My Review of Within My Heart

Here's a description of the book from Bethany House:

"Sometimes the greatest step of faith is taken neck-deep in fear.

Determined to fulfill her late husband's dream, Rachel Boyd struggles to keep her ranch afloat with the help of her two young sons. But some days it feels as though her every effort is sabotaged. When faced with a loss she cannot afford, she's forced to trust Rand Brookston, the one man in Timber Ridge she wishes to avoid. And with good reason. He's a physician, just like her father, which tells her everything she needs to know about him. Or so she thinks....

Dr. Rand Brookston ventured west with the dream of bringing modern medicine to the wilds of the Colorado Rockies, but the townspeople have been slow to trust him. Just as slow in coming is Rand's dream to build the town a proper clinic. When a patient's life is threatened, Rand makes a choice—one that sends ripples through the town of Timber Ridge. And through Rachel Boyd's stubborn heart.

From the beloved, bestselling author of From a Distance and Beyond This Moment comes an unforgettable story about faith in the face of fear, about tarnished hopes and second chances, and ultimately about the resilient courage and tenacity of hearts broken——and mended——by love."

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

It was with tears and bittersweet emotions that I finished this book. Alexander has an amazing God-given talent for writing with depth, using gorgeous imagery and dialogue to describe God's creation and to explore the workings of God in our lives.

To be honest, this particular book took me a long time to read. It wasn't like the first in this series (From a Distance), where I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning desperate to know what would happen and reveling in the sweet romance. I received this book several months ago, and yet even when I started reading it, I often set it aside. The writing was lovely, but this book was hard to read because of the heaviness of its themes. I was intrigued with the plot but not engrossed by it. Not until over halfway through.

Once I got near the end, the tears began to flow. It was one emotional blow after another, and yet I wasn't in despair. I was completely blessed and moved by the impact of Alexander's insight--insights (I later learned from her note at the end of the book) that came from her own personal experience. I had heard some about what Alexander had been going through in the past year or so and why this last book in the "Timber Ridge Reflections" series was delayed in its release. But actually reading this book and seeing how her own journey impacted her writing--I was blown away and touched by what was within HER heart.

This book is not an easy one to read. There were times when it was almost painful. But I can guarantee you that this is very much a worthwhile read. The lessons about love, forgiveness, and courage are profound. And the honesty with which the characters face death and the hope that all those who believe in the Lord can have is heart-breakingly beautiful. This is a definite must-read!

*With thanks to Jim Hart and Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. My sincerest apologies to the publisher for my delay in reviewing this book.*