When the main character is the daughter of a local pastor, religion is going to be central to the plot, or it is fairly safe to assume. Why it works: Whether the author shares the same beliefs is irrelevant, because the views, actions and reactions to events are clearly expressed and formed within the fictional characters. In other words, this is where the character is coming from and how we are to interpret their motives. Does it matter if I agree with the beliefs presented? No, because it is Grace's story. We are entering her world and witnessing how she will react based on her values, morals and beliefs. After accepting this, I embraced the story and followed Grace's struggles and gave in to sympathies. The relationship between Daniel and Grace was powerfully depicted and moved me to tears, twice. My heart ache because it stirred old feelings that I experienced with first love. However, not everyone will have a similarly strong reaction. The momentum of the plot intensifies, building and driving the reader onward. By doing so, the book quickly becomes a page turning adventure that likely will have many readers plowing through in one day. I myself, finished at 3 a.m. simply because I was so comfortable and absorbed in the story. I was captivated until the very end.
