About the Book

Book: Restored Grace

Author: Kathleen J. Robison

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: June 21, 2022

They promised Jesus would be with her through everything, but is that enough?

Free-spirited vintage thrift shop owner, Carol Scape, wallowed in grief after her boyfriend’s murder. However, with newfound faith, she’s finding out what it means to die-to-self and put others first. Even if it could cost her life.

Carol is on a mission to save a runaway teen and an at-risk girl from Will Boudreaux, the man just released from jail for running a prostitution ring. The same man who previously terrorized Bay Town residents. Can’t the town get a break? Can’t she?

She’s up for the challenge, but when sparks ignite between her and the town mayor, it muddles things. Having sworn off men, he’s getting in the way of what she feels she must do. Or is he?

Restored Grace is the second book of the Bay Town Series, continuing one year after Shattered Guilt. It’s a stand-alone, amped-up, romantic suspense. Buckle your seat belt. You’re in for a ride.

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About the Author

Kathleen J. Robison is an Okinawan-American, born in Okinawa, and raised in California, Florida, Mississippi, and Singapore. Her travels and her family are the sources of her inspiration for her books. Kathleen and her Pastor husband have eight adult children. Seven are married, blessing them with eighteen grandchildren and counting. Her ethnically diverse background extends to her family of currently thirty-five personalities which provide many opportunities to share God’s amazing love amidst the challenges of real life.

More from Kathleen

I love writing inspirational romantic suspense featuring heroic women. In Restored Grace, Carol Scape embodies my efforts. She’s impulsive, she’s wild, she’s crazy…and she’s back. With a newfound faith in Christ, she tackles the bad guy with a style all her own.

The main character in Restored Grace is a favorite of mine. In fact, I brought her back from Book One because my Library Critique Group loved her so much. When I read a chapter from Shattered Guilt, where Carol plays a minor role, the Branch Manager Librarian laughed and quipped, “I know women just like her, and you nailed her perfectly!”

Perhaps in some ways, I secretly (I guess it’s not a secret now) wish I was her. Impulsive, the life of the party, indifferent to what people think about her, and confident in her skin. Carol is 50ish, pleasantly curvy, a boho-chic hippie with long wavy, graying, red hair that constantly tangles in her arms, and others because she moves so quickly. She wears lots of loud, jingly jewelry, and always puts on her prettiest face (with light makeup but tempted to use a heavy hand). And I love her fashion style. Colorful swirling, tiered skirts, cowboy boots, peasant tops, and fringed shawls. If I was taller, I’d love to carry that off, so I let my alter ego, Carol Scape do it for me.

Yet, in some ways, women like her used to drive me crazy. They walk into a room, and in minutes their larger-than-life personalities can’t help but draw attention. But I’m so thankful the Lord has humbled me, and if someone drives me crazy … I look at myself and see what I need to work on. Still, call it envy, expectations, or too much energy, but people like her exist, don’t they? And we must admit, they’re a lot of fun. Are you a Carol, or do you know a Carol? Either way, we’re called to love everyone. And the most important thing is caring about all people enough to be concerned for their eternity. I don’t mean judging, but sharing, encouraging, and pointing them to Jesus, whoever they may be and wherever they are in their walk.

Three particular things that I hope you’ll identify in the new Carol are her struggle with God’s grace, her selfless desire to help others, and her discovered confidence in Christ. The beauty of writing inspirational romantic suspense is bringing to life how real people, with real problems, struggle with their faith just like us, as we trust that the victory belongs to the Lord.

I hope you enjoy reading Restored Grace, and I hope you’re encouraged and inspired to receive and extend the precious grace of our Savior, Jesus, to all those whom God puts in your path…much like Carol.

MY REVIEW

The second installment in this series is just as good as the first one. The author focuses on a minor character from the first book and gives her own story in this fast paced book. The subject is hard to read about but with her gift of writing about sensitive issues with compassion, the author delivers a powerful look at trafficking. It is sad to think that people disappear every day in our country from an epidemic like human trafficking.

Carol is an instant hit with her free spirit, outspoken and questionable fashion. Her past is somewhat tainted but with God’s help she has changed into someone who trusts God with her life. Her suspicions grow when she witnesses a scene at a drugstore. I like her instincts and how she knew something was off about the teen girl she saw on the toothpaste aisle. She was frightened and jumpy which made Carol notice. The man who addresses the scared teen makes Carol very uncomfortable. When she finds out later who he is, she goes full force trying to prove the man is up to no good.

I did think that Carol reacted to things without thinking through her actions. She is almost like a madwoman determined to catch the bad guy, that she puts herself in harms way. I loved how one of her friends describe her as, “a boulder rolling down a mountain with rocks flying out around her.” Carol is so set in doing the right thing and trying to overcome her past that she sometimes seems abrasive and kinda crazy. She has a big heart though and wants to help when she knows someone is in danger. I sure hope she keeps her wit about her because she may have several people wanting to do harm to her.

The author keeps the action going with a suspicious fire, threats of harm to several people and a blossoming romance that I am rooting for. Carol is hesitant to allow her heart to find love since she stills believe she isn’t worthy at times. I do like how she continues to read her Bible and seeks counsel during her struggles. The intrigue in the story is good and I did have my suspicions about one man in particular.

The story is fast paced and full of surprises. Danger follows Carol as she tries to prove that a certain man is dangerous and needs to be arrested before more people turn up injured. Although this story does deal with trafficking it also deals with letting go of the past. Her friend Melanie reminds Carol that , “ your new life doesn’t include suffering and grieving over your past.”

The story comes to an end in a very surprising way. I was so sure of the outcome but the author flipped the story in another direction. I think how she handled it was perfect because it shows how Carol found grace and now needs to walk through grace to find happiness and restoration.

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