The Kissing Tree

 Oak Springs, Texas is home to a huge oak tree with initials of couples who have fallen in love and marked the occasion on the tree.  Beginning in the post-Civil War era and moving forward to modern days, each novella details the love story of a special couple in Oak Springs.  

My favorite novella is the one by Amanda Dykes, in the World War II era and tells the story of Hannah and Luke.  Hannah's brother was killed in Europe and asked Luke to continue writing to his sister before he died.  Luke also sent sketches of buildings that had been damaged in the bombings.  When he arrives in Oak Springs to bring one more thing to Hannah, he finds that she has taken his drawings and combined them into one cottage.  He finds himself so intrigued with Hannah that he spends much of his time in Oak Springs helping her build the cottage.

These novellas are fun to read and to while away an afternoon or so.  I didn't find this compilation as compelling as others I've read, but it is a good time filler.  Four Stars. 

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.