PAULA'S REVIEW:
I absolutely loved this book. I identified with modern character Ashley and her love of old houses and their preservation. I grew up in a house on the National Register and my mother was an antique dealer. This story spoke to my heart. It is so much more than the renovation of an historic mansion, it is the story of how God can renovate a hurting heart. It handles tough subjects that are common to every era.
This story was so well-crafted and very emotional. The characters were realistic and had depth. The two timelines were tethered by a 1870s mansion in Michigan owned by a lumber baron and the mysterious disappearance of his wife. The author showed that grief, hardships, and difficult decisions are part of the human condition and transcend time. But so are answers to age old questions. Christ has gone before us so that He is our strength in all types of situations. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
This will easily be one of my top reads for the year and not a story I will soon forget.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale on behalf of the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*Beyond 5 stars and a solid faith thread
BackCover Blurb:
When the young wife of a powerful lumber baron vanishes into the wilds of frontier Michigan, her friend is left to unravel the truth in this captivating dual-timeline novel from bestselling author Lynn Austin.
1873. After a devastating loss, Hannah Wagner never imagined she’d leave her comfortable home for the harsh, unfamiliar wilderness near Lake Michigan. But when Henry Abernathy―a friend of her husband, John―offers them a fresh start in a booming lumber town, where John’s skills as a doctor are sorely needed, Hannah reluctantly agrees. There, she meets Kate, Henry’s spirited, much younger wife. Kate’s sharp tongue and outsider status have made her unwelcome among the town’s elite, and when she begins confiding in Hannah, it’s clear her marriage is not what it seems . . . and that a secret from her past could destroy everything.
Present day. Ashley Gilbert never planned to settle in Michigan, but when her husband lands his dream job as a conservationist, she agrees to follow. While restoring their historic home―built in the 19th century for a doctor and his wife―Ashley becomes captivated by its past and its connection to the nearby Abernathy mansion, now being transformed into a museum. While volunteering with the restoration, she stumbles upon the unsolved mystery of Kate Abernathy’s disappearance.
What begins as curiosity soon becomes a quest for the truth―one that will connect her to two women whose stories and struggles echo and inspire her own.Standalone historical fiction about marriage, grief, and the power of female friendships from the author of All My Secrets and Long Way Home
-A richly layered Christian women’s fiction novel with elements of mystery, perfect for fans of Martha Hall Kelly, Kristy Cambron, and Susan Meissner
-Includes discussion questions for book clubs
No comments:
Post a Comment