This book is one of Grace Livingston Hill's best. I love the fact that Michael keeps his word about helping other "street kids" like himself. The romance eliment is subtle, but it's very powerful and touching.

This book was really powerful. I am not a crier, but I found my emotions touched by this beautiful story. One can almost see the author's love for humankind shining through. The main character was a wonderful man, suitable for being a hero to any little boy. I think the author truly must have been inspired to write such a magnificent piece of literature. This book was so good, I wish that everybody could truly appreciate it like I do. I have several friends who have also discovered the beauty in this long-forgotten book. I am hoping to read more of this author

Amory is living with her worldly family, and not liking it very well. Then she meets Gareth, and falls for him in a short time. He leaves for a flying stunt, and then something happens to Gareth...

One of my all-time favorite books

When Amorelle finds herself orphaned and alone she thinks she must marry to survive. When she realizes that she cannot go through with the marriage ceremony she must escape the man she does not love. She finds that by helping others without telling them about her past she helps herself. Then she realizes that she really is seeking love, not security and her world begins to change.

This is my favorite Grace Livinston Hill book, close tie with "Marcia Schuyler." You can find this story also in Collection Number 5, enter "Grace Livingston Hill, 5" to search on Amazon.com to find it in one paperback book with three other stories. That is the collection I own.

In this story, Shirley Hollister is the oldest daughter, supporting her ill mother and younger siblings after her father passed away. They are being evicted from their city home as it is to be torn down for bigger buildings, and Shirley does not know what to do. She uses her spare dime to take the longest city train ride she can find in hopes of spotting a place to live, which takes her out into the country where she spots a beautiful old stone barn surrounded by trees, a stream, and beautiful landscape. She decides to see if they could live there for the summer, and goes to talk to the wealthy young owner, Sydney Graham, to see if it can be rented. Sydney makes many improvements on the barn prior to the arrival of his new tenants, including adding partitions, a fireplace, windows, a pay phone, and running water, while being sensitive to Shirley's pride and her desire not to be an object of charity. Shirley and her siblings then fix the barn up with their old furniture, and surprise their ailing mother with a story of moving into a "shanty." The mother is overwhelmed with joy when she finds herself surrounded by such a lovely home in the country, and she begins to grow stronger. The children enjoy playing in the country after being shut up in the city, the youngest boy is separated from friends who were starting to be a bad influence on him, and the baby Doris endearingly watches the birdies. Things are going well until Shirley is called to Washington DC to assist with some important governmental papers for her employer, and a group of evil men kidnap her. You will have to read the story for yourself to discover the rather predictable happy ending. I love the part of fixing up the barn, and the sweet idealism of the story.

This is the first GLH book I ever read and it remains my favorite, after having read most of the others. Again, we have a poor family--father deceased, mother very ill, numerous children--being taken care of by the oldest daughter on her small stenographer's salary. The dilemma is that their cheap rented house is about to be torn down so they must move in a few weeks. But how can they do this without money? Taking her only savings (10 cents), the oldest daughter takes advantage of an unexpected afternoon off from work to ride the train out to the country in the faint hope of finding something suitable and affordable. Once well out in the country, she overhears a conversation between other travelers about a barn in sight from the train tracks, and decides to get a closer look. Impossible though it seems to her at first, the lovely setting seems to be just what is needed to regain her mother's health and provide the children with space to play outdoors. Quickly tracking down the owner, she meets with his handsome son and timidly proposes the rental of the barn for their home. He is immediately sensitive to her dignity and hesitancy and need, and goes out of his way to help her and her family. The description of the barn remodeling is fun, with several side stories and characters. The romance is slow in developing, but results in the usual GLH happy ending.

This is my favorite GHL bookI have read it five times ormore the story is just as fresh as it was the first timeI read it. It is a wonderful story of family life and how they stick together in the time of adversity, even if they have to live in a barn. Their faith in God and each other makes it a very heartwarming story in the style that GHL is famous for.

I'm not even a Christian, and I liked this book. How did an unorthodox person such as myself end up reading this? you may ask. I found it in a 25 cent bin at a library sale. Sometimes we get surprised.

Lynette, the heroine of this book, is a deeply devout young Christian woman. She just graduated from a prestigious Bible college, where she studied Scripture, Greek, and Hebrew, in order to be the perfect preacher's wife, a complement to her sweetheart, Dana, who has just graduated from seminary. Now, Lynette starts out as the sort of sickeningly-sweet can-do-no-wrong heroine we all love to hate, but then everything changes.

Dana turns out to have become a cynic while away at school; he doesn't really have any faith left, just a desire for adulation and attention. He's only becoming a minister because that's what everyone expects of him. And when Lynette comes home, he ignores her in favor of Jessie Belle, a manipulative, spoiled brat. Lynette has always done exactly what everyone expected of her--but when Dana snubs her, she drops everything and takes a trip to Europe. I think that was the moment I decided I liked Lynette--when she made the first self-nurturing decision of her life.

Lynette contemplates her life and her faith on her trip, while Dana spirals deeper into trouble with Jessie Belle, all the time blaming Lynette's pride for all of his problems. In the end, both sow what they reap--Lynette finds someone who can appreciate her abilities and faith, and Dana has to grow up and deal with his mistakes.

Though I am of a different religion, I rejoiced to see the intelligent and golden-hearted Lynette rewarded for her faith and spirit.

This is a great book! It will touch your heart and show you the meaning of true love.

This book starts out great. I'm a big fan of Grace Livingston Hill and have read many other books by her. But this one starts out great. Laurel and Phil meet, by accident-and fall in love in three days. It's so sweet, I wanted to cry, which I never do at books. But the ending isn't so great, Hill doesn't leave enough time to establish the evil plot. But it's a good book still and the beginning and middle are wonderful!

I am not big into romance novels, and have always found Grace Livingston Hill's books to have too many idealized people . . . too good to be true at times.

Fortunately, the hero and heroine of this story seem realistically human, although they are still portrayed as being nicer than most people you meet.

It is worth reading, and provides wholesome entertainment where nowadays it is sadly lacking.

A Patch of Blue is an excellent book. I really like the story. At first I thought it was going to be a sad story. It turned out to be a love story. It is set in 1960's when race was a problem,when white and black people did not get along. I did not like the ending because they did not get together.

A Patch of Blue is an outstanding book! It is set in the 1960's when race and prejudice was a problem. A blind girl named Selina gains and loses many things throughout her life. She falls in love with a man without knowing his race. Being blind still makes it hard for her not to be prejudiced against others, as that's all she knows due to her childhood. Her love for Gordon teaches Selina not to be prejudiced, and she finally realizes people are people no matter what their race. Although the book does not have a typical ending, it has a profound effect. A Patch of Blue is a very enjoyable and memorable book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys love stories, as well as learning about life.

I thought the book was great because is shows a love to all kinds of people. It proves the world is not in darkness after all. All people can get along if they cose to. The book has a good meaning and it also has a realistic outlook to it. It would make people have a feeling of goodness. Show them that racism is bad which is a good thing to know. When I read the book a new life sparked in me and now I look at life differently. I have a change in me. And like they say, life is not fair, but in the end it can be.

I enjoyed this story, but it seems like Grace Livingston Hill used similar plots in many books - this was not the first story I read about a young man returning home from a war to be harassed by a nasty rich ex-girlfriend that won't take "no" for an answer. In the other books, however, nothing much happened to the ex-girlfriend (other than losing the man), while in this book the "bad" girl was properly punished at the end (sent to jail), and the "nice" girl married the ex-soldier at the end of the story.

Rodney comes home from the war firm in his beliefs as a Christian. But sent to try him is his old girlfriend Jessica. After proposing to her and being denied for an old, rich man, Rodney had pawned the ring and opened his eyes. The girl was not a believer of God and his mother never had approved of her. But through his brother's friend, he meets Diana. She also didn't know the Lord, but was willing to learn. After a prayer directed at her, she discovered that God really did love her. Throughout the story, Jessica is determined to somehow spoil things for Rodney. But her plans backfire and she ends up in jail. But Rodney and Diana find love and happiness at the end of a firey trial.