3.5 Stars
What is wonderful about Blackbirch Woods is the enduring and irresistible love story that begins as friendship between Willis and Violet and develops into a trust that can defeat anything which threatens to tear it apart. Willis and Violet's relationship encompasses what I believe most of us hope for, a deep and soulful attachment of hearts that cannot be explained because it transcends meaning applied to words. Instead, it lives inside us and must be simply trusted, blindly, much like faith. Blackbirch Woods echos the rich storytelling that is found in treasured fables and biblical type stories. This is a Christian, clean read and although it contains paranormal elements, its deeply rooted in the traditional Christian teachings. At times, the verses, prayers and testaments can come across as a bit preachy, but I imagine reaction to the text will depend completely on the preference of the reader. Some will see this feature as a strength, where others might view it as a weakness. I enjoyed the fabled tale and the romantic chemistry between the main characters was truly inspirational. ( )