My rating: 3 stars / I liked it
Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal city of New Bedford to restore a more than 150-year-old Mariner's Compass quilt. But there is one stipulation: she must live and work in Gray House, a former whaling captain's home, where the quilt is stored. There she meets Tom Silva, the caretaker of Gray House, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky Massachusetts coastline. Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she is drawn out of her self-imposed shell and embraces the family God has given her after her own family failed her. As Kelly reads stories in a journal penned by Mary Gray, she learns there is no transgression beyond God's forgiveness, but the real obstacle is forgiving herself. During her and Tom's journey to grace and love, an unknown force works to keep both of them from discovering a long-buried truth that will change their lives forever.
My Review
This was a nice story, but the pacing was s.l.o.w. The main characters were easy to like, and easy for them to like each other. The setting of the old Gray mansion was intriguing, and well-described. The information about restoring old textiles was interesting, but vague. In fact, much of the book was vague instead of detailed, from the relationship between Kelly and Tom to the mystery of the house and its history. There are journal entries from an old diary which added an extra dimension to the story, but Kelly's thoughts about the things she read there became judgmental. Towards the end there is more action, and things are all wrapped up neatly... but still vaguely.
(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)
