"Until We All Share Joy" by Heather Wood

I've been wanting to try Heather Wood's books for a while now, and even have three of them on my TBR shelves!  Until We All Share Joy is a novella that takes place at the same time as another of her books, and now that I've met the main family she writes about, I'm looking forward to her other books even more!

Until We All Share Joy begins at Christmastime when a young medical student, Titan Dinsmore, spots a young lady sitting alone at a train station in Chicago.  Night is falling, and he knows a respectable young lady should not be unaccompanied in the city after dark, so he takes it upon himself to chaperone her until she is home again.  Which sounds condescending, but I promise he doesn't behave as if she couldn't care for herself, only that he wants to offer her his assistance should she require it.

The young lady, Nora Gates, was waiting for her father to come home for Christmas.  He didn't show up, so she waits for him again the next night.  And Titan shows up to keep her safe, once again.  This continues until they become acquaintances instead of strangers, then friends instead of acquaintances.  Over the course of the next year, Titan and Nora fall in love (though they stop waiting for trains after Christmas).  I really appreciated how their relationship grew and changed gradually and naturally, and that they both took the time to get to know each others' families.

This book is not so much a romance as a coming-of-age story for Titan as he matures into manhood after feeling he's never taken seriously by his family since he is the youngest.  Taking on responsibility and stepping out into a life of his own helps him to grow and change, and I liked getting to watch that happen.

I was asked to provide a promotional quote for this book and received a free copy from the publisher, but I was not required to review it.  All opinions here are my own true opinions.

Particularly Good Bits:

"You can't control the choices your children make anyway," Titan said.

"That's the problem with people.  They can't simply enjoy something beautiful without thinking they have to possess it themselves."

If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: G.  It's a good, godly story with no cussing, smut, innuendos, or violence.