HOLES IN THEIR HEARTS

In this Christian love story, good and bad angels vie for the souls of four lonely adults and one lonely child as unexpected circumstances bring them together to form new bonds of friendship and family.

Wallace sets his tale of love-starved adults in idyllic Hillsdale, Va., the kind of quaint, historically preserved town that seems perfect on the outside while loneliness, heartache and confusion lurk within. The same can be said for the four main characters; on the outside, middle-aged bachelors and longtime friends Martin and Jed are accomplished, well-rounded individuals who just happen to have never met suitable women with whom to spend their lives. Likewise with Mary Jane and Helen, two career women from Arlington who seem to have it all—good jobs, comfortable homes, family and friends. But when Mary Jane and Helen come to Hillsdale for a weekend visit, they find themselves falling for the town’s most eligible bachelors and soon discover, as do Martin and Jed, that without love their lives remain ineffably incomplete. But no one in this book struggles alone. Each character is attended to by a collection of good and bad angels with ulterior motives. The Devil’s angels play on the dark side of human nature, encouraging feelings of despair and fear, while God’s messengers assist with reminders not to capitulate to the negative thoughts that roam the byways of their minds. Since this is a Christian novel, it’s virtually a foregone conclusion that love will win the day. As such, Wallace’s tale is a charming, innocuous story, but doesn’t challenge one to think seriously about God’s role in individual lives; a world where God’s timing coincides perfectly with human needs and desires doesn’t create much need for further investigation.

An uplifting story of love set within a framework of Christian sensibilities, but will prove too light for those who desire more substantial intellectual fare.