Reviewing: Sustaining Faith (When Hope Calls Book #2) by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan

...from the publisher... 

Sustaining Faith (When Hope Calls Book 2)

 So much has been accomplished. Lillian Walsh has stepped out courageously beyond what she'd ever dreamed of being able to achieve. She and her newly rediscovered sister, Grace, have settled three children from England into new Canadian homes and are prepared to place two more just after the New Year, when it happens--another painful disruption. 

A white lie the sisters used to protect some orphans has resulted in an official complaint and a letter revoking the sisters' permission to manage their little children's home. And unexpectedly, Walter, the young man who has won Lillian's heart, departs for a job in the oil industry without leaving any hope for their future, making her confused and lonely.

With more children on their way from England needing caring homes, Lillian and Grace must use every ounce of gumption to keep their mission alive. But when startling information about the past surfaces and a new arrival comes via suspicious circumstances, they'll have to decide what is worth fighting for and what is better left in God's hands. 

...my thoughts...

I enjoyed Sustaining Faith.  It hooked me immediately and as an avid reader, that is always a delight.  Lilian and Grace once again champion the children who have been left behind.  Both of these women are relentless in their pursuit of providing the best for the children in their care and one small mistake has led to quite a challenge for the newly reunited sisters to overcome.  

Handsome, dashing Quinley Sinclair from the society pulls out all the charm and affability one man can maintain as he sweeps in as their hope in regaining support from the society for Brayton House. In contrast to faithful Walter, Quinley's appearance overshadows the selfless actions Walter has time and again on their behalf.  One has to wonder which young man really has the best interest of the children at heart.  

It is the true faithfulness of Grace and Lillian that will prove see them through the difficult times in this story.  Along the way, the reader learns the value of this sustaining faith for a positive outcome to occur.

I truly enjoyed this book and would love to see a third book written in this series.  It has been adapted to a television series and while I enjoyed an episode or two, television just cannot compete with the books.

Reviewing: Unyielding Hope by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan

...from the publisher...
As a young girl, Lillian Walsh lost both her parents and a younger sister. Now in her twenties, after enduring the death of her adoptive mother, Lillian must find her place in the world. Just as her adoptive father is leaving for an extended trip to his native Wales, a lawyer appears at the door to inform Lillian that she has inherited a small estate from her birth parents--and that the sister she had long believed dead is likely alive.
When she discovers that her sister, Grace, is living in a city not far away, Lillian rushes to a reunion, fearful that the years of separation will make it hard to reconnect.

When the two sisters meet, Grace is not at all what Lillian expected to find. Though her circumstances have been difficult, Grace has big dreams. Can Lillian set aside her own plans to join her sister in an adventure that will surely change them both?


...my thoughts...
Unyielding Hope is one of those stories that not just warms the heart but enters your thoughts about a time when the good intentions of some had unintended consequences. And sometimes, those consequences turn out just the way they should.  Two young sisters lost their parents to consumption.  Lillian was told her younger sister Grace also died of the disease that we know of today as tuberculosis.  Little did she know, Grace survived.

Grace and Lillian, through God's grace, found each other again in His own time.  To find each other after so many years and build a life together was amazing.  Each had her own story, with Grace never finding a forever home through adoption and Lillian, a young woman who was afforded many opportunities is a very loving home.  Grace, who grew up with so little was so open to possibilities while Lillian, was a little more reticent.  Yet, she brought Grace and all of the orphan children in her care back to live in the family home in Brookfield.

I have enjoyed reading Janette Oke's stories over the years and they leave me with something to think on when the story is long gone.  Unyielding Hope, written with her granddaughter Laurel Oke Logan, is a good lesson in putting things into perspective. It isn't what we have been given but what we do with what we have that matters most.  Giving love when it is needed most to those who need it is far better than all the riches of the world.  I heartily recommend this book for the hope it brings and the laughter the children provide in the midst of two sisters reconnecting.  

Sunday Review: Where Hope Prevails

If you follow Janette Oke you are no stranger to wonderful stories that capture our hearts and beg to be read again and again. Where Hope Prevails is just such a story.  Fans of the Hallmark series When Calls the Heart will delight in this companion tale of Elizabeth Thacker and her dashing Mountie Jack Thornton.  Where Hope Prevails, book 3 in Return to The Canadian West is a collaboration with Lauren Oke Logan.

Our story begins as Elizabeth returns to her beloved Coal Valley  to find some unsettling changes. While she was visiting her family over the summer, many new families have settled in Coal Valley causing is a housing shortage. Her room at Miss Molly's has been rented to someone else. She will be living alone for the first time in her life in a small apartment.

More families meant more students. As she pondered how to teach so many extra pupils she discovered that an additional teacher was hired. Not just any teacher but Mr. Robert Harris Hughes. A man with two last names whose beliefs are vastly different than Beth's with teaching style including a modern philosophical method delivered in a superior manner.  She is determined that his modern philosophical ideas will not suit her Coal Valley students.  Hang onto your seats as sparks fly with pure entertainment between Elizabeth and Mr. Harris Hughes.

Adding all these new things to the mix, she is still waiting for Jack (Jarrick) to propose.  He is notably absent in Coal Valley as his work takes him along to other small towns in the area.  It is just one more adjustment to make.  All in all she has not had the desired return she longed for when she got off the train in her beloved Coal Valley.

This is a story about change and how one young woman faces all the new and very uncertain things in her life. As she faces each change she is reminded of her hopes, dreams and her faith. In true Janette Oke fashion, we are given some life lessons.  Elizabeth learns that she can't control everything in her life. She would like to have everything in its place. People don't always embrace life the same way we would like them to. All in all, there is good in everyone, even those with whom we disagree. How much better it is when we learn to discern their good qualities and give loyalty where it is deserved. If you read just one of the books in this series, I recommend that you chose Where Hope Prevails.  Elizabeth Thacker is a wonderful heroine and in this book particularly she grows in wisdom and faith.  Four s

Reviewing Where Trust Lies

Where Trust Lies, by Janette Oke and her daughter Larel Oke Logan is a wonderful book for those who love following Elizabeth Thatcher of When Calls the Heart. Some of my first experiences with Christian fiction were reading Mrs. Oke's novels. She has a way of hooking us in with her characters who seem to come alive with the pages of her books.

Where Trust Lies gives us a closer look at the Thatcher family. Fresh off the train from Coal Valley, she is informed of a leisurely cruise she will be taking with her mother and sisters Julie and Margaret. With her heart full of Jarrick (Jack) Thornton, the dashing Mountie from Coal Valley, she would be content to stay home and relax instead of rushing off for more travel.

Once aboard the cruise ship and headed for the St. Lawrence River and beyond to the states, she discovers there is a lot more to her family than she could ever realize being tucked at safely at home.

Julie, her vivacious younger sister is intent in spending time with her new American friends. Their exciting ways entice Julie to want to spend time away from her family and be more like them. Beth is concerned but cautious with her sister and tries to keep a watchful eye.

Elizabeth, with her mind recounting her time spent with Jarrick in Coal Valley discovers his true feelings for her only when he leaves her at the train depot with a box of long stemmed roses. Along her journey, she takes a petal each day and wraps it in her handkerchief to keep him close to her.  She longs to receive the letter asking her to return to Coal Valley and be closer to him.

Chance brings her family heartbreaking events that nearly rocks her faith. Each member of her family is tested while the story reveals a resilience that only faith can restore. As I read the story I was reminded once again how much I like Janette Oke's writing.  It is heartwarming to me that she collaborated on this story with her daughter Laurel.  The bond of mother and daughter is strong in this book and only such a strong bond could have made such a successful collaboration.

Thank you Bethany House for the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest opinion.