Oh, I had some pleasant chuckles but didn't laugh as much this time overall, what with the past and present aspects of certain Harmony folks' lives that took my emotions for a ride.

Gee. Some of the Harmonians go through it this year, some of their trials being of their own making and others just being...life.

But I was glad to see evidence of Sam making some progress after his personal reckoning in the previous book. And in the midst of the townspeople's various virtues and flaws and quirks, some changes of heart among them gave a bona fide tug or two on my own.

I'm kinda sad I've only got one more Harmony novel left to read. I don't think I'll put off reading it for long, though. ( )

Enjoyable, touching and laugh out loud funny. Harmony series is always enjoyable and rewarding! ( )

More from the village of Harmony. Forgiveness and tolerance. Family and love. It does my heart good to read these books. ( )

Author Philip Gulley returns to Harmony for Sam Gardner's fifth year as pastor of his home Quaker church. The quirky and lovable residents of the Indiana small town are still causing Sam headaches, even as he sometimes looks at their example of love and forgiveness in amazement.

Like the previous books in the series, the story unfolds in chapter-length stories focusing on specific people; unlike previous books, there are three key storylines running throughout the full book. The most dramatic is the unexpected medical problems for Dale Hinshaw, the elder who is a persistent thorn in Sam's side. The most unexpected is the sudden return of Ellis Hodge's no-good brother Roger and his wife, who want another chance at building a relationship with their daughter who's been living with Ellis and his wife. The most charming is the love story of Deena Morrison and her marriage to the new doctor in town.

The book is written in Gulley's flowing, gentle style, filled with perceptive observations of church folk and people in general. There is an understanding warmth in his presentation of all the characters, and the situations are presented in simple, direct language, without melodrama or over-the-top emotion. And in this way, Gulley quietly approaches many significant issues: life and death; alcohol abuse and rehabilitation; marital discord; the negative power of gossip; the positive power of love and forgiveness.

In many ways, "A Change of Heart" is a book-length meditation on the nature of forgiveness, exploring the reasons why it is difficult to forgive and also the reasons why it can beneficial, and maybe even necessary, to forgive. Even so, it is never preachy, and never loses its wonder at the way we live our lives, from our foibles to our moments of grace. ( )

Delightful series, laugh out loud. Religion with a smile. I highly recommend this series ( )