Where Trust Lies

They’re waiting for an answer. Expecting enthusiasm. My agreement. Yet she suspected that if she said much immediately she would disappoint them all. “I’ve just come home, Mother.” Beth swallowed again. “I had thought… I’d looked forward to…” Beth looked around at their expressions. She struggled for the right response. “I’ll need to consider it.” Beth gazed down at her partially unpacked trunks and refused to give in to tears. But as she reached trembling hands to continue the task, her heart felt heavy in her chest.

Book: Where Trust Lies (Return to the Canadian West) by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan, Bethany House Publishers, 2015

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 18+

Subjects: Family Relationships, Obedience, Dating Relationships, God’s Will, Guilt

Summary: She was very much looking forward to getting home. It was sad to leave those she’d come to care so much for in Coral Valley, especially Jerrick who her heart is beginning to care very much for. But before she can even unpack her mom and sisters eagerly announce that they are all going on a cruise and Beth is to come with them. Reluctantly Beth agrees and resigns herself to a summer of traveling and shopping. She recognizes this is a chance to strengthen her relationships with her family and puts forth her best effort, but her young sister starts withdrawing. Soon she gets upset at being told to spend any time with her family instead of the new friends she’s made. Finally one night she sneaks out with Beth trying hard to stop her and their fears come true. Beth isn’t sure how to even begin to process this tragedy! Nothing seems to matter now, not when her precious sister has experienced tragedy!

Notes: This is the second in The Return To The Canadian West Series. The series is a continuation of the author’s 1980 series about the main character’s aunt. This series focuses on a wealthy young woman who takes a teaching job in a poor community and finds her place there instead of amongst the wealthy people she grew up with.

In this book, Beth is ready to start exploring a relationship with someone she met in the community she worked in and is looking forward to receiving a letter offering her a job for a second year teaching in the community. But her family has other plans. Written in the simple, heartwarming style of the author’s other works, there is not a lot of action. The focus is on the characters; their thoughts and emotions. Beth is struggling with connecting with a mother who has a very different future planned for her daughter than the one Beth has chosen. She also struggles with her relationship with her younger sister when she starts going through a season of rebellion. Then she wrestles with guilt, blaming herself for what happened to her sister. She also asks questions and tries to figure out how to determine if God wants her to pursue a relationship with Jerrick or not and has to learn to trust God and move forward instead of refusing to do anything for fear it might not be what God most wants. Jerrick is confident God brought them together for a reason.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale:  5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Proverbs 3:5-6 –Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.