Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson

 

What are you reading this weekend?

Judith Stanford is surprised to learn that her estranged grandfather, James Ashton, wants her to travel to Minnesota to determine whether she should inherit his fortune.  She has never met the man, but he offers her a sum of money to travel that she can use to help Civil War widows and orphans.  She decides to use this money for her charities and make the trip.  She also hopes to cross paths with Dr. Roman Turner, a man she met years before who interested her as no man has done since her husband passed away.  The problem is that the only man that Roman hates is Judith’s grandfather as he ruined his father financially and caused his early death.  Can Judith and Roman work through these issues from the past?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a clean read, inspirational, and Christian novel.  I enjoyed that the characters prayed throughout the novel.

·       It was fun having Judith ride in a luxurious train from Philadelphia to Minneapolis in 1870.

·       It was interesting how Judith and her grandfather had very different philosophies in life.  Judith has a life of giving and helping others while her grandfather is consumed with making more money.  He reminded me of Ebenezer Scrooge.

·       I loved the sermon in a chapter of the novel that focused on the teachings of Jesus including his greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself and the parable of the good Samaritan.  I have tried to live my life following these teachings however imperfectly.  I think they are very important and something that needs to be emphasized in today’s world.

·       I loved how Judith stuck to her own self and values and did not bend to her grandfather’s will.  I also appreciated that she tried to help people harmed by her grandfather.

·       Chapters were told in alternating perspectives between Judith and Roman.

·       Roman has the same values as Judith and is always helping others.  I enjoyed their relationship.

·       This novel had a theme of forgiveness.

·       I greatly enjoyed the suspense at the end of the novel.

·       I would say the tropes are slow burn and second chance romance.

·       This is the first book in a new series, Minnesota Legacy.  I’m very interested to read the next book which is about Judith’s daughter.  There is an excerpt at the end of this book.

Overall, Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson was a great historical romance novel with a wonderful theme of faith and forgiveness.  I enjoyed the journey of the characters throughout this novel.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @authortraciepeterson @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for the review copy as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour.

A Moment to Love by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Which book would you love to live in?  I love historical fiction and while reading this book, I wanted to live in 19^th century Cheyenne.

Dr. Carrie Vogel is a driven and gifted young woman who is a doctor at age 24 in a time when there were not many women doctors.  She is engaged to another doctor, Oswald, 15 years her senior due to their mutual interest in medical research.  After he steals her research and calls it his own, Carrie decides she is going to break the engagement and leave Chicago to return to her hometown of Cheyenne. Her friend Spencer Duval travels with her. Spencer is a Pinkerton agent searching for the criminal who killed his father.  Carrie agrees to marry Spencer to provide him cover while on his mission.  Will they become more than friends?  Will Spencer be able to quench his desire for revenge?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel is a clean read and sweet romance.

·       I love the trope of marriage of convenience, and this was a good story in that trope.

·       I enjoyed the theme of forgiveness.

·       Maybe it was my love for Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman as a teen, but I loved that Carrie was a doctor and the medicine and science that was included in the story.

·       The Cheyenne setting was great, especially as juxtaposed with the Chicago setting at the start of the novel.

·       I liked getting to know Carrie’s family better when they moved back to Cheyenne.

·       The romance between Carrie and Spencer was wonderful.  I like how they both supported in each in their different endeavors.

·       This novel is the third in “The Hope of Cheyenne” series.  It can be read as a standalone, but it is also enjoyable as part of the series (I read the first book).

Overall, A Moment to Love by Tracie Peterson was an engaging sweet romance with unforgettable characters.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @authortraciepeterson @bethanyhousefiction @austenprose for a review copy of this novel as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. 

A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Hardcover or paperback – which do you prefer and why?  I prefer hardcover for books I’m going to keep forever as they stand the test of time.  I prefer paperback for being more affordable and lighter to hold and carry.  I have a mix of both in my library.

In Wyoming, the harsh winter of 1887 not only kills entire flocks of cattle, but beloved family members.  Charlotte is haunted that the last words she with her father were in anger.  He wanted her to marry wealthy lawyer, Lewis Bradley, but she has been in love with her neighbor, Micah, her entire life.  Will Charlotte and Micah be able to work through their grief and start life anew? 

My thoughts on this novel

·       Pioneer days and the winter of 1887 are very harsh.  It was a very compelling start to this novel.

·       I liked how Charlotte and her mother, Lucille, were running a ranch as two women on their own.  It was a struggle as they weren’t even allowed to attend meetings as women and also ranch hands did not listen to them.

·       Micah deeply struggles with his faith after his father’s suicide.  I liked how he and Lucille help each other work on their faith. This novel had deep elements of faith in it and learning to forgive, and not judge others.  I really liked this part of the novel.

·       The trope in this novel is friends to lovers.

·       The characters were interesting and well developed.

·       This is the first book in the new “The Hope of Cheyenne” series.

·       The bad guy in this novel was someone that the reader will really love to hate.  Lewis Bradley wants to marry Charlotte no matter if she wants to or not.  It’s not out of love of Charlotte, but out of love for money.  I have a feeling he may be back again later in the series.

Overall, A Constant Love by Tracie Peterson is a gripping novel with captivating characters and a fascinating storyline.  I especially liked the faith elements and the realities of living in 19^th century Wyoming.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishers as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

Heartache has left them emotionally desolate, but traces of love and healing could forge a future.

In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father's dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.

Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother's help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte must embark on a journey of healing and renewal to build a life founded on faith, hope, and love.

A Constant Love is a clean, frontier-era historical romance of heartache, grief, Christian faith, and second chances in the newly developing American West.

AUTHOR BIO

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at TraciePeterson.com.

A Truth Revealed by Tracie Peterson (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite fall food?  I really love butternut squash.

Laura Evans has grown up attending schools after her mother’s tragic death.  Now a young woman, she reunites with her father, Granite Evans, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  She hopes that she will be able to develop a relationship with her father.  Laura meets and is drawn to Wilson (Will) Porter.  Will has traveled west to be a pastor to the Shoshone tribe, but after a tragedy, he is not sure about his faith and whether he should continue his ministry.  What caused the tragedy?  What secrets does Granite Evans keep?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       The plot of this novel was intriguing and kept me reading too far into the night.  There were a few mysteries and storylines that I really wanted to see resolved.

·       I really enjoyed the western setting, and that Granite Evans owned a store.  I loved all the descriptions of the store.

·       A Truth Revealed is a very Christian novel, which I liked.  Laura is very faithful and attends church.  She is working on bringing her father, who no longer believes after the death of her mother, back to church.

·       Will’s mother and sister are murdered on their way to live with him by what appears to be an Indian attack.  This shakes Will’s faith.  Will he be able to regain his faith and move on with his life?

·       The secondary characters that attend church with Laura or work at her father’s home are also interesting and complete the Cheyenne community.

·       I enjoyed the sweet romance between Laura and Will.

·       This was a clean read.

·       This was the third novel in The Heart of Cheyenne series.  These novels all took place in Cheyenne.  I have not read the first two novels, but I had no problems with reading this novel as a standalone.  I do want to go back and read the first two novels.

·       The story takes place not too long after the Civil War.  Will Porter is a veteran.

Overall, A Truth Revealed by Tracie Peterson is an intriguing Christian historical romance set in the old West that deals with the themes of forgiveness and returning to your faith.  This was a great read.

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House Publishing as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

In the midst of darkness, only faith and love can illuminate their path forward.

Laura Evans, a spirited young woman with a deep-rooted faith in God, returns home from college to her father--unaware of his dark secrets. Determined to live by her faith while respecting her father's contrasting views, Laura's world shifts when she crosses paths with a devoted preacher.

Wilson Porter is driven by a calling to work with the Shoshone people but faces constant delays from government officials. Then tragedy strikes, shaking his faith and causing him to question everything he once believed. As Will and Laura's tentative friendship grows into something more, they are ensnared in a web of dark secrets and injustices. Together, they're confronted with a daunting question: Will their shattered lives leave them with an uncertain path forward--or can love withstand it all?

AUTHOR BIO

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than one hundred novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than six million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at TraciePeterson.com.