Like a Lily Among the Thorns

Like a Lily Among the Thorns by Karen S. Bell is the story of Gabby, a young woman troubled by a tragic and sorrowful past and haunted by inner demons. She is attempting to find her place in the world and overcome the traumas that have set her life.

Gabby meets Beau, an intriguing and charismatic man, and her life takes an unexpected turn. Between them, there is an instant connection, and as their friendship grows, Gabby's life changes. As Gabby faces her history and finds comfort in their love, Beau turns into a source of strength and healing for her. Readers are taken on an emotional journey filled with reflection, personal development, and the search for happiness as Gabby and Beau work their way through the challenges in their life.

I enjoy how the novel gradually drives readers to think about their own life, the power of letting go, and finding a sense of sanctification in all life situations. Gabby is a naive yet likable protagonist. The author did a good job bringing awareness about the climate crisis in a fiction that is different and unexpected.

Having said that, there are a few negatives that I felt while reading. The plot was somewhat predictable and silly at specific points in the story. There are moments in the book where the story feels overdramatic and slow. Also, the author heavily relies on repetitive descriptions, which can feel boring. The book had characters irrelevant to the plot considering the author mentions that fate brought all the main characters together and each has a role to play. The book took too long to reach the main point. It would have been better if the author continued with a single genre without involving mythical beings in the story. Also, the cover doesn't portray anything about the story inside.

The book is professionally edited, and I found no typos or grammatical errors in the book.