When Grace Sings Book Review

The Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy

Book Two

SUMMARY:  When trouble roars into quiet Arborville, Alexa and Anna-Grace find themselves the target for discord and exposed secrets.

     Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas, will ever fully accept her.  Her family roots aren't what anyone thought when she first arrived, but she is hopeful that her culinary and hospitality skills will win the skeptics over.  The bed-and-breakfast she's operating needs to succeed, so Alexa agrees to allow Briley Forrester, the hotshot reporter from Chicago, to stay as a long-term boarder, not knowing his real motives for being among the Plain folk.

     But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin Anna-Grace Braun, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa's insecurities and sets Briley on the trial to uncovering a web of hidden truths.

      Plans for a secure future and the sweetness of young romance hang n the balance when Alexa and Anna-Grace have to face the truth that their secrets are interconnected, binding the two in ways they could not have imagined.  They must trust in a loving heavenly Father and His plan for their futures.

REVIEW:  Kim Vogel Sawyer does an excellent job in these books.  You must read the first one, When Mercy Rains, to understand Alexa's insecurities, Anna-Grace's hesitancy, and the secrets that bind them together.  I love how the author does not wrap up everything by the end of the book in a nice, neat bow but leaves you anxiously waiting for the next book to see how the events will play out.  I also like how the only romance is between Anna-Grace and her fiance' Steven, though feelings between Alexa and Briley are not ignored but also not blown out of proportion.  

     The one thing that is pivotal to the storyline, but also drove me crazy, was all the secrets everyone had.  Even though it would have helped matters greatly to voice them, the characters kept everything bottled up inside, causing all kinds of misunderstandings and misinterpretations.  When Steven's secret is finally revealed, the hurt Anna-Grace felt was much greater because he did not discuss it at all with her, his betrothed. 

     This is a great series.  I can't wait for the third book to be released next year to see how everything works out.

This book was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group and Waterbrook Multnomah for review without compensation.

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a best-selling author highly acclaimed for her gentle stories of hope.  More than one million copies of her books are currently in print and have garnered awards including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.  Kim lives in central Kansas with her husband, Don, and their four feline companions.  She enjoys spending time with her three daughters and her grandchildren.