Morning Glory

"He was a vagrant ex-con; she poor, pregnant and unpretty. Who was the bigger loser?" Those lines, taken from one of the early chapters in the book, certainly made an impression on me. This novel takes one of my favorite romance themes - a man who is scraping rock bottom and manages to rebuild his life and find love - and turns it into a compelling character study about two damaged, isolated people who find companionship, friendship, and finally love. In the days leading up to WWII Will Parker is scrounging for work in a small Georgia town. Jobs are scarce; scarcer still for a man fresh out of prison. Desperation leads Will to answer an ad placed in the local paper looking for a husband. Newly widowed and pregnant with her third child, Ellie Dinsmore has run out of options. Her ramshackle house and the surrounding property are in desperate need of repair. She is completely alone in the world and if the price for providing food and shelter for her children is marriage to a complete stranger, then so be it. This story grabbed my attention from the very beginning, and I really was fascinated by the honest portrayal of Will and Ellie's relationship. There is no love at first sight, no overwhelming physical attraction. Instead, we see two people willing to do what it takes to survive and along the way they form a bond based on mutual respect and slowly open their hearts to the possibility of romantic love. With a few well chosen words LaVyrle Spencer can describe a character so vividly that you can easily visualize them - their appearance, mannerisms and speech patterns really come to life. The details about daily life during the early days of WWII - the rationing, shortages, rumors of imminent US invasion - were very interesting. And of course Will and Ellie's story, with all its many twists and turns, was just so engaging and satisfying. Despite all the wonderful things that this book has going for it, there were a few things that I had issues with. I thought that the character of Lula was a bit too one dimensional; she was the personification of the "evil, loose woman" right down to her lacquered hair and provocative clothing. And the story does take a rather soap opera like turn towards the end that felt a little over-the-top. But really these are minor complaints that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. There are a few tame love scenes and a fairly explicit depiction of a home birth. Occasional strong language. 4.5 stars

Holy carp, what an emotional journey! This author really knows how to make two broken and heart sick individuals burrow into the reader’s hearts and just set up blissful, HEA housekeeping there. I think I cried more reading this book than I have in a long time. The emotions are extremely crisp and vibrant, making the reader live and experience every slight and fearful moment as well as every breeze of romance and love. This romance novel turns into something else entirely, in my humble opinion. The author starts out with two very damaged people whose pasts alone will make the reader’s heart cringe for them. Their coming together and overcoming of their pasts to move into the future would be a fantastic romantic plot by itself. Yet, the author really does something special when she incorporates WWII and the final hurdle at the end. All the elements together elevate this book to an actual piece of historical fiction and not just a romance novel. I really enjoyed the WWII elements, since that’s my kick this year. A family man knowing he’s going to be called away from his young family, the heart searing letters between husband and wife, the intense respect the people back home have for their veterans, and the details we get of the intense battles in the Guadalcanal region kept me on the edge of my seat and my heart twinging for these two leads. And our two leads…. Just wow. I can’t think of two more damaged people than these two. Their pasts are so bleak that the love they find in each other seems even more elevated due to them. I guess at times their pasts might have edged into melodramatic territory versus reality. But you know what? The reader is carried away on the emotional ride so much that at least I didn’t even notice! I loved these two from page one and was sucked into their story from the very start. Beautiful romantic connection between the two leads, great historical details, and emotions intense enough to make you viscerally experience the story in your gut make this a romantic novel to remember. Even if the lead’s backgrounds might slide into melodrama at times, it in no way takes away from the story. The reader is swept away no matter what. I might have to check out these older romantic novels now, if this book is anything to judge by. What a beautiful story!!!

Morning Glory is a historical romance that takes place in Georgia just as WWII breaks out. Will Parker is an ex-con looking for a job and home in Georgia when he sees an advertisement from a woman looking for a husband. Eleanor Dinsmore is a pregnant widow with two toddlers and a farm full of junk. The two immediately recognize that the other is exactly what they need, but it takes a few months before they fall in love and marry. This is a wonderful story of a country coming off the Depression into the throes of war. Ms. Spencer does a terrific job of getting all the details right. I'm not quite old enough to validate them myself, but I heard plenty of stories from my parents about listening to radios and working on a farm. It's a joy to read a story where the setting is so well done. Will is just a sweetheart with a backstory that could make you weep. And Ellie's life has been just as hard, illegitimate in a strict religious family. Her children are adorable, and Miss Beasley, the town librarian and friend to the Parker family, is perfect in her role as a curmudgeonly friend. It's a wonderful story about overcoming fears and doing what's necessary for country, for family, and for love.

Beautiful love story. If you're one that roots for the underdog, this is a great book you will enjoy. It's predictable but then again, most romances are. Great characters, good depth of characters and a good story line. It's inspiring the details of work that one did in those times and the outline of war and the letters between a husband and a wife. You really felt their anguish over separation. I really liked this story and recommend it. I read it in two days, enjoying this as my vacation read.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I have not been disappointed. I love her writing and I am thoroughly enjoying the story - so much so, that I have ordered 4 more books by the same author. So happy with my purchase and discovering this author.

This book is (so far) my all time favourite romance. If I could give it 10 stars I would. It is a beautiful story of two lonely people finding love together. Both Will and Elly have been damaged by life and it is is really moving to see how this damage is repaired by the love they find in each other. It is not a fast paced book, rather it is the sort of book where you savour every page. Some passages literally took my breath away. LaVyrle Spencer is an expert at writing believable characters who you really care about. Even the secondary characters (such as Miss Beasley) are well portrayed and interesting, which I think is quite unusual for a romance. One minor complaint I have is that I thought the blurb on the back of the book was a little misleading. The murder that is mentioned happens very late on in the story. Although it is not insignificant in terms of the conclusion, the central theme is Elly and Will's relationship, not the murder. If you want a really heartwarming, moving book that will make you smile, cry and give you a warm, fuzzy feeling from head to toe then this is the book for you. Wonderful!

Wonderful book!! Tears, joy and everything an excelent book delivers! Probably the best romance I've read in my whole life.

Pour être honnête je suis tombée sur ce livre par hasard.... en me trompant de titre.... et le destion a bien fait. Quelle belle surprise, tout en finesse dans les sentiments, on ressent les émotions de chacun, et pour une fois ce n'est pas un chapitre pour le vision de chacun mais les 2 isions sont enchevetrées. Bref j'ai adoré et ai téléchargé yn autre roman de cette auteur!

Vorweg: Dies ist ein Buch mit ganz viel Taschentuch-Alarm! Aber ich habe (fast) jede Seite geliebt. Wenn ich LaVyrle Spencer etwas vorwerfen müsste, dann vielleicht ihre manchmal gar zu blumige, ausufernde Wortwahl. Etwas knapper und schlichter geschrieben, wäre dieses Buch ein absolutes Meisterwerk! Aber auch so ist unübersehbar, wie großartig die Autorin es versteht, ihr Buch mit realistischen, herzerwärmenden Charakteren zu bevölkern, die so treffsicher angelegt sind, dass sie mich mitrissen und komplett vergessen ließen, dass sie nur Romanfiguren sind. Und alle haben eine herzzerreißende Geschichte. Ja, man mag bemängeln, dass so viel Herzeleid vielleicht ein bisschen viel des Guten ist. Aber es ist einfach wunderschön zu lesen, wie Will, der Ex-Sträfling, der unter erbärmlichen Umständen halb verhungert von der Hand in den Mund leben muss, sich allmählich in einen mutigen, respektierten jungen Mann verwandelt, und wie Elly, deren schreckliche Kindheit in einem fanatisch religiösen Haushalt sie traumatisiert und stigmatisiert hat, aus Liebe über sich selbst hinauswächst. Es fehlen auch nicht die bösen Gegenspieler, die das zerbrechliche Glück immer wieder auf das Fieseste torpedieren -- auch sie absolut menschlich und schlüssig angelegt. Aber Gott sei Dank gibt es auch die guten Geister, die manchmal in einer sehr ruppigen Schale daherkommen... Trotz der geballten Ladung an Widrigkeiten, gegen die das Paar immer wieder ankämpfen muss, hatte ich nie das Gefühl, dass es nicht genau so gewesen sein könnte. LaVyrle Spencer schaffte es, mich vollkommen in die Erlebnisse hineinzuziehen, und jeden Abend, wenn ich weiterlas, hatte ich das Gefühl, zu lieben Freunden zurückzukehren. Es ist eine lange Geschichte mit vielen glücklichen, spannenden, aber auch traurigen Ereignissen, und trotz dieser Verdichtung von so vielen dramatischen Aspekten wurde ich das Gefühl nicht los, dass es solche Schicksale durchaus gegeben haben könnte. Diese Buch habe ich ganz sicher nicht zum letzten Mal gelesen!