RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
GATEWAY CRESCENT (Bendixon Sisters Book 2) by Brenda Margriet is a contemporary romance set in British Columbia. This romance is the second in the trilogy and features the youngest of the three Bendixon sisters. It can easily be read as a standalone, but it does give you glimpses of book 1 as the timelines run simultaneously.
Josephine “Jo” Bendixon loves bright colors, singing and life in general. Her two older sisters believe she is flighty and never finishes projects she starts and this is hurtful to Jo. She does not share that she is teaching herself computer coding and she is working toward combining all of her interests into a career. When her volunteer job at the library is taken away, she gets the opportunity to work at Gateway Crescent teaching disabled children computer skills. At the same time she volunteers to work with Luke on the end of school year music concert in the park.
Luke Donwell is the music teacher at the local high school. He loves working with teenagers, but he has always had a deep faith and contemplated becoming a Catholic priest. He has set up a weekend away at the seminary to decide if the priesthood is what he truly wants to do with his life. When his friend’s younger sister, Jo volunteers to help with the end of the year concert and a new music therapy program at Gateway Crescent, he is glad for the help, but being with Jo makes him begin to question many of his long-held beliefs.
Jo and Luke work well together and both are surprised by the attraction each feels for the other. Luke is up front about his possible vocational change and Jo encourages him to keep his weekend obligation even as both have feelings of more than friendship. Luke has a major decision to make for himself, but it will effect all who love him.
I must admit that I do not usually read romances with religion as a major focus, but I loved the first book in this series and all of the Bendixon sisters. Luke is a complex character who pulled me in with his faith and beliefs and is an extremely caring and giving person, but also at times he demonstrated the intolerance of others’ beliefs that makes me dislike religious doctrines. Jo is a loving, free spirit who may not have found her true calling yet, but is open and searching. Jo and Luke’s story was a heartwarming romance with many realistic bumps in the road. The secondary characters all added depth to the storyline. There is one sex scene and I felt the author handled the emotions and dialogue in a realistic way that was true to the story.
I enjoyed Luke and Jo’s romance. I also enjoyed the glimpses of book one that remind you of that sister’s story. I am looking forward to reading the oldest Bendixon sister’s romance next.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
