Book description:
A brighter future awaits--if she can escape the shadows of the past
Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the handsome new schoolteacher, Craig Ferguson, and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.
Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death--and to aid Craig, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. As they work to uncover the truth, they just may find the key to unlock a future neither could have imagined.
My review:
I tend to try new authors now more than I used to. This book was the second book I have read by this author, having read and reviewed a Christmas novella of hers eleven years ago. I had the opportunity to review this book, and decided to go for it.
A good sign you like a book, is if you immediately look up their other books after you finish it.....and that is exactly what I did.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was just so good. It had a great plot. I liked the setting, and I definitely liked the characters, main and otherwise. Craig and Emily made a great hero and heroine, Noah was a delightful and amusing character.....and even Beulah was a great addition to the cast.
The book had a lot: There was some suspense, as Emily was determined to prove her father did not kill himself. There was prejudice against Beulah, and against Craig allowing a Down Syndrome kid in his school, and against Emily for allowing her in her house. There was of course romance, and a lot of lessons for the people of the town to learn. Not that many of them seemed willing to change their opinions. Emily and Craig had their own issues to overcome, and a past that influenced how they acted and reacted.
Often as I read a book, I keep hoping for the climax of the story, and am impatiently urging the characters along. While reading this book, I got into it so much that I just enjoyed the flow of the book, hoping for the best for the main characters.
This is the first book in The Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing. I am definitely looking forward to reading the other two books when they come out, and have already ordered a few books by this author on eBay. I definitely recommend this one.
I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.
About the author:
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of After the Shadows, as well as several historical and contemporary romance series, including Mesquite Springs, Cimarron Creek Trilogy, Texas Crossroads, Texas Dreams, and Westward Winds. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers' Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more at www.amandacabot.com.
After the Shadows is available from Revell Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.
Thanks to Revell for the review copy.
Coming October 2023, #2 in the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing Series: Against The Wind
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