I loved the O’Malley romantic suspense series by Dee Henderson and was excited to finally get to read the prequel to it all: Jennifer.

If you have not yet read the series, let me encourage you to start with this book. If you have read it, then go ahead and read Jennifer but be aware: It truly is a prequel. It does not weave in and out of the entire O’Malley series. I was a bit disappointed by this although for it being a novella I knew it was impossible for that to be a realistic expectation. Now I want to read the entire series all over again just to see her story in clearer detail.

Jennifer is a love story. It is the story of Jennifer’s falling in love with Tom and with Jesus, all before her dreadful diagnosis of cancer. Her love for her brothers and sisters too is clearly evident in this novella.

This is quite a departure for Dee Henderson who specializes in romantic suspense. There is none of the adrenaline rushing suspense of her other novels evident in this book. This is pure romance with a mix of tragedy thrown in. It shows Jennifer’s indomitable spirit that prevails throughout the O’Malley series as her passion is to use whatever time she has left seeing her adopted siblings come to a personal relationship with Christ.

If you want your heart twisted like a wet dishrag – read this story. It is filled with love and passion and I only wish it had been longer, although Jennifer’s story really is much longer as her physical presence threads through the first five out of six of the O’Malley series. Well done Dee, and thank you for being willing to put your hand to this lovely novella.