My Review:
Clare Inglesby is heavily pregnant with her second child, on the trail with her husband and 4 year old son, to a new frontier. But when tragedy strikes, she finds herself widowed and her son taken from her by the Shawnees and adopted into their tribe. Clare must put her faith in God and a man called Jeremiah Ring, who feels that the Almighty brought him to Clare to help her.
Jeremiah was adopted by the Shawnee as well, and feels himself torn in two directions, walking the line between two worlds, as he tries to help Clare reclaim her son from the people who welcome him as one of their own, against the backdrop of rising tensions between the White Settlers and the Indians.
This book is completely engrossing, raw, vulnerable, and realistic. I love how it brought to life the harsh realities of the untamed frontier, as well as the communities and cultures that collided as the settlers ventured further into the southwest. Clare is willing to do anything to regain her son, she has gone through a lot in a short span of time, she knows that her faith isn't where it should be and she struggles to trust God even though she knows that she should. I liked the honesty in her character, she isn't perfect, but she is a mother who loves her child and is forced to accept many things that she cannot control, and trust the One Who Holds Tomorrow.
Jeremiah is a godly man, who knows when he comes across Clare that the Almighty brought them together even though he doesn't know why, he pledges to help her regain her son. He is a man who has seen a lot of things, and lived on both sides and inbetween, yet is a man of integrity, with a straightforward honesty about him, he is mysterious, yet steady.
Compelling, raw, heart rending, and captivating, this is a novel that you won't soon forget. I loved how Ms. Benton brought the harsh frontier to life through the eyes of multiple characters, building upon previous layers into an unforgettable journey. Highly recommend for fans of rich historical storytelling!
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Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would. . . .
In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.
When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son . . . especially when her second child is moments away from being born.
Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob's life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do-be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?
About the author:
Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. When she isn't writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring and photographing the Oregon wilderness with her husband. She is the author of "Burning Sky," recipient of three Christy Awards, "The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn," Christy-nominee "The Wood's Edge," and "A Flight of Arrows."
Find out more about Lori at http://loribenton.blogspot. com.
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