Faith Kenner is pursuing her dream to become a doctor at Willamette University’s medical college so she can use her gift for healing to help those in need, especially the native populations forced onto reservations and then neglected. When she meets Andrew Gratton, a handsome riverboat captain who has been injured on his ship, she uses her skills to tend his wound, and a friendship grows between … between them. Andrew admires her strength and willingness to stand her ground, and Faith appreciates his intelligence and compassion. But Faith holds a secret that means their friendship can never become anything more, so she must bury her feelings for Andrew as best she can.When her fellow students put together lectures to speak out against Oregon’s racist laws and policies, Faith is eager to participate. But some powerful men have other plans for their state, and soon Faith is caught in the middle of a plot to push the local Indian tribes to rebel. As she and Andrew fight for the rights of others, their love for each other grows. Can they trust that God has a way toward love for them, or will her secret stand in the way of their one chance for true happiness?
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The Way of Love is the 2nd novel in Willamette Brides series by Tracie Peterson. I do recommend reading Secrets of My Heart before embarking on The Way of Love. The story begins in December of 1879 in Portland, Oregon with Faith moving into Nancy Carpenter’s boardinghouse (from Secrets of My Heart). I like that the story features a strong, intelligent, and Christian main character. Faith Kenner is determined to become a doctor to help Native Americans on the reservation. She grew up among them and knows the conditions. Faith is a woman of strong convictions. She does not understand why there is prejudice in the world. As Faith states, “a person can hardly be blamed for their heritage.” The Way of Love is rich in historical details. It includes the racial tensions and laws that existed in Oregon at that time along with the “Storm King”, Willamette College, and much more. Christian values and beliefs are prevalent as well. I thought The Way of Love was well-written with vivid descriptions. The pacing is gentle which suits the story. It was nice catching up with Nancy, Seth, Mrs. Weaver, and the other residents of the boardinghouse along with our main characters families. We get to find out Mrs. Weaver’s secret and it was something I never expected. Samuel Lakewood and his cohort, Gerome Berkshire are back with their evil plans. I am eager to learn the identity of the man who calls the shots. I appreciated the author’s note at the end. My favorite line from The Way of Love is “The sooner people put aside prejudices, the sooner we’ll have peace in our country.” I thought The Way of Love was a timely novel considering what is currently happening in the United States. The Way of Love is a compelling historical novel with a surprising storm, fine friends, a satisfying surprise, racial pressure, Christian codes, and a romantic riverboat captain.
I appreciate that I can know that every time I open a Tracie Peterson book I can expect to be taken back into history and learn something new. She does a wonderful job of weaving real history into fictional families. I was really excited to jump into this one because I wanted to know how Faith’s life had turned out. She was just a little girl when the Heart of the Frontier series ended and she was a character that my heart had truly gone out to. I was glad to see that she had made something of herself and that she was using her life to help people. There were a lot of likes a far as content went, but I have to also admit that the storyline itself needed more for me. I needed more suspense to help keep the pages turning. There were certainly events that had action, but they needed to be built up to more. I didn’t feel as pulled-in and a part of the story as I was hoping. I also admit that because of COVID-19 and quarantine it’s been more difficult for me to get sucked into books and that may be reflected in some of this as well. I’m still glad I was able to jump back into history again to see how things worked out for Faith. I’m still planning on reading the next book in the series and I’m curious to see how it will all conclude.
*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
I requested this book to read and review through Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers. I enjoyed the book as I expected I would. I am a fan of Tracie Peterson and this book did not disappoint.
The story is set in the 1800s in Oregon. It is historically accurate and full of adventure. There is a mystery, though sadly, it didn’t seem to come to a full conclusion in my mind.
The book kept my interest throughout. It is a Christian book but not a preachy type of story. It is written from a female’s side/viewpoint. It is her story to tell.
I would recommend this book to my friends and I give it a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning I like it.
Faith!
I greatly admired her because despite her heritage she decided to stand tall and strong. She knew what she was good at and stuck to it. She pursued her dreams and excelled at being a doctor which was very uncommon for woman during her time.
I like how she and Andrew met. I admired him for trusting her at first to care for him and not write her off like others would because of her heritage and gender.
I really admired that he stood up for the Indians even when others mistreated them. Very honorable man.
Wonderful historical book filled with soul longing romance, history and inspiring stories.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.
I loved getting to know some old characters better and meeting new ones. This is one of my favorite authors and I knew I would like the book but I didn’t know just how much I would love the book as well. Plus the book just left me hanging on some parts and I really need the next book in the series now!
Can Faith ever achieve the dream of her certification? She knows how to heal people but she wants that title so maybe other people will give her the respect and attention the title demands. She’s vowed to never marry so her medicine is her life.
But more importantly, can Faith survive?
When bad men target Faith and her family she’s not sure why but she knows that her secret has been found out. Can she protect those she loves without sacrificing herself? And what of the love she’s discovered? Will anything ever come between her and the man who stole her heart?
Great read. Can’t recommend it enough. Highly recommend you read it and the first book in the series if you haven’t already.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Another great read:
This is the 2nd book in the series and I’d highly recommend reading them in order so as to fully enjoy the depth and complexity that they offer. This is the story of Faith, Hope and Lance’s daughter from the Heart of the Frontier series, who is of mixed Caucasian/Native American heritage. However as such it was illegal for her to marry a white man and she had tried to come to peace with the fact that she’d never be able to marry and instead focused on her dream of being a doctor. It was wonderful seeing her work towards that, especially as woman doctors were so rare in those days. Her name was most fitting as she certainly proved herself to be a someone of great faith and integrity.
Meanwhile Andrew is a boat captain who becomes enamored of the beautiful and gifted Faith. Their paths keep crossing but he also had his reasons as to why they can’t pursue anything. I enjoyed seeing them come to rely on each other as they faced the obstacles before them.
This book continues on with the investigation into the illegal provision of guns and liquor to the Indians and the terrible treatment of the Native and Negro people in Oregon during that time. Whilst interesting and certainly an important topic to explore, I did find it rather heavy at times and the situation is not resolved but carries over to the final book in the series due October 2020.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
“I suppose they hope to silence me, but I won’t be silenced.”
A sweet and heart-wrenchingly relevant read from Tracie Peterson! This story draws haunting parallels to our world today with instances of racism and hatred that allow many moments of useful reflection for readers on their own actions and beliefs. It was an incredibly timely read with its topics of racial injustice and the hatred that people must combat on a daily basis.
In terms of the romantic plot, I found it to be a bit lacking. The interactions between Faith and Andrew were incredibly limited, and besides learning one thing about Andrew’s backstory, the reader never really got to know him as a character. When there were scenes between the two, the romance was sweet but ultimately felt forced since the romantic plot was not given much time to develop.
Faith was a great character, and readers will love getting an update on Seth and Nancy from Secrets of My Heart (Book 1 in the Willamette Brides series), as well as beloved characters from the Heart of the Frontier series.
As always, Peterson does a great job of incorporating faith into her stories. Although it sometimes comes across as preachy, the message of God’s love is clear and wonderfully written.
3.5/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A continuation of an interesting series. Faith was born as the result of her mother being raped in a Native American uprising, first adopted out and then she was raised on a Reservation. She looks white. A gifted healer, she goes to Portland to attend college to be certified as a doctor, then return to the reservation. At that time, people of color did not have any rights in Oregon. Blacks were not allowed in the state at all. Native Americans could not marry a white person or attend college. In this story there are powerful men who want to rid the state of Indians and sell their land for profit and they would do almost anything to eliminate people who stood in their way. Mostly in secret of course. Some of these men carry over from the previous books, so Faith’s family is still in danger. It plays a very big part in what happens in this story as well. Andrew is a ship’s captain who comes into Faith’s life and plays a big part in her family as well. Excellent series to get lost in. Living with discrimination, good, caring people wanting to help others. When they step out of their bounds and speak out for fairness, they are deeply punished by the evil ones. Christian faith and perseverance runs strong throughout the story.
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Tracie Peterson’s latest, The Way of Love, is a fast paced read set in Oregon in the late 1870’s. Now, 30 years after the Whitman Massacre, racial tensions are still erupting between not only Indian tribes and the white settlers, but also anyone of color. Peterson illuminates this turmoil as her characters fight for justice amid rampant discrimina-tion, threats of Indian uprisings, and personal vendettas for power.
As one who loves history, I highly appreciated Peterson’s attention to detail, her ability to keep a plot moving, and the array of characters who bring to life this unstable time period. Peterson’s books are always a delight to read, full of suspense, history, and wonderful characters. I especially enjoyed reading about characters who appeared in a previous series of hers, Heart of the Frontier. You will most definitely want to read that trilogy to gain a deeper un-derstanding of this new book.
That said, however, The Way of Love can hold its own. Romantic, suspenseful, and heart rendering, Peterson deliv-ers another excellent read.
I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.