Faithful Heart

This book and all the books in this series are wonderful. I did not want to put it down to the end. This book as well as the rest have touched my heart and help strengthen my faith in God. Everyone that want to read a good clean book this is it. It is a wonderful adventure to have.

I have read books by Al Lacy before. I have also read a couple of books with the main characters of this book. The books are in another series called the Stranger series. This book has a helpful Prologue, so if you haven't read any books in that series, or Book One of this series, it catches you up to speed. This book is very action packed. I did find parts of this book a tad violet. The violence was part of a story line, not just violence thrown in for the sake of having violence. One of the characters is a Civil War veteran, who is suffering from shell shock. I did like this book, in spite of the violence, and will be looking for Book One in this series, as well as additional books in the series. This book was provided by WaterBrook Multnomah for me to review.

To be honest, this book had me at the prologue. After reading that, I was so sad that I had missed the other series that dealt with these characters. The love story between Breanna and John is very sweet. I was intrigued with the inward struggles that Jerrod seemed to have with himself, and really felt for Dottie as she tried to deal with him. As I began to read, I got that little tingle inside that I actually haven't felt in a while when I know I'm reading something I won't be able to put down, and this book did not disappoint! Another great historical fiction piece. The themes in this book are difficult to deal with.....war, post-traumatic stress disorder, child abuse, spousal abuse.......be prepared to deal with your own emotions about these issues.

mythoughts This is the first book that I have read from Al Lacey. I will be reading others. Faithful Heart takes us into the 2nd book of the Angel of Mercy series. Now, generally when you are reading a 2nd or third book in a series...you sometimes feel a bit lost. You may not be familiar with the characters or the situations that they have encountered in the past. It's almost like coming to party and not knowing the guest of honor. Because of this reservation I was sincerely thrilled when Al Lacey took the time to present the reader with a prologue to this book. By taking this simple step I was instantly at ease with reading the second book in the series. I was comfortable in my knowledge of the characters and their history as I began my journey. Mr. Lacey also took the time to add a foreword explaining the history of nursing. Faithful Heart was a refreshing, entertaining book to read. With wonderful strong women like Dottie and her sister, Breanna, who clearly showed a love and devotion to their family, friends and most of all the Lord... Faithful Heart was a pleasure to read. The story line starts with the relationship between Breanna Baylor and the "mysterious stranger"...John Stranger. Their relationship is one blessed and guided by the Lord yet they haven't quite made the "official" jump into marriage. They are waiting on the perfect timing and will of God. John Stranger is a cross between an Angel, John Wayne, Rocky Balboa and Cary Grant. He is portrayed as wise, strong, daring, faithful, dedicated to the Lord and very mysterious. But all Breanna needs to know is that he loves the Lord and he loves her. I enjoyed reading their interactions but at times felt that John's words to Breanna were just a tad too syrupy...but then that also added to the allure of John "Stranger". Toward the end I wondered if he was truly human or angelic? Breana is a 21st century women in the middle of the Frontier days. She is a dedicated nurse, beloved sister, faithful friend and true follower of Christ. Her bravery and sincerity play through in everything Breanna says and does...especially in her interactions with her sister, Dottie. The second half of the story extends to Dottie. Her experiences with her husband Jerrod and their family. Jerrod is a good man but suffers from shock and stress from his time in active duty in the Civil War. Al Lacey eloquently describes the dementia that Jerrod is plaqued by. His terrible and hateful outbursts are destructive to his life and family. Your heart bleeds for Jerrod and Dottie. Overall the story line was interesting and captivating. At the end of the book...I was wishing for more of the story. I wanted to learn more about Breanna, Dottie and John Stranger. As a women I wanted to learn more of the love lives of these two women and about the mysterious, John Stranger. Who is he really? But as a Christian...I as inspired by their faith, their resilience and their dedication and knowledge of the word of God.

This was a good book, but I had a hard time getting into it at first. Being the second in the series, I feel like I missed so much as it starts where the first book left off but thankfully the Lacy's caught me up in the first pages. I love historical fiction books and enjoyed that it took part after Civil War. Some may think that the shell-shock was unbelievable, but for me it was believable as I know some that have suffered from PTSD. It is a disorder and can take a person to the extreme, if not treated. God can heal, but only if in His will and timing. I'm thankful that the author decided to have a wife that stood by her husband no matter what even in the midst of this debilitating disorder. I'm thankful that you can see God working through their lives throughout the book. I look forward to going back and reading the first and the remainder of the series. This book was provided for review by Waterbrook Multnomah.