The Widow's Secret

Sara Mitchell
Inspirational Historical Romance
Steeple Hill Books – 2009

Christian romance novels used to be part naïveté, part wooden characters, and lots of hokum, all well seasoned with Preachy Parts and King James prayers. No longer. The “Love Inspired” imprint is changing all that.

Thank God!

Sara Mitchell brings to “The Widow’s Secret” brisk storytelling, suspense, believable situations, and yes, you guessed it, a tall, dark, and well-built hero and a woman who just doesn’t need men.
Her secret?

That’s for you to find out, Dear Reader, but the evidence planted in her purse will take her on the wildest ride the 1890s could serve up, centered on a national underworld plot, dark family mysteries, and counterfeit currency.

However, Mitchell’s story, while fiction, is far from counterfeit with fascinating characters and page-turning high adventure.

Jocelyn Tremayne and Micah MacKenzie have a very slow moving romance. She has no desire to be attached to a man. Her prior experience has caused her to not trust men. Micah has also had prior heart-breaking experience when his first wife died in child-birth and lost the baby too. It still hurt and he feared trying again. Therefore, neither of them wanted to rush into anything. We process pain in several ways. Losing trust is a common response and one we don’t let go of easily.

Jocelyn had lost her faith in God because of her first marriage and the experience she’d had. Micah’s faith was in tact, yet he had more questions since losing his wife and baby.
I had some shaky moments during the suspense of tracking down the underworld characters and building a case against them. Of course, I admit that it doesn’t take much to scare me. I made it, but stayed awake to get through that part.

I’m glad I pushed through the suspense. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this very moving book. It was well worth the nerves!

Sara Mitchell has been a highly acclaimed author for quite some time. She lives in Virginia with her husband, a retired Air Force officer. They have two grown daughters. Sara has traveled extensively and that has given her books solid settings. I look forward to more books from Sara Mitchell!