It's finally time! Fans of Jan Karon's Mitford series will be very familiar with Dooley Kavanaugh, the former orphan who showed up on Father Tim's doorstep in the very first Mitford novel, At Home in Mitford. Through these books, Dooley has grown up, gone to school, found his calling, gone off to college, and now he's back home and ready to get married to the love of his life. And long-time fans will know exactly who that is.
Lace Harper, the awkward know-it-all who stole Dooley's heart (all of our hearts, really) many books ago, has grown into a beautiful woman and a talented artist, and she has agreed to marry Dooley despite her doubts.
As the Kavanaughs and the Harpers prepare for the wedding that we've all been waiting so long for, we can rest assured that it will all come together in the end as all great wedding novels do, and with the whole town joining in for the celebration, Come Rain or Come Shine.
Although I read these Mitford novels over and over and over through the last couple of decades, this one I didn't read. I listened to it. The audiobook is narrated by John McDonough and although at times I can't help but feel like he's sounding a little like Winnie the Pooh, I still get captivated by these characters. And despite a brief detour to the Thousand Acre Woods from time to time (or maybe because of it), he is the perfect narrator to voice a character like Father Tim.
Although this book was published a little over a year ago, a feel-good story like this is good for anytime of year. My Christmas wish this year (or one of them, anyway) is for this series to go on, so that we can join in the fun with Grandfather Tim and Grandma Cynthia.