Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

tyndale house publishers

Finding the source of true strength: Review of Freedom’s Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli

This week is a significant one for patriotism and remembering, and though I didn’t plan to review this book this week for that reason, I’m glad it worked out that way. Freedom’s Ring by Heidi Chiavorelli weaves two momentous times in the life of Boston, Massachusetts: the Boston Massacre and the Boston Marathon Bombing.

There was so much for me to love about this book: the back-and-forth between time periods, the Boston setting, the theme of finding the true source of strength in difficult circumstances. The middle of the book had me turning page after page and because I visited Boston for the first time this year, the setting was easy to imagine.

(Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher. Review reflects my own opinion.)

If I have complaints it’s the beginning and end, and they are probably just personal preferences.

Overall, I enjoyed the historical thread following Liberty Caldwell through the events leading up to the American Revolution and the contemporary thread following Annie David through the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing. The trials and lessons both women face are tied together well, and it was fun to discover the events that connect them.

A strong debut offering from an author I will continue to follow.

A soul-satisfying read: Review of Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh

Sometimes I’m afraid that if I keep reading books by the same author, I’m going to stumble onto one I don’t care for. So far, so good with Courtney Walsh, and her newest release, Just Look Up, is a soul-satisfying read.

Featuring two characters with childhood baggage, Just Look Up illustrates how isolating the pain of rejection can be and how persistent love can lead to healing. Lane and Ryan are likable and adorable childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in a while. A family emergency brings them back in contact, and their emotional wounds threaten to keep them apart.

It’s page-turning and far from predictable. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher. Opinion reflected in this review is my honest one.) Courtney is one of my favorite writers because she includes the right amount of detail: enough to paint a picture but not too much to stall the story. Her settings feel like real places and the situations her characters face are never easy and always relatable.

Any book by Courtney should be on your to-read list. Add this one to your summer reading plans this year. It’ll make you squirm a little, crave belonging, and sigh with satisfaction.

You can find out more about Courtney’s books, sign up for her newsletter (I hear there are some freebies coming for subscribers!), and read the first chapter of Just Look Up on her website. It’s available now, so no need to wait!