Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Where He Leads by Lynn Lanning, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Where He Leads
Series: Desires of the Heart #1
Author: Lynne Lanning
Release Date: January 24, 2021
Genre: Christian, Historical/Western Romance
Series: Desires of the Heart #1
Author: Lynne Lanning
Release Date: January 24, 2021
Genre: Christian, Historical/Western Romance
By the age of 11, Lilly had suffered more horrific circumstances, than any adult should have to bear. She lost both of her parents and the only home she ever knew, then was forced to move away from her brothers and sisters.
Why had God allowed all of this tragedy?
Pa had found the perfect home for her before his death. Through her new family’s loving care and instruction, Lilly grew into a beautiful young lady, filled with compassion, intelligence, and having a strong faith in God.
When she met Tommy, her heart flipped! How could she make all of the life lessons she had learned, her faith in God, and Tommy fit into God’s plan for her life? Was Tommy truly part of God’s plan for her?
Tommy and his mother’s past brought possible danger to anyone close to them. Could Lilly put her family through that? Should she abandon Tommy and the feelings she had for him? Could prayer be the answer?
With more circumstances beyond their control fighting against them, it seemed their troubles would never end. Would God allow her the Desires of her Heart?
My Review 🖤
Where He Leads is a wonderful story of family and faith, good times and bad, showing that no matter where life leads you that God is always faithful, a message that I never grow tired of hearing. Set in the 1880's, you can feel the tone and the time period instantly, first meeting the narrator, Lilly, at eleven years old, and watching her grow over the years, going through some of the most heartbreaking circumstances, but staying true to herself and her faith throughout. I commended Lilly for her strength and perseverance despite her hardships, and her determination to silently fight through whatever life throws at her, with her unwavering faith and the power of prayer.
Much of this novel is based on, and dedicated to, the author's own grandmother, Lucille. Her attributes and experiences, as well as tidbits of other family members idiosyncrasies, added even more charm to the story for me after I found out these facts. You can truly feel the love on these pages, and this is why.
Lilly having her large family broken at such a young age is unimaginable, but I love that you get to keep in touch with most of the siblings as the years go by, to see how their lives also turn out, but do wish there could've been more depth to their stories. I felt like Lilly's sister and brother, Clara and Matt, were a main focus as far as the siblings go, but I felt myself wondering about the others as I read. I know this is a series, so hopefully we will be able to catch up with them in another volume later in the series.
Faith is a major plot point in Where He Leads which I admired, but I do feel like it was a little heavy handed at times, and I found myself feeling like Lilly was a little too perfect which, to me, seems a little unrealistic. I know it was a different time, and obedience was expected, but it seemed like even the conflict was little more than a small blip that was easily fixed, leaving some of the novel a tad on the boring side, and me craving some type of drama or suspense to balance the story as a whole.
Where He Leads definitely gave me a Little House on the Prairie vibe, especially the parts where Lilly was going to school in her adolescence. There are some difficult subjects tackled in this book, like the prejudice against Native Americans during that time, as well as dealing with death, but it is all handled in a clean and and mature way, and really touched upon rather than dwelt on.
You can't help but fall in love with Lilly, her family, and her story. I love the family dynamic, the warming of your heart when you read about them helping each other through good times and bad, and seeing that support that we all crave. This was a chill read for me, yet there was a magnetism that continued to pull me back into the narrative time and time again. I am curious and excited to see where this series goes, and love that I had the opportunity to read Where He Leads.
My Rating: ★★★★
MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a print copy of the Desires of the Heart series!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 14, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 21, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I read through Kindle Unlimited. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
Thank you for sharing your review! So glad you enjoyed it!
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