2017 RONE Award-Winner for Inspirational Fiction. In need of his own redemption, Noah Carter finally confronts his childhood hero, the once-beloved uncle who betrayed him. Instead of vengeance, he offers forgiveness, also granting Uncle John a most curious request—for Noah to work on the ramshackle farm of Agnes Deveraux Keller, a French WWII survivor with dementia.Despite all Agnes has lost, she … Agnes has lost, she still has much to teach Noah. But the pair’s unique friendship is threatened when Tayte, Agnes’s estranged granddaughter, arrives to claim a woman whose circumstances and abilities are far different from those of the grandmother she once knew.
Items hidden in Agnes’s attic raise painful questions about Tayte’s dead parents, steeling Tayte’s determination to save Agnes, even if it requires her to betray the very woman she came to save, and the secret her proud grandmother has guarded for seventy years.
The issue strains the fragile trust between Tayte and Noah, who now realizes Tayte is fighting her own secrets, her own dragons. Weighed down by past guilt and failures, he feels ill-equipped to help either woman, until he remembers Agnes’s lessons about courage and love. In order to save Agnes, the student must now become the teacher, helping Tayte heal—for Agnes’s sake, and for his.
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I have to admit I picked this up because of the author and really thought it was a fantasy but I should have known better. There is no fantasy here and with this author you know what to expect, real life drama. Boy did she deliver. Noah had a rough childhood and had found solace and escape at his uncles farm, until the day that changed. An incident that breaks him to his core is now what must be forgiven. Noah has no idea the road that this will lead to but he’s all in. The road to forgiveness isn’t an easy one and he’s constantly fighting old habits and new knowledge. Through many twist, yes this author loves stirring stuff up while we drown in her characters. This read is emotional and holds all kinds of secrets and regrets. It’s not a rainbows and unicorns type of read it’s real life with tragedy, heartbreak, finding home and love. It’s all that and so much more. Per norm this author will test you and tease you then turn your world inside out and stretch your emotions. In the end she gives you what your heart yearns for and makes the world right again.
This is an amazing story with great depth both in storyline and in the characters. It portrays three people that are broken by past events. One of them is elderly and struggling with dementia. The lessons learned while reading this book with stay with me for a long, long time. Well done!
For a work of fiction, it contained a great deal of truth! I was very invested in the characters by the end of the story.
Awesome book very inspiring
A wonderful read. I loved All the characters and could relate to them easily. I truly couldn’t put this down. Three unlikely people who come together and learn to trust, hope and love again. I wish I could be more articulate to put down what a wonderful read this is.
Truly Transformational fiction and brilliant read!
I had a hard time getting into the story, probably because I was tired and grumpy. So I stopped for a day and read a delightful romantic comedy. As I suspected, as soon as I got back into it I was hooked.
This is a substantial story dealing with serious material in the most loving way. These are complex characters that Ms Lewis brings to life with God-like love.
The books’ summary gives the basic story. I can only tell you that it made me think, feel and learn. This is a book that made me grateful to be a reader and come across this treasure of a book.
I found this book through a Bookfunnel promotion for Clean Romance, but it is so much more! Fortunately, most of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited, so I am on to the next one.
Another intense, good read by Laurie Lewis about the after effects of war, abuse aging, and love. I recommend it as all her books.
Agnes has lots of dragons in her life. She is such a deep and interesting main character. I kept wondering what she would do next or asking “why?” about her actions. A real puzzle that is revealed bit-by-bit as the story unfolds. All of Laurie Lewis’ characters were lovable; as I read I wanted to know more about them. What a gift to write this way! If you enjoy drama, a bit of mystery, tragic history and inspirational characters, this is the book for you.
The Dragons of Alsace Farm is a very eloquently told tale of three lonely, troubled individuals who have found ways to navigate their emotionally reclusive lives. But outside forces throw them together with mixed results. Noah finds forgiveness in his heart for his uncle, and from that, a bright new future springs. Tayte loses the parents who had been already been lost to her for years, bringing her face to face with a grandmother whom she adored as a child. Strong, determined Agnes refuses to face the fact that age and a solitary life have now placed her in jeopardy of losing her freedoms and her beloved farm.
All three protagonists are haunted by their painful pasts, which influences their judgment and keeps them weary of new relationships. Little by little, trust is built, tested, broken. The intricacy of the plot, with aspects of each life being revealed slowly, creates a rich tapestry reflective of what lives are really like. None of us are one-dimensional; everything that has ever happened has shaped us into ever-evolving beings. What Laurie Lewis has captured is a slice of life that shows how connected we are to others, like it or not, and how much can be gained by opening our hearts and burying the past.
I haven’t ever read anything by Laurie Lewis. This book was good. I went into it thinking it was going to be a fantasy novel because of the title. It is not fantasy it is a romance novel. I am an emotional person and this book tug at my heart strings.
The three main characters in this book are Agnes, Noah, and Tayte. Agnes lives in Fredrick, Maryland. Noah is in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. And Tayte is in Miami, Florida. Tragedy strikes and Noah and Tayte end up back in Fredrick, Maryland. Both Tayte and Noah get thrown into a few things while on Maryland to help Agnes and a special community project.
This book covers real life tragedies and struggles. The world isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. Your past doesn’t have to define you. Each character has some kind of dark emotion with everything they are going through. These characters are raw and real and it’s heartbreaking but also healing in knowing that you aren’t the only person in this world who is broken.
This book was slow at first but then with all the twists and turns of events it picks up its pace. There were so many twists and turns and wanting to know how they were all connected and what was going to happen next. Laurie Lewis really knows how to capture the characters and their past and what they are currently going through. It always amazes me when authors can truly get it! I will be adding more of this authors books to my list of books to read
A good read. Anyone with an alzheimer’s family member will see the truth in Agnes. Realistic.