loss. The story is predictable but enjoyable and often made me smile.
February 6, 2016
Widowed mother Emma Barlow knows her shy, studious son needs a male influence. And where better to find him than in the mentoring ministry at their local church? But when the new chief of police becomes her son's mentor, Emma is worried. As the widow of a fallen officer, she's nervous about letting a lawman into their lives. Especially one as handsome--and conflicted--as Jake Sutton. But when her son comes out of his shell, and even Emma finds herself smiling, she knows that love just might find a home in Mirror Lake...and create a new family.
So I read this book for a bingo challenge and was surprised by how much I liked it. Nothing horrible or really suspenseful happened but the author managed to make it interesting and enjoyable read. The relationship was the main plot of the story and how the characters grew and ended up together was believable and sweet.
So I read this book for a bingo challenge and was surprised by how much I liked it. Nothing horrible or really suspenseful happened but the author managed to make it interesting and enjoyable read. The relationship was the main plot of the story and how the characters grew and ended up together was believable and sweet.
April 3, 2016
this was one of my favorites all the way until the last few pages. she wraps up too quickly! I wanted more conversation about the main characters feelings and changes in their hearts. as someone married to a sheriff's deputy, I know all about the worry and the fear. I pray I never go through what Emma did, but I wanted to know more of her changes...what God did in her heart. i wanted to hear more of Jake's concerns as well. it was a believable and relatable story, for me, but ended abruptly.
November 15, 2011
What a refreshing book. I love how the author used Jake to get through Emma's grief. I think the ending was a little "hurried" it seemed that their budding romance was on the fast track. I still enjoyed reading this book.
February 22, 2012
Loved this book! Loved the bantering between the main character and his brother. The humor actually made me chuckle out loud. The sensitivity of the little boy towards his mother's feelings were sweet. Definitely a keeper and am looking forward to reading the rest of her books.
January 12, 2013
Love Finds a Home is an enjoyable Christian fiction and romance novel. It is the 2nd book in the inspirational series, Mirror Lake. It is set in a small town, and the plot is centered around whether love will bind the main characters together as a family, or is family just a dream.
January 13, 2015
Jake takes an apple tree to Emma and her son Jeremy instead of the traditional red roses to honor Brian's death. He helps Jeremy plant the tree and becomes his mentor. Can Emma overlook the fact that he is a cop like Brian was?
July 30, 2015
Love finds a home
a very good read. A little predictable, but a good book to read and enjoy. I especially enjoyed the interaction between a lonely little boy who learns to love in an entirely different way
y.
a very good read. A little predictable, but a good book to read and enjoy. I especially enjoyed the interaction between a lonely little boy who learns to love in an entirely different way
y.
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December 23, 2014Miniseries: Mirror Lake
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December 23, 2014Miniseries: Mirror Lake
February 28, 2011
Another fantastic read by Ms. Springer. Wonderful characters, fun setting, and deeply emotional. I loved this book!
January 9, 2014
Widowed mother Emma Barlow finds love again with Chief Jake Sutton, even though her husband was also a police oficer killed in the line of duty.
June 7, 2016
Very enjoyable.
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September 7, 2016Wonderful Book
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews