Book Reviews and More: One Blessing at a Time - Leslea Wahl

Saturday, 12 March 2022

One Blessing at a Time - Leslea Wahl - All For 1 Episode 1

One Blessing at a Time

All For 1 Episode 1

Leslea Wahl

Ministry Thru Mystery

ISBN 9781732903746

ASIN B09R29XTTT

I believe I have read everything that Leslea Wahl has published. That includes 5 novels, short stories and contributions to anthologies and a piece in a progressive story also. Many of the characters in this story overlap with other works of hers. So, in some ways it was like returning to visit old friends. The difference was that this story I believe predates any of the others. We are informed by Wahl in the preface to this story that:

“Years ago, when I was waiting for my first novel, The Perfect Blindside, to be published, I started working on my second novel which became Into the Spotlight (formerly An Unexpected Role). My husband suggested that I should somehow link the two stories. That idea intrigued me, and I decided Sophie from The Perfect Blindside and Ryan from Into the Spotlight could be cousins. Not sure what I would ever do with this connection, I included two tiny hints in the new book.

A few years later, authors from the joint website I belong to, CatholicTeenBooks.com, decided to create an anthology. I thought this might be a great time to finally bring these characters together for a new adventure. I had so much fun writing that short story and over the years, new ideas for these characters have popped into my mind. I have finally combined all these stories together in my all for One series. The title is a reminder that God should be at the center of our lives—as everything we do is for Him.”

She also provides a chronological order to the stories:

One Blessing at a Time

Into the Spotlight (formerly An Unexpected Role)

The Perfect Blindside

eXtreme Blindside

More Precious Than Gold

Unlikely Witness

Ultimate Blindside

The Master Plan

The last two of which must be forthcoming, at the time of writing this review. The description of this volume is:

“One Blessing at a Time is a sneak peek into the lives of four characters from Leslea Wahl’s award-winning YA mysteries, The Perfect Blindside and An Unexpected Role, before we meet them in their full novels.

This intriguing short story about a mysterious sacred object offers a glimpse into the backgrounds of snowboarder Jake, aspiring journalist Sophie, baseball player Ryan, and theater enthusiast Josie, offering new details from their pasts.

Ever wonder about the event that catapulted Jake to the national spotlight? Did Sophie always have a knack for uncovering the truth? What circumstances provided Ryan with the opportunity to play ball for an East Coast scout team? How successful was Josie as she tried to go unnoticed during her first years of high school?

This illuminating short story prequel explores the idea that you never know whose life you may touch with a simple blessing.”

I must admit I absolutely loved this story. The concept of receiving a gift to bless you and then passing it on when you feel the time or person is right. The way the object moved from person to person. And some of the pieces we need to put together ourselves, from where it is found once. It was also wonderful to learn more about the backstories of Jake, Sophia, Ryan, and Josie.

If you are a fan of other stories that include the characters this is a must read. If you haven’t given them a try yet, it is a great place to start. You will enjoy the characters; the story is excellent, and it will leave you wanting the books so you can keep reading. Aw wonderful offering, in a great series by a skilled writer.