Book Review: With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo

With a Name like Love by Tess Hilmo
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date: September 2011
ISBN: 9780374384654
Source: review copy sent by publicist

Ollie Love has never lived in one place for longer than three days.  As the daughter of the Reverend Everlasting Love, a traveling preacher, she and her four younger sisters have spent their lives on the road.  But when Ollie meets Jimmy Koppel, a young boy in trouble in a small town riddled with anger and fear, she and her family might end up staying longer than they expected.

Things I Liked:
This was a sweet and heart-warming little book about family and friendship and the things we do for others.  I loved the Love family and Ollie especially. Her interactions with her sisters were my favorite, especially because I have four sisters and it seemed like every little thing could become a fight.  Family dynamics are always interesting to read about and adding outside characters makes it even more fun.  I fell in love with Ollie and Jimmy and couldn't help being interested in what happened to Jimmy and his mother.  A delightful sister book for those looking for a sweet tale of doing good for other people.  Some favorite parts:

Somewhere along the way, however, the good reverend decided a small town meant a poor town, and a poor town meant humble people. Ollie's daddy was born to preach to those people. His daddy had been a traveling preacher, as was his daddy before him, all the way back to the time of Moses. The Good Lord ushered him into that long line of preachers, and then his parents gave him the name Everlasting Love. It was everything he was. P 4

Reverend Love's voice was as rich as molasses and deep as the Grand Canyon. It had a power about it that made people reach into their pockets even when they didn't come with the intention of donating to the cause. He called it his trademark. Ollie's mama called it their only salvation. P 16

Things I Didn't Like:
Well, not much. Sometimes I was frustrated with Ollie for being so naive and I was a little disappointed at how well things seemed to turn out. Still, it wasn't too easy for them and it felt pretty accurate for her age and circumstances.

Read-alikes:
It reminded me a little of Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
Maybe a bit like The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (for the sister fun)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none 

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
a little bit, nothing too much

Overall rating: **** 

You don't hear of many books about traveling preachers - any you can think of?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Posted in 4 stars , Historical Fiction , middle grade , review copy