A bittersweet read... Loving Leah by Lynne Larson (Blog Tour Review & Giveaway)


Welcome to my stop for Lynne Larson's newest! Check out what I thought below...

Loving LeahLoving Leah
by Lynne Larson
LDS Historical
Paperback & ebook, 208 Pages
April 1st 2016 by Covenant Communications

Summary

“Promise me, Ethan, no matter what, you must stay here! You can’t make a sound! Promise me you won’t!”

Caught in the middle of a massacre in Lawrence, Kansas, during the Civil War, Leah Donaldson, a twenty-year-old Mormon governess, must risk everything to save two children in her care—and she lives to pay dearly for the decision. Young Ethan Pace loves Leah and can hardly stay still as she is taken away by the enemy for refusing to reveal where he and his sister are hiding.

Five years later, Ethan desperately searches for her, trying to reconcile all that has happened and grappling with his feelings for her. Still idealizing Leah, he hopes she has survived and that he can help her get to Zion and her people. But after everything she’s been through since they last met, will Leah overcome her regrets and allow love into her life? Will she come to see Ethan as the caring man he has become rather than the lovesick boy she once knew?

   
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My Review

LOVING LEAH was full of nostalgia as the story of a family and their Mormon governess who lived in Lawrence, Kansas during the Civil War is recounted. It was a bittersweet story during this tragic historical time, but one of faith, trust, family, friendship, and community. A perfect read for those who enjoy historical LDS fiction.

The beginning of this book was a little slow for me. This is where the characters' story and background was built, where the reader begins to connect with them as they go through their lives during happier times. The story then picks up when Lawrence comes under attack and continues to drive forward in the aftermath as Ethan searches for Leah and the journey he undertakes. There is almost a clear line of before and after the attack, before being lighter and the after being more emotional and there being a depth that wasn't present in the story before. The violence and circumstances were so sad and truly heart-wrenching. The story includes themes on forgiveness, faith, and friendship. Overall, a sweet, sad, but beautiful story.

Content: Some violence, innuendo, adult subject matter, but clean.

Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way.

About the Author

Lynne Larson is an award-winning teacher and writer with a special interest in western history, particularly as It relates to women. Several of her stories, essays, and articles have appeared in regional magazines, as well as in Latter-day Saint publications.

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