A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot

Happy Dumbstruck Day!  A day to be totally dumbstruck over the things you see, hear or read (or that someone actually created this day).  On this day in history. . . Yellowstone became the United State's first national park in 1872, silly putty invented in 1950, Monopoly was created in 1933 and the Girl Scouts were founded in 1912.  To find out what other events happened on this day, click here.  One Potato, Two Potato, Dead by Lynn Cahoon will release on March 19 with Murder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins.  The Hidden Corpse by Debra Sennefelder published on March 26. It is the second A Food Blogger Mystery.

A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot transports readers to August 1881.  Thea Michener is leaving Ladreville to become the new midwife in Cimarron Creek, Texas.  Thea needs a change after the murder of her husband and giving birth to a stillborn boy.  Her marriage was complicated near the end and she will be happy to shed her widow’s weeds.  Aimee Jarre is going with Thea in the hopes of locating her birth mother.  They arrive in Cimarron Creek to find Ranger Jackson Guthrie on the front porch of their new home with an infant in his arms.  Ranger Guthrie was following Thea to Cimarron Creek when he came upon the baby alone near cacti.  He has been on the trail of The Gang of Four (as they have been dubbed) since they injured his partner and killed his younger brother.  Guthrie believed Thea was the female member of the gang until he sees her in person.  As it turns out, Thea may hold the key to tracking down these ruthless bandits who manage to disappear after each robbery.  Neither party may be looking for love, but God has other plans. 

                                           

A Tender Hope is the final book in a Cimarron Creek Trilogy.  A Tender Hope can be read alone, but, after reading it, you will want to go back and read the other two books in the series. The couples from the first two books are included in A Tender Hope.   I thought A Tender Hope was well-written with gentle pacing.  Amanda Cabot has a casual writing style that engages the reader and draws them into her tale. The Christian elements are nicely integrated into the story.  I like that it was light but meaningful.  Thea’s story was intriguing.  New details are added as the story progresses, and I like how it all tied together.  Guthrie and Thea’s romance plays out softly and sweetly.  Aimee is seeking answers on her birth parents and she gets so much more (I do not want to give away any spoilers).  Nate Kenton and Warner Gray provide humor to the story.  Both men are seeking wives and women are scarce in their area.  I liked that the author gave many of the females in the story occupations and strong voices.  I was very happy that A Tender Hope was not a typical historical romance.  There is mystery, suspense and action along with family, friendship, love, and faith. A Tender Hope has a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers smiling.

A Stolen Heart (on Kindle Unlimited) and A Borrowed Dream are the first two novels in the Cimarron Creek Trilogy.  I am going to share my review of Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang tomorrow.  It is the first book in A Castle Bookshop Mystery series.  I hope you have a gratifying day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader