The Prayer Box

Readers will delight in this gorgeously written, true gem of a novel. Wingate has a way with phrasing that makes one stop and savor certain passages because they are incredibly meaningful--not only to the telling of the tale, but to the reader's own life. Realistic characters and a saga of life, love, and rebuilding make a gorgeous treat. [Top Pick]--Romantic Times Book Reviews
Relatable characters and vivid portrayals of events both current and historical create an enchanting, memorable pilgrimage into the fullness of faith and love.--Publishers Weekly
Running away from her past, single mother Tandi Jo Reese rents a cottage on Hatteras Island, but when her elderly landlady dies in her sleep, the task of cleaning out Iola Anne Poole's big house falls to Tandi Jo. Tandi comes across 81 decorated prayer boxes containing notes: pieces of a life well lived. In them, Tandi finds not only redemption but peace with her past. VERDICT Two-time Carol Award winner Wingate ("Blue Moon Bay") has written a moving and inspiring story with interesting female characters and a colorful Southern backdrop. A good option for fans of Nicholas Sparks and Mary Alice Monroe.--Library Journal
Wingate writes with a sensitivity and lyricism so effortless, weaving a community atmosphere with a comforting story of personal healing--ForeWord Reviews
With a careful eye to detail and a beautiful, lyrical style reminiscent of those of Mary Alice Monroe and Patti Callahan Henry, Wingate vividly sets Tandi's struggles in a once beautiful Victorian mansion now falling to ruin and guarded by a cranky cat in a small town recovering from the ravages of a hurricane. [Starred review]--Booklist