I chose that catchy title because I normally write bite-size book reviews, and I have a little more to say about this one. A few days ago, I needed a pleasant story – nothing too thought-provoking – to listen to while I did some sewing. Siri Mitchell’s book Love Comes Calling looked perfect.
And I loved it. Just loved it.
I didn’t need the author’s note at the end to tell me that the heroine had ADHD. Any mother or teacher (and many adults who don’t even have children) recognized it on page one. When I read the Amazon reviews later, I was surprised to see that not everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. They found the heroine: confusing, annoying, immature, flighty, scatterbrained, selfish, insecure, irresponsible, repetitive, foolish and impulsive. Well, then… the author did a fabulous job of creating an authentic heroine. That is exactly how such a girl would feel and appear to others.
Some reviewers found the stream-of-thought style confusing because the heroine’s thoughts were so random and jumpy, and I think it is likely that her personality is better captured in the audiobook than in the written format. The reader, Morgan Hallett, is good. She perfectly captured all of the characters, and most especially the heroine.
The story is set in prohibition-era Boston, among wealthy families and working girls. It The settings and situations were all very interesting, from the work environment at the telephone company to Ellis’s attempts to create a seating plan for an important dinner.
The heroine had flaws – ordinary, human flaws unrelated to her ADHD – that I could identify with. She believed that she was an embarrassment to her family, but in spite of that (or perhaps because of it), she believed that she was responsible for fixing everything. She tried. She failed sometimes, but usually she muddled through. She set up a vague ambition and thought it was her destiny, but she continually set it aside and lived in the moment. Her heart wasn’t in it – she just felt like she ought to have a dream.
Her good intentions make her likeable. The fact that the hero likes her just as she is makes him likeable, too. The girls at the telephone company were fun secondary characters, with more personality than one might expect for their situation. The only character I didn’t particularly care for was the policeman, but he was necessary to the plot.
When I downloaded it, I was under the impression it was Christian fiction. There is nothing offensive in it, but I would not categorize it that way.