Beloved Hope Review

Hope Flanagan survived the massacre at the Whitman Mission, but at terrible personal cost. Safe now in Oregon City, she lives with her sisters, Grace and Mercy, and Grace's new husband, Alex. As she spends her days tending their flock of sheep, Hope's mind and soul are slowly healing. Yet, though she was once surrounded by suitors, she has no interest in giving her heart again after the man she loved died in her arms.

Hope's precarious new peace is shattered when those responsible for the massacre are captured and put on trial. She is asked to testify against them, but she's not sure she can bear to relive the events of those horrific days.

As Hope struggles to free herself from the pain of her past, Lance Kenner, an Army lieutenant, brings an unexpected ray of light into her life. But what will Lance think of her if he learns the truth behind her anguish? And what secrets lie in his past?

Beloved Hope is another home run by Tracie Peterson. The second book in her newest series, Heart of the Frontier. Hope, the middle sister of the Flanagan girls is the center on attention in this story of forgiveness and learning to love after loss. Both Hope and Lance have pasts that they would prefer to forget and leave behind but together they learn to grow and put their past in God's hands. Beloved Hope is a must read novel that explores forgiveness and the growth and hope you can experience once you let go of your hurt and pain. 

5 out of 5. 

 I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Heart on the Line Review

Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can't let the villain she believes responsible for her father's death release his wrath in Harper's Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she's ever known.

Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship--dare he believe, courtship?--has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.

Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer was a perfect addition to the Ladies of Harper Station series. I love Grace and the courage she shows throughout the book and Amos's character is the perfect companion to her. One of the many things I enjoyed about Heart on the Line is that Amos is not your stereotypical western hero but he still manages to steal your heart. I also love the secondary story line that goes on in this book and could have read a whole book with just those characters involved. Harper Station is quickly becoming one of my favorite fictional settings and I can't wait for the next book!

5 out of 5. 

 I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Just Look Up Review

After tirelessly climbing the ranks of her Chicago-based interior design firm, Lane Kelley is about to land her dream promotion when devastating news about her brother draws her back home―a quaint tourist town full of memories she’d just as soon forget. With her cell phone and laptop always within reach, Lane aims to check on her brother while staying focused on work―something her eclectic family doesn’t understand.

Ryan Brooks never expected to settle down in Harbor Pointe, Michigan, but after his final tour of duty, it was the only place that felt like home. Now knee-deep in a renovation project that could boost tourism for the struggling town, he is thrilled to see Lane, the girl he secretly once loved, even if the circumstances of her homecoming aren’t ideal.

Their reunion gets off to a rocky start, however, when Ryan can’t find a trace of the girl he once knew in the woman she is today. As he slowly chips away at the walls Lane has built, secrets from his past collide with a terrible truth even he is reluctant to believe. Facing a crossroads that could define his future with Lane and jeopardize his relationship with the surrogate family he’s found in the Kelleys, Ryan hopes Lane can see that maybe what really matters has been right in front of her all along―if only she’d just look up.

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh is a wonderful, sweet novel full of romance, faith and family. I quickly connected to the characters and the message relayed through this story. "The very best things are found when we just look up". This statement is perfect for today's world with it's many distractions, whether it be simply looking up from our phones to the people and places around us or "looking up" on a spiritual level. Overall I loved this book and look forward to rereading it in the future. 

5 out of 5. 

 I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House in exchange for an honest review.

Wings of the Wind Review

Alanah, a Canaanite, is no stranger to fighting and survival. When her family is killed in battle with the Hebrews, she disguises herself and sneaks onto the battlefield to avenge her family. The one thing she never counted on was surviving. 

Tobiah, a Hebrew warrior, is shocked to find an unconscious, wounded woman among the Canaanite casualties. Compelled to bring her to a Hebrew healer back at their camp, he is soon confronted with a truth he can't ignore: the only way to protect this enemy is to marry her.

Unused to being weak and vulnerable, Alanah submits to the marriage--for now. As she comes to know and respect Tobiah and his people, however, she begins to second-guess her plans of escape. But when her past has painfully unanticipated consequences, the tentative peace she's found with Tobiah, the Hebrews, and Yahweh is shaken to the core. Can Alanah's fierce heart and strength withstand the ensuing threats to her life and all she's come to love?

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette was a gripping tale of biblical times. I quickly fell in love with both Alanah and Tobiah and in their story of love, forgiveness and second chances. Wings of the Wind is an amazing fictional account of the times of wandering for the Hebrews after their escape from Egypt. If you're anything like me you won't be able to set this story down until you reach the end. Connilyn Cossette is my favorite new biblical fiction writers.

5 out of 5.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Written In Love Review

When a postal error creates pen pals of two young Amish people, can they put behind their past mistakes to see the bright future God has written for them?

Jalon Chupp has a past he isn’t proud to claim. He’s worked hard to overcome his youthful mistakes, and he has recommitted himself to his faith. When he receives a sweet note included in a piece of misdirected mail, he can’t help but write back. Soon, the letters he receives from Phoebe are the highlights of his days, and with a hopeful heart, he suggests they meet in person.

Phoebe, too, looks forward to every single one of Jalon’s letters. Living with her overbearing aunt, Phoebe doesn’t have too much to look forward to. But when Jalon suggests they meet, she panics—although she has shared some of the deepest longings of her heart with him, she hasn’t been entirely truthful about her past. But when Jalon shows up at her aunt’s doorstep, everything is revealed. And she can only pray he’ll forgive her for holding back the truth.

In order to reach beyond the errors of their pasts, both Phoebe and Jalon must put their faith in something—or Someone—bigger than either of them could pen.

Written in Love by Kathleen Fuller is a sweet novel that is easy to fall in love with. It starts off with just the letters between the two of them, spanning a few months, and then merges into storytelling, creating a beautifully captivating blend. Phoebe and Jalon are two people both with broken and painful pasts that grow closer through their letters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading their story and getting to know these characters. Written in Love is the perfect book to add to your summer reading list.

5 out of 5. 

I received a copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for my honest review.

Long Time Gone Review

The Boden clan thought their problems had ended with the death of a dangerous enemy, but have they truly uncovered the real plot to take their New Mexico ranch? Rancher Justin Boden is now in charge. He is normally an unshakable and rugged man, but with his brother, Cole, shot and in mortal danger, even a tough man faces doubts. And it doesn't help that Angie DuPree, the assistant to the doctor trying to save Cole, is as distracting a woman as Justin ever laid eyes on.

With her and the doc's timely skills, Cole looks to be on the mend, and Justin and the rest of the Bodens can turn their attention back to the dangers facing them. It's clear now that everything that's occurred is part of a much bigger plot that could date back to a decades-old secret. Can they uncover all the pieces before danger closes in on them, or is the threat to the ranch even bigger than any of the Bodens could imagine?

Long Time Gone by Mary Connealy is a wonderful continuation of the Cimarron Legacy. In this book we get to delve into Justin's story as well continue with the mystery that started in the first book, No Way Up. I love Angie, who has all the characteristics that I love in a Mary Connealy book. Faith, family, romance and mystery all abound in Long time Gone and should push this book to the top of your reading list (and all Mary Connealy books as well!).

5 out of 5.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Grace and the Preacher Review

At the age of twenty-three, postmistress Grace Cristler has all but given up hope of finding a husband among the narrowing group of eligible men in her town of Fairland, Kansas. But when her uncle decides to retire from the pulpit, Grace is responsible for corresponding with the new preacher set to take his place. She can’t deny the affection growing in her heart for Reverend Rufus Dille—a man she deeply admires but has only met through his letters.

 

Theophil Garrison is on the run from his past. Ten years ago his outlaw cousins convinced him to take part in a train robbery, but Theo fled the scene, leaving his cousins to face imprisonment. Now they’ve finished their sentences, but the plan for vengeance has just begun. Branded a coward and running for his life, Theo has a chance encounter that could provide him with the escape he needs.  

 

But the young man’s desperate con might come at an enormous price for the tenderhearted Grace—and the entire town. Will Grace’s undeserved affection and God’s mercy make something beautiful from the ashes of Theo’s past?

Grace and the Preacher by Kim Vogel Sawyer is such a sweet story. I loved both main characters, Grace and Theo, with Kim's style of writing you get to dig a little deeper into each of these characters thought and I love the connection I feel towards them because of it. I also loved Aunt Bess, her spunky attitude and wisdom made me wish she was my own aunt. Grace and the Preacher is a great story of grace, forgiveness, and calling. I suggest you add this to the top of your reading list, next to all of Kim's other books!

5 out of 5. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

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