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Reviews for Hearts of Compassion :
Hearts of Compassion: Inspirational Novel Inspires Respect for the Homeless
by Pam Vetter, at American Chronicle
 There is a homeless man who lives in one of the parks near my home. He walks past my house every morning and every evening carrying a blanket wrapped around all of his belongings. He looks like a sad version of Santa, carrying everything he owns in the world. I´ve seen him miles away outside Starbucks later in the day, but I´ve never seen him begging or asking anyone for help. Instead, he exists on the streets of LA in silence making the best of his life.
There is a homeless man who lives in one of the parks near my home. He walks past my house every morning and every evening carrying a blanket wrapped around all of his belongings. He looks like a sad version of Santa, carrying everything he owns in the world. By mid-day, he's walked several miles to Starbucks, but I've never seen him begging or asking anyone for help. Instead, he exists on the streets of LA in silence making the best of his life.
Unless you've walked in someone else's ill-fitting shoes decorated with holes, you shouldn't judge. The inspirational novel "Hearts of Compassion" by Eryn Grace reinforces this message. The characters in this particular novel work together toward change.
From the moment high and mighty Rylee Fitz meets Ben Colson, it is clear that her attitude has to change. Ben is the lawyer for the Guardian Home for the Needy. He's married to his work and he truly has a heart, while Rylee is about to find her heart.
One of the most poignant lines comes from Ben when he says of the homeless: "It can happen to any of us."
In this economy, this story struck a chord with me. There are people who are homeless today who weren't homeless only weeks ago. While there is a romance brewing in "Hearts of Compassion," the more powerful story is what brought people to a point of homelessness and recovery. It is a story of inspiration.
The stories within the main plot are poignant. A man who used to run a multi-million dollar corporation lost everything and had to start over again. A woman whose family was killed in house fire was now walking the streets begging for cash. A woman who was in hiding from her ex-husband. A woman who loses her child to the foster system. Each person has a story as they found themselves living on the streets through unexpected circumstances. Through the featured help for the needy, the homeless were finding a good meal and a safe place to take a nap during the day. Any one of us could find ourselves struggling and living on the streets.
It is Rylee's transformation that takes shape in this book. Add in Ben, a man devoted to his work, and an honest approach from a pastor who is a realist, instead of judgmental, and you discover a formula for a contemporary change in spirit. The religious elements also provided support to the characters when they needed it the most to continue their work.
I liked that there were no wasted moments between Rylee and Ben. In fact, their time spent together seemed realistic through character building. Helping people through the discovery of life's challenges clearly helps you grow as a person.
It makes you wonder if you should get off the couch and do more with your life to listen, support and help other people. Rylee reinforces how helping people who are down on their luck does make a difference, "...for once in my life, I can really help someone and feel good about it."
When the life of one of the characters takes a dramatic turn, it changes everything. Words from the pastor are powerful, "If someone truly loves you, they accept you for what you are. They won't leave you and will help you through the tough times."
"Hearts of Compassion" by Eryn Grace is a book with contemporary issues that helps people realize what they can do instead of what they can't do. It also makes readers realize that when things fall apart, there is always a way to put your life together and start over again. Accepting help is the first step toward hope.
For more information visit Red Rose Publishing.
Red Rose Publishing provided a review copy of this book.
From Cindy Loven Reviews
Monday, December 7, 2009
Hearts of Compassion
Eryn Grace
Red Rose Publishing
2009
Fiction/Contemporary
Rylee Fitz has lived the life, the daughter of a multi-millionaire, she knows what money is. She also knows that she has been written out of the will for failing to work in her father's business. Making her way to the top is her way to prove to him she can make it on her own.
Working in marketing with an interior design firm, Rylee and a team of workers head to Albany NY, to help market a homeless shelter, while they are there, they work in the shelter, along side the staff and the homeless and Rylee finds out life is not all about her.
A life changing experience that opens her eyes to the less fortunate, and opens her heart to love, Rylee returns to NYC where she finds, her company is being taken over by men who are less than honest, and on a revenge cycle against the Fitz family. Resigning before she is fired, she finds herself evicted from her apartment, her father's business being investigated by the FBI. Things are worse than she could have ever imagined. How will this all turn out?
Eryn Grace has brought us a delightful book, full of exciting twists and turns. Will Rylee find true love? Will she go to prison? Will her family lose their business? This book will have you from the first chapter to the very end. A great story. 388 pages 4 stars.
This book was provided for review purposes only, no cash or payment of any type was received for this review.
Author Bio
Eryn Grace currently lives in the Green Bay area of Wisconsin, with her husband, three children and various pets—some with attitude.
Her hobbies include gardening during the summer and reading and eating ice cream in the winter when the wind chill's 35 degrees below zero.
Visit her website at
www.eryngrace.com.
~ Cindy Loven at Cindy Loven Reviews
From marthasbookshelf.blogspot.com
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Review - Hearts of Compassion by Eryn Grace
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Title: HEARTS OF COMPASSION
Author: Eryn Grace
Publisher: Red Rose Press
Mainstream Romance: Contemporary, Inspirational, Holiday (Christmas)
ISBN: 978-1-60435-490-4
Pages: 388
Release Date: December 03, 2009
Price: $5.99
Rating: 4.25
Blurb: Rylee Fitz, lonely daughter of a millionaire, is forced to work at a homeless shelter in up-state New York as a team building exercise for her job.
Ben Colson, the homeless shelter's lawyer who was fired when he had been working for Rylee's father, teaches Rylee that money doesn't get the work done and makes her do manual labor. When he takes the time to actually treat her like a human being and teaches her about the love of Jesus, Rylee finds herself falling for Ben. She just hopes he finds it in his heart to deal with her problems and forgives her family for treating him badly.
Review: This is a wonderful story that is not limited to Holiday reading. It really opens the readers' eyes to the plight of the homeless. It also points out the difference between being driven to personal success and being successful by helping others in need.
Rylee has chosen to seek success without relying on her family wealth. She works hard in her marketing position at an interior design firm but often her co-workers try to undermine her or take credit for her work. When her team goes to work for a homeless shelter she is surprised at the expectations. However, she puts forth the effort to do her assigned tasks thoroughly. This gains her respect from Ben and others at the shelter but puts her at odds once more with her co-workers.
Ben initially sees Rylee as a spoiled, rich girl. He seems a little rough on her at first but his own compassion and warmth soon seeps through. He gains respect for Rylee's integrity in her honest efforts. He also sees that she has been reluctant to accept help from others and she hides behind her loneliness and drive to succeed.
The author gently reveals the stories of those who have come to the shelter due to circumstances beyond their control. Rylee learns to begin to reach out and help while allowing them their dignity. Little does Rylee realize that when she returns to New York her own circumstances are going to tumble her out of work, out of her apartment and onto the streets! How did this happen to her and how is she going to manage without seeking help from others?
The plot is full of twists that keep you waiting to see what will happen next. The characters are well developed and "humanly" flawed. Through Rylee's experiences and with Ben's gentle leading, she learns to see the need for forgiving "grace" not only to strangers but to her own family. This story is relevant to the hardships of the current economy. Ms. Grace has written an engaging and warm tale that made me think twice about my own attitude towards the homeless. I heartily recommend this book for an inspirational read that is more than just a sweet romance.
xxx
Thank you to author Eryn Grace for providing this eBook to read and review.
-- Martha E.
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