Monday, August 7, 2023

About the Book

Book: Beside Still Waters

Author: Lynnette Bonner

Genre:Historical Christian Western Romance

Release Date: August 15, 2023

Zoe Kastain wants to be happy, but just the sight of Washington Nolan standing beside Kin at his wedding has her choking the life from her gloves. The man who once dazzled her with promises of love and commitment now will hardly look at her. Even through the haze of red clouding her vision, she realizes it is probably better this way. Because after he’d returned, injured, she’d gone and laid her heart at his feet. He’d slammed his door in her face, and she never wanted to feel that incomprehensible rejection again. But as Kin and Cora exchange rings and kisses, Zoe realizes her best efforts to quash her love for Wash Nolan have been hopeless. Not only that but what if his rejection was a test to see if she would stand by him?! And she walked away! She needed to fix this! Make him realize she still loved him. But how? Her gaze settles on Kin and Cora leaving the church to the cheers of their guests. What was the biggest gesture of love, but marriage? No! She couldn’t, could she? It was preposterous madness!

Wash stumbles out of the church, chastising himself for letting Kin talk him into being here today. He ought to have known that seeing Zoe again would bring nothing but heartache. They could have built a life together if not for his injury that rendered him unable to provide for a family. Despite all that, it felt good to have escaped the cabin. He needed to make an effort to get out more. He’d been pretty detached from, well, everything since his return. He just needed to make his escapes to places where Zoe Kastain would not be, because seeing her was temptation itself. The soft light of invitation in her eyes could downright make a man forget his limitations. And this was not the time for that, especially not with all the strange things happening at the farm.

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About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Lynnette Bonnerwas born in Malawi, Africa, and spent the first years of her life reveling in warm equatorial sunshine and the late evening duets of cicadas and hyenas. The year she turned eight she was off to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya where she spent many joy-filled years and graduated in 1990.

That fall, she traded to a new duet–one of traffic and rain–when she moved to Kirkland, Washington to attend Northwest University. It was there that she met her husband and a few years later they moved to the small town of Pierce, Idaho.

During the time they lived in Idaho while studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin the Shepherd’s Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.

Marty and Lynnette have four children and currently live in Washington where Marty pastors a church.

More from Lynette

Dear Readers,

History is one of my favorite things. I love opening a book and getting immersed in the sights, sounds, smells, and culture of by-gone eras. Because I love to read these stories, these are also the kinds of stories I write. And here we are at the fourteenth and final historical foray in the Wyldhaven series! This one is the wrap-up, the happy sigh at the end of an intricate set of adventures. If you haven’t yet jumped into the Wyldhaven series, I invite you to start with book one, because while each book can stand alone, you’ll enjoy the characters so much more if you’ve followed them from the beginning. Book one is Not a Sparrow Falls.

However, on tour here today is book fourteen, Beside Still Waters. Two of my favorite characters from the series are about to face their biggest set of challenges yet, and along the way they just might learn a little about leaning on God’s truth, even when bad things happen, and of course find that loving one another makes those bad things so much easier to bear.

I hope you’ll enjoy this story and that it will in some way draw you closer to the One who leads us beside still waters.

Injured by friendly fire. Trapped in the torrent of his own fears.

Washington Nolan wanted to join the cavalry from the time he was a boy. He planned to enlist for a few years, and then return home to marry Zoe Kastain, the girl he’s been sweet on from almost his earliest memory. What he didn’t plan on was a friendly fire incident that would cost him the use of his leg. Now he’s home. But without the means to provide for a family, he can’t in all good conscience marry Zoe. Even harder than losing his leg is letting her go.

Rejected by the man she loves. She’ll brave the deepest waters to convince him that God will see them through.

Zoe Kastain can’t believe that Wash has broken things off. She’s just mad enough to walk away, but then she realizes that Wash needs her love now more than ever. She can’t simply abandon him! But he’s not going to like it when she brings the parson—and her valise—to his porch. She’s prepared for his resistance. But what she’s not prepared for is his acquiescence—nor the storm she’s about to walk through because of it.

Together they must learn to trust the One who leads beside still waters.

MY REVIEW

I was very impressed with Zoe and her determination to marry Wash. She pushes aside the fact that when he came back from the was injured, he called off the wedding. He has secluded himself in his little cabin and wants nothing to do with anyone including Zoe. When you want something bad enough, sometimes you do go a little overboard but Zoe is so sure they are to be together.

I was excited to follow their journey and see if happiness would prevail. The emotions are very well written and I understood Wash’s hesitation at Zoe’s idea. Get ready for a few surprises in the story and also a little danger. I loved the other story line about a certain someone who wants to force someone off their land. The underhanded things done to achieve this will go against the law. Will someone end up injured or dead from this?

The author keeps us entertained with historical facts that splash across the pages. The meals were simple but filling as everyone pitched in to help provide for their families. Can you imagine having to boil water just to take a bath? I would not do well without a bathroom and an air conditioner. It goes without saying that we have it much easier than people living during the days where you lived off the land.

Get ready for an adventure filled with deceitful people, trust, forgiveness and second chances.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit.The review is my own opinion.