TITLE:  Silent Shadows (Harbored Secrets #3)
AUTHOR:  Natalie Walters
DATE:  2020
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: *****

Pecca Gallegos moved to the tiny town of Walton, Georgia, to protect her son and escape the dangerous lifestyle that once defined her. When a series of strange circumstances evolve into threats, Pecca finds herself confiding in an unlikely ally--her stubborn patient.

Army veteran Colton Crawford is desperate to recover from the undiagnosed disorder that is ruining his life, and his instincts are on high alert when threats against his nurse and her son force him to take action. But Colton's involvement only ramps up the danger when he uncovers a family secret revealing that whoever is after Pecca is closer--and more deadly--than they realized.

Silent Shadows begins with a bittersweet moment, hits hard, slows just long enough to introduce the wonderful residents of Walton Georgia, including hero Colton, and quickly increases tension. The tempo and plot of this romantic suspense works well, but what really makes this story memorable for me are the people of Walton, especially those rascally old veterans from the Mansion, also known as Home for Heroes.

Pecca is a capable and caring nurse and a protective mother to Maceo, the joy of her life and the imp who brings light and joy to the story. Pecca and her new patient, Colton, meet under less-than-ideal circumstances, and neither is certain whether the sparks flying are from anger or something else.

I thoroughly enjoyed the growing romance between Colton and Pecca and appreciated his efforts to protect her and Maceo. The puzzling threats against them kept the pages turning, and at times, made my heart race.
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Silent Shadows is a great story filled with memorable characters and a moving faith element. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and award it five stars. Recommended. 

TITLE:  Whispers From Yesterday
AUTHOR:  Robin Lee Hatcher
DATE:  2016
PUBLISHER: RobinSong Inc.
STARS: *****

Following her father's death and her own attempted suicide, pampered socialite Karen Butler reluctantly seeks refuge at the home of Sophia Taylor, the grandmother she has never known. Determined to escape Sophia's broken-down ranch as soon as she can, Karen resists connecting with its inhabitants - especially Dusty Stoddard, the driven director of the Golden T's summer camp for at-risk youth. Karen is not the only one who has been wounded; Sophia, Dusty, and the boys have all suffered tremendous pain and loss. But by the time Karen discovers this, it is too late to escape; they have become a part of her healing and she a part of theirs. For through their kindness and acceptance, along with the diaries of a remarkable women who died twenty-eight years before she was born, Karen will discover hidden secrets and amazing truths that could lead her to the greatest love of all.

Whispers From Yesterday will draw you in, bring you to tears, and open your heart. This award-winning novel weaves threads from three generations and two countries into a beautiful tapestry. Old wounds, deep regrets, and thwarted dreams could unravel the design, but Sophia knows from experience that God can heal every broken heart. So she keeps praying, watching, and listening, while wishing she’d learned those lessons a generation earlier.

The diary entries by Sophia’s sister Esther not only reveal Sophia’s old heartbreak, they awakened an awareness in me that our current society bears a troubling resemblance to pre-war Europe. Our invading enemy is a virus, where theirs was a human army, but both symbolize danger and a real need for a true faith in a true God.
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Whispers From Yesterday touched my heart and soul, spurring me on to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ. I award it five stars and highly recommend this book.
 
 

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TITLE:  More Than We Remember
AUTHOR:  Christina Suzann Nelson
DATE:  2020
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: *****

One night changes everything for three women. . . .

When Addison Killbourn's husband is involved in a car accident that leaves a woman dead, her perfectly constructed life crumbles apart. With her husband's memory of that night gone and the revelation of a potentially life-altering secret, Addison has to re-evaluate all she thought she knew.

Emilia Cruz is a deputy bearing a heavy burden far beyond the weight of her job. Her husband is no longer the man she married, and Emilia's determined to prevent others from facing the same hardship. When she's called to the scene of an accident pointing to everything she's fighting against, she's determined to see justice for those wronged.

Brianne Demanno is hiding from reality. She was thriving as a counselor, but when tragedy struck a beloved client, she lost faith in herself and her purpose. When her neighbors, the Killbourns, are thrown into crisis, Brianne's solitary life is disrupted and she finds herself needed in a way she hasn't been in a while.

As the lives of these women intersect, they can no longer dwell in the memory of who they've been. Can they rise from the wreck of the worst moments of their lives to become who they were meant to be? 

Three women, three hidden heartaches, and one terrible accident brings them together in ways none had imagined. As the story unfolded, I was drawn into the homes and lives of each one. Their struggles became mine, because of the descriptive power and fine-point writing of the author.

Addison has no reason to trust Emilia. Emilia has no reason to want to help Addison, and Brianne doesn’t trust herself to help anyone. As their lives become braided together, this powerful story unveils the absolute need for faith, honesty, and forgiveness. Little Lilly adds touches of humor, and I quickly fell in love with her.
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Powerful story-telling, multidimensional characters, and page-turning tension make More Than We Remember worthy of its five-star rating. Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

TITLE:  The Other Side of the River (In Search of Freedom #1)
AUTHOR:  Janice L. Dick
DATE:  2016
PUBLISHER: Tansy & Thistle Press
STARS: *****

Against the backdrop of a Russian nation in transition from Tsarist autocracy to communism, the Mennonite people who are settled in villages and colonies in western Siberia hope to remain unnoticed. The Siberian Mennonites wish for nothing more than relative freedom to live out their faith in peace, even if food is scarce.

Luise Letkemann yearns for freedom, security, and marriage to her lifelong love, Daniel Martens. She has heard of the war, famine and disease that have befallen her people in South Russia during the revolutions, wars and famines. She is also aware of the mass emigration of thousands of Mennonites from South Russia, now known as Ukraine, to the Americas. But until recently, her people have lived without significant governmental intrusion in Siberia.

The older I get, the more I appreciate history, and while The Other Side of the River is fiction, it is based on fact. Facts that drew and repulsed me, inspired and horrified. Because the story behind this story actually happened, the struggles of Luise and her beloved Daniel broke my heart even as their faith and love inspired mine. Author Janice Dick’s descriptions put me right into each scene. I felt the cold, saw the forests and plains and experienced the fear.
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My husband’s background is Mennonite, and we recently learned that some came from Russia, making this tale very personal. Well-written and haunting in its realism, The Other Side of the River earns five stars. Highly recommended.