Can they let go of the past in order to have a future?
In the Heart of Autumn by Noelle Bensen is a contemporary Christian romance novel, and it is book two in the River Haven romance series. It is the deeply emotional story of the romance between blogger Charlotte Bennet and former hotshot firefighter Liam Darson. You can purchase it on Amazon,*and it is also included with Kindle Unlimited memberships.
Now, normally I’d jump into a regular review here, but is it okay with y’all if I go in a little bit of a different direction with you today? Cool. Back in the early 2000s, I interned at a domestic assault shelter for women. It was one of the most eye opening, stressful, impactful experiences of my life. What those women taught me about leaving an abusive partner has stuck with me. Mainly, it isn’t always as simple as you might think, and even if they are lucky enough to get out, the emotional damage stays.
So, what does that have to do with my book review, you might be asking?
Well, dear reader, I’m about to tell you. Charlotte Bennet, the heroine of In the Heart of Autumn, is a survivor of emotional narcissistic abuse. As I read the novel, I had to put on my “intern” goggles and read it as though she was one of the clients I spoke with at the shelter. This is not your run of the mill will they or won’t they romance novel. This novel was beautifully written to reflect the deep scars emotional abuse leaves. If you read a lot of romance, you might miss that nuance and mistake Charlotte for just another wishy washy pain in the behind. If you do, it would be a shame. This novel is brilliant in that aspect. It will really help you understand what happens with some people when they walk that lonely road. When you read Charlotte’s story, read it with compassion.
I actually got to have a text conversation with Noelle after I read her novel, and we talked about the idea of abuse and divorce in the church. I’m going to preface this next statement by saying I am not a pastor nor am I a Biblical scholar. There are lots of super educated people who have done sermons and books on this topic, so please, if you are in a situation where you are being abused or know someone who is, do your own research and draw your own conclusions. However, I will say that we can’t continue allowing the idea that “God hates divorce” to justify sending women back into the homes of their abusers.
God says in Ephesians 5:25 that husbands are to “love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.” That is not a portrait of an abusive, narcissistic relationship.
Now back to my review.
I loved Liam. I can’t say too much about him, but even though he had his own “stuff,” I was really pleasantly surprised by him. He was wise in his dealings with Charlotte, and that’s all I can really say without giving spoilers!
This was a Christian romance, so there was mention of characters living out their faith through prayer and Scripture references throughout. There was no language. There was some content that made me slightly uncomfortable that will be covered below in the content warning, so if you’re concerned, read on. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys romance with a small-town vibe that touches on deep social issues and takes you on an emotional ride but ultimately gives you the sweet happily ever after you’re looking for.
Content warnings
Though there wasn’t anything that was truly over the line, there were a couple scenes that made me slightly uncomfortable to read. There was one scene where they ended up in a tickle fight, two scenes where they lie in bed or on the floor together (fully clothed) all night, and a few where Charlotte inadvertently walks in on Liam in various states of undress (topless only) and describes what she is seeing. None of these were leading up to inappropriate “closed door” scenes. It was more like “woops…I walked in on you type of thing. I just wanted to include them for those of you who are sensitive to this type of content, dear readers. This is definitely an adults only romance, in my opinion, since I learned I’ve picked up some teen readers along the way.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
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*This post contains an affiliate link. If you make a purchase when following the link, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you.
