By Aly Hackett
Whose wife was she?
Whose wife was she?
Macy Lockhart's life shattered in a moment with the news that her husband, Finn--serving in the military overseas--has been killed in the line of duty. Their ardent and devoted marriage is over, leaving Macy alone and directionless. But while she tries to sustain herself with memories of Finn, the quiet, strong man who made her and their small Texas ranch the center of his life, it is wealthy Wyatt Clark who slowly brings joy back into her life. Her love for Wyatt may be less romantic than the breathless passion she'd once shared with Finn, but she vows to cherish him, and their marriage is happy and solid as a rock. Until the day that Finn, miraculously spared from death, returns home to claim his bride...
Macy Lockhart has been heartbroken since the day two men from the Army came to tell her that her husband, Finn, was killed in action. In that moment Macy could never imagine moving on with her life. But as time passes, Macy starts to heal and opens herself up. Two years after losing Finn she marries Wyatt Clark, starts to build a foundation and is planning on starting a family. Macy certainly hasn't forgotten her first husband - and one true love - but she has survived her grief and realizes that she still has plenty of life to live.
And then the absolutely unthinkable happens. Two men from the Army once again approach Macy but this time it is to tell her that her husband is in fact alive. This is not only a shock to Macy and all those that love Finn but it creates a conflict like none other.
Macy now must make a devastating decision: decide to divorce Finn to make her marriage to Wyatt legal or request her marriage to Wyatt be declared void and stay married to Finn. How is she going to choose between her first love and the man that brought her back to life by loving her? That is the question which torments Macy for a good part of the book and tests her in a way nothing else could.
She loved two men. She loved them differently, but she loved them both nonetheless, and it left her incapable of making a decision. Or eating or sleeping, for that matter. She was paralyzed.
On one hand there is Finn. Finn kept himself alive while in captivity by remembering his life with Macy and imagining what things will be like when he gets free. Never did he imagine that when he did finally manage to escape, his wife would no longer be his wife, or his at all. So not only did Finn have to readjust after being held prisoner and learn how to cope with PTSD but the one thing he thought he could depend on - his life with Macy - is gone. His emotions are all over the place, as anyone could imagine and he's so angry at Macy for moving on without him that his pain takes on a life of its own.
Finn Lockhart, as he remembered himself, thought of himself, had ceased to exist, and now he was the guy everyone kept calling a hero. He wasn’t a hero. He was the farthest thing from a hero.
On the other hand, there's Wyatt. Wyatt, in my opinion, is in the absolute worst position of the three. There were definitely parts of this book where I wanted to smack him but who could blame him? He has the woman he wants, the woman he loves and is getting ready to start a family with her. Business is going well, life is everything he could ever want...and them WHAM!! His life is turned completely upside down.
How did a man go about handling that sort of news? He was a newlywed; he was building their life. He was embarking on a very large deal to build a destination resort and spa that would make them wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. He didn’t need this. He needed Macy, and now he didn’t even know what to expect when she came back from D.C.
I will be very honest and say I went into this book a bit skeptical because I wasn't sure that I would be happy with the ending. I am so glad that I got past my skepticism because not only am I happy with how it ended but with the book as a whole.
But aside from the absolutely heart wrenching story line this book is made with its characters. At some point during the story I loathed almost every single character! LOL! No, really, I did! This is a very tough situation for everyone involved and they all make some choices that are emotional rather than rational. And despite my loathing, Julia London makes me understand why every single one of them behaves in the manner in which they do and makes me love them again :)
In the end, Summer of Two Wishes is an emotional story that has some fabulous characters and definitely makes you want to see what is going to happen next in Cedar Springs.
Thanks to Julia for stopping in today to visit with us! We are thrilled to have you here!
By now we all know that I am not a cook! Bake, yes. Cook, HELL NO :) But here is a crock pot recipe that my kids love!
Slow Cooker Pork Chops
From allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pork-chops-for-the-slow-cooker/Detail.aspx)
Ingredients
6 boneless pork chops
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place pork chops in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops.
Cook on Low setting for 6 hours, until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F
And for something a little more *me*
Apple Orchard Cake
From Mommy's Kitchen (http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2008/09/apple-orchard-snack-cake.html)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 apples – peeled and diced
½ cup butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¾ cups walnuts (optional)
Mix sugar, margarine and eggs in bowl. Stir in graham cracker crumbs, apples and nuts until blended. Spread batter into greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
