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emily_grace567's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jeaninetaniece's review against another edition
4.0
Faith was the only way to make any sense of the pain. She clung to the unwavering belief that the good Lord had a plan so big and profound and beautiful that it could explain even the most exquisite pain. That his love could right any wrong. ~ Aggie
Agnes loves James and James loves Agnes. Growing up together, they knew they were meant to be together. When James decides it is time to be married her parents reveal a secret that shatters her whole world. Choosing to spare those she cares most of about a lifetime of pain, she leaves without a word to James. Aggie believes with all her heart this is best decision given the circumstances.
James promised Aggie he would always love her and marry her…and he keeps his promises. When Aggie leaves unexpectedly, she offers him no explanation, no excuse. He is hurt, lost, and confused; until one day Aggie’s mother tells him where to find her. Not long after, he sees an advertisement for a new doctor in the town of Penance, Aggie’s Penance. Knowing that this is fate, he accepts the position and heads
Can he uncover the truth about her leaving? Does she still love him? Will she let him keep his promises?
Rachel once again presents a moving story of love, loss, and choices. Her characters always endure hardship with the utmost integrity and faith. Every choice Aggie makes is entirely out of love. Love that is patient, kind, and selfless, but she also makes a choice for James, a choice he feels he has the right to make himself. There is lots of desperation and frustration between the two but there is also respect, hope, and faith. I have no doubt you will love this story as much as I did.
Agnes loves James and James loves Agnes. Growing up together, they knew they were meant to be together. When James decides it is time to be married her parents reveal a secret that shatters her whole world. Choosing to spare those she cares most of about a lifetime of pain, she leaves without a word to James. Aggie believes with all her heart this is best decision given the circumstances.
James promised Aggie he would always love her and marry her…and he keeps his promises. When Aggie leaves unexpectedly, she offers him no explanation, no excuse. He is hurt, lost, and confused; until one day Aggie’s mother tells him where to find her. Not long after, he sees an advertisement for a new doctor in the town of Penance, Aggie’s Penance. Knowing that this is fate, he accepts the position and heads
Can he uncover the truth about her leaving? Does she still love him? Will she let him keep his promises?
Rachel once again presents a moving story of love, loss, and choices. Her characters always endure hardship with the utmost integrity and faith. Every choice Aggie makes is entirely out of love. Love that is patient, kind, and selfless, but she also makes a choice for James, a choice he feels he has the right to make himself. There is lots of desperation and frustration between the two but there is also respect, hope, and faith. I have no doubt you will love this story as much as I did.
kriste's review against another edition
4.0
Really great author's acknowledgement at the end! Hoping the man left out has his own story <3
emmasbookdiary's review against another edition
medium-paced
5.0
The beauty of this book isn’t just the cover (isn’t it gorgeous?😍),it’s what it inside that’s most beautiful. It was my most anticipated book for this year and it didn’t disappoint!! I’m trying to decide how to write a review for this book without fangirling about it the entire time... because I just loved it!
Rachel Fordham has a way with words that instantly draws me into the story. That isn’t something I can say with a lot of books. Her stories are simple— stories about real people with real problems yet they always touch me so profoundly. I become so attached to her characters and they become so real to me, so real that I believe that they are. I feel their pain and their joy and I’m cheering them on the whole way through. I am there in the world she creates. I’m apart of it. I’m apart of the simple, country life that speaks home to my heart and I fall in love with the small towns she writes about. I become so invested in it that it’s really hard to put the book down.
Aggie was a character that I really connected with in different ways. No, I haven’t went through anything like she did but parts of her I definitely did relate to. She was such an amazing character. Her selflessness for those she loves was inspiring and I admired her for it. I felt and sympathized with her so deeply and I just wanted everything to work out for her. Her life threw her a curve that wasn’t easy but she persevered anyways. She didn’t give up but she kept moving forward. I was really inspired and touched by her character.
James.... James was wonderful. He’s loyal, he’s fun, he’s good-looking, he’s unselfish, he’s funny, he’s sweet. I just fell in love with him. It wasn’t just his loyalty to Aggie but also his unselfishness. He put others before himself. There were several times that I just sat back at how amazing he was, risking his own life and doing the hard things so other people could live. That being said, he is not perfect. That’s something I love about Rachel’s books. She doesn’t write characters that are perfect and have no flaws. She writes about people who are flawed and imperfect and have issues but they work against them, they work to be better people. That’s what makes them so relatable and feel so real! Real people do have flaws and issues. James had flaws and things he needed to work on but that makes him all the more lovable.
All of side characters captured my heart too— kindhearted Hannah, overbearing Minnie, adorable Freddie, and sweet Sam. Sam became one of my favorite characters. He’s so kind, unselfish, and understanding despite the hurt he went through. He could have been bitter but he wasn’t. I really felt for him and wanted the best for him. I still hope he gets his happy ending.
The story itself is beautiful and has a beautiful message. There were so many things to think over. What I take from it is that it doesn’t matter where someone comes from, it matters where they are going. Also talking through things with those you love is much better than running from it. But in the end, I just found a message of hope. God has ours lives planned out with purpose, all we have to do is trust Him.
I loved this book. I loved and appreciated how clean it was! I loved the wholesome, faith she weaves throughout. Everything about it captured my heart from page one and it was an absolute joy reading it!
I smiled, I laughed, I got excited, I teared up, I felt all the feels.
I so highly recommend this book, especially for anyone who is looking for a beautiful and clean historical fiction set in a small town with an inspiring message.
*I would like to thank Revell for sending me an ARC in exchange for a honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
2023 reread-
This is still such a sweet book and I enjoyed rereading it so much!💗
Rachel Fordham has a way with words that instantly draws me into the story. That isn’t something I can say with a lot of books. Her stories are simple— stories about real people with real problems yet they always touch me so profoundly. I become so attached to her characters and they become so real to me, so real that I believe that they are. I feel their pain and their joy and I’m cheering them on the whole way through. I am there in the world she creates. I’m apart of it. I’m apart of the simple, country life that speaks home to my heart and I fall in love with the small towns she writes about. I become so invested in it that it’s really hard to put the book down.
Aggie was a character that I really connected with in different ways. No, I haven’t went through anything like she did but parts of her I definitely did relate to. She was such an amazing character. Her selflessness for those she loves was inspiring and I admired her for it. I felt and sympathized with her so deeply and I just wanted everything to work out for her. Her life threw her a curve that wasn’t easy but she persevered anyways. She didn’t give up but she kept moving forward. I was really inspired and touched by her character.
James.... James was wonderful. He’s loyal, he’s fun, he’s good-looking, he’s unselfish, he’s funny, he’s sweet. I just fell in love with him. It wasn’t just his loyalty to Aggie but also his unselfishness. He put others before himself. There were several times that I just sat back at how amazing he was, risking his own life and doing the hard things so other people could live. That being said, he is not perfect. That’s something I love about Rachel’s books. She doesn’t write characters that are perfect and have no flaws. She writes about people who are flawed and imperfect and have issues but they work against them, they work to be better people. That’s what makes them so relatable and feel so real! Real people do have flaws and issues. James had flaws and things he needed to work on but that makes him all the more lovable.
All of side characters captured my heart too— kindhearted Hannah, overbearing Minnie, adorable Freddie, and sweet Sam. Sam became one of my favorite characters. He’s so kind, unselfish, and understanding despite the hurt he went through. He could have been bitter but he wasn’t. I really felt for him and wanted the best for him. I still hope he gets his happy ending.
The story itself is beautiful and has a beautiful message. There were so many things to think over. What I take from it is that it doesn’t matter where someone comes from, it matters where they are going. Also talking through things with those you love is much better than running from it. But in the end, I just found a message of hope. God has ours lives planned out with purpose, all we have to do is trust Him.
I loved this book. I loved and appreciated how clean it was! I loved the wholesome, faith she weaves throughout. Everything about it captured my heart from page one and it was an absolute joy reading it!
I smiled, I laughed, I got excited, I teared up, I felt all the feels.
I so highly recommend this book, especially for anyone who is looking for a beautiful and clean historical fiction set in a small town with an inspiring message.
*I would like to thank Revell for sending me an ARC in exchange for a honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
2023 reread-
This is still such a sweet book and I enjoyed rereading it so much!💗
talesandtreatswithtay's review against another edition
3.0
This is my first Rachel Fordham book and I think she writes really well. Although the love story itself wasn't my favorite, the rest of the story I truly enjoyed. She knows how to write side characters, right down to Aggie's pet cat.
I personally have a hard time with secrets in relationships so that may the source of my hang up with this book. Aggie leaves James for reasons that she feels are justified, in order to protect him. Even though I still think she should have been truthful from the beginning, I realize the entire story of moving away to the Dakotas and the consequent growth of her character would not have happened otherwise. I can forgive this first withholding of information but for the rest of the book after James arrived 6 years later, she kept blowing off his questions, giving him non-answers while simultaneously (what I felt to be) leading him on a bit, and also getting angry at him when he gets frustrated for her not giving answers. There was also another male character that I felt was a bit unjustly treated by Aggie (also being led on a bit). James really was the MVP for sticking with her through all of that.
I really loved Sam's character, he was such a good guy and I really want him to have a happy ending, which perhaps he will in another of her books?
Like I said, I enjoyed the book as a whole but some of the interactions of Aggie and James were a bit frustrating and repetitive. I do look forward to more of her books though-- I can see how a different type of love story by her could be very enjoyable for me.
Content: infant loss (past through a side character)
Christian faith rating: 1/3
I personally have a hard time with secrets in relationships so that may the source of my hang up with this book. Aggie leaves James for reasons that she feels are justified, in order to protect him. Even though I still think she should have been truthful from the beginning, I realize the entire story of moving away to the Dakotas and the consequent growth of her character would not have happened otherwise. I can forgive this first withholding of information but for the rest of the book after James arrived 6 years later, she kept blowing off his questions, giving him non-answers while simultaneously (what I felt to be) leading him on a bit, and also getting angry at him when he gets frustrated for her not giving answers. There was also another male character that I felt was a bit unjustly treated by Aggie (also being led on a bit). James really was the MVP for sticking with her through all of that.
I really loved Sam's character, he was such a good guy and I really want him to have a happy ending, which perhaps he will in another of her books?
Like I said, I enjoyed the book as a whole but some of the interactions of Aggie and James were a bit frustrating and repetitive. I do look forward to more of her books though-- I can see how a different type of love story by her could be very enjoyable for me.
Content: infant loss (past through a side character)
Christian faith rating: 1/3
gretchenlouise's review against another edition
3.0
A sweet tale of a spunky heroine who ran away from the big city and the life she had always known. The characters in this logging and mining community will grow on you!
(I originally received a review copy from NetGalley.)
(I originally received a review copy from NetGalley.)
leslie_books_and_socks_rock's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! And knowing the author, Rachel, as a person and that she’s so kind and encouraging doesn’t sway my opinion at all. She’s a talented author that beautifully blends in real characters, wisdom and a sweet romance.
hephzibah's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
scottishpixie26's review against another edition
4.0
A great story with awesome characters. This story has laughter and tears.
One thing I could have done without was Sam's POV. I think instead we could have had a bit more interaction between Aggie and James- a bit more of them rekindling their romance.
One thing I could have done without was Sam's POV. I think instead we could have had a bit more interaction between Aggie and James- a bit more of them rekindling their romance.
thenovelbook's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the fast pace of the story, but the angsty secret keeping is not my favorite plot.
Agnes Pratt has run from her past, a past where her dearest wish of marrying her best friend was about to come true. When she learns something about her own identity, she questions whether her fiance's family and the society they move in can ever accept her, and so she runs. She goes to Penance, a small town in the Dakota Territory, to be the schoolteacher. Years pass. She builds a life for herself.
Then James Harris shows up in town. He's the new doctor; he's also her former fiance. Agnes is determined to keep him at arm's length. He's determined to find out why she ran away. This tension ratchets up when Agnes makes a life-changing decision that will impact her career and make her life in Penance a bit more precarious. Throw in a raging epidemic and you've got a lot of dramatic elements to the story.
There's plenty to like here, but I did grow impatient with Agnes' blindness to the impact she was having on various people. However, if you're interested in a well-paced story about second chances with a interesting flavor of the old west, you'll probably enjoy this story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Revell for this advance review copy.
Agnes Pratt has run from her past, a past where her dearest wish of marrying her best friend was about to come true. When she learns something about her own identity, she questions whether her fiance's family and the society they move in can ever accept her, and so she runs. She goes to Penance, a small town in the Dakota Territory, to be the schoolteacher. Years pass. She builds a life for herself.
Then James Harris shows up in town. He's the new doctor; he's also her former fiance. Agnes is determined to keep him at arm's length. He's determined to find out why she ran away. This tension ratchets up when Agnes makes a life-changing decision that will impact her career and make her life in Penance a bit more precarious. Throw in a raging epidemic and you've got a lot of dramatic elements to the story.
There's plenty to like here, but I did grow impatient with Agnes' blindness to the impact she was having on various people. However, if you're interested in a well-paced story about second chances with a interesting flavor of the old west, you'll probably enjoy this story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Revell for this advance review copy.