I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Series: The Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy #1
Published by Crown Publishing Group, Doubleday Religious Publishing Group on October 7th 2014
Source: BookLook Bloggers
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 352
She left her Old Order Mennonite commuinty, heavily weighted with secrets. But God reveals all things, in His time. And He redeems them. Suzanne Zimmerman was only seventeen and pregnant when her shamed mother quietly sent her away from their Old Order Mennonite community in Kansas. With her old home, family, and first love firmly behind her, Suzanne moved to Indiana, became a nurse, and raised a daughter, Alexa, on her own. Now, nearly twenty years later, an unexpected letter arrives from Kansas. Her brother asks her to bring her nursing abilities home and care for their ailing mother. His request requires that Suzanne face a family that may not have forgiven her and a strict faith community. It also means seeing Paul Aldrich, her first love, again. Paul, widowed with an eight-year-old son, is relieved to see Suzanne again, giving him the chance to beg her forgiveness for his past indiscretion. But when he meets Alexa, his guilt flickers in the glare of Suzanne’s prolonged secret—one that changes everything. Suzanne had let go of any expectation for forgiveness long ago. Does she dare hope for mercy–and how will her uncovered past affect the people she loves the most?
First off, I want to say that this book cover is gorgeous! I love it so much! The colors are inviting and it just pulled me right in and made me want to read the book. I’m SO glad that this cover caught my attention because it’s one of the best books that I’ve read in a long while! I was happily reading along when all of a sudden I was thrown for a complete loop. I thought I had the whole thing figured out and then was blindsided when things turned out differently than I thought. I’m very rarely surprised by books so this was very pleasant for me. I cannot wait to read the next installment!
Note: I let my thirteen year old read this but not all parents will feel comfortable with topics involving teen pregnancy/unwed mother. Teen pregnancy is not glorified in any way, in fact, you see the shame that this young girl felt and the embarrassment. As always, I suggest that you use your own discretion in regards to this matter.
Suzanne left home at seventeen years old—pregnant and alone. The plan was for her to go away, give birth and then return home to her family. That was twenty years ago. Without the support of her family, Suzanne has raised her daughter on her own.
With no real communication from her family, Suzanne is surprised at sudden correspondence from her brother. After all of this time apart it seems the family needs Suzanne, now a registered nurse, to come home and care for her ailing mother.
Suzanne isn’t keen on the idea of returning to her home. The family, her younger brother and sisters, are not aware of the shame that was brought upon the family. They are not aware that Suzanne has Alexa—nor are they aware of the deeper secrets that she has hidden.
Returning home also means coming face to face with her first true love—Paul. Paul is now a widower with a young son. Not only does seeing him stir up old feelings that she had; it also means having to come clean about the secret she has long kept hidden.
This is a powerful story about the love of a mother and the healing that is found in forgiveness and acceptance.
About Kim Vogel Sawyer
Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women’s fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren. She invites you to visit her Web site at www.kimvogelsawyer.com for more information.”
We love hearing from you! Share your comments below