Michelle Thomas has it all. Beautiful and successful, she’s just opened her own law firm in Freedom Lake. What more could she want? When her old flame rolls back into Freedom Lake she’s intent on ignoring him. Yet how can she give the widower and his precious twin girls the cold shoulder?Still reeling from the death of his wife, Guy Pierre returns to Freedom Lake to take over as town sheriff and … sheriff and raise his twin daughters. Alone. Yet, life keeps throwing Michelle in his path and sparks of interest began to rise.
Will old secrets tear them apart again or can they find the faith to let God’s grace restore what has been broken?
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A wonderful story of grace and forgiveness and rediscovering true love. Guy and Michelle dated in high school, but painful circumstances drove them apart until years later when they both return to Freedom Lake. From reading this series, Toni Shiloh creates a fascinating cast of characters that I would love to be friends with. I love how the group of friends supports each other during good times and bad and how their friendship works to strengthen their relationship with God, especially during their Bible studies together. I can’t wait to read more from Toni Shiloh. Well done!
I purchased a copy of this book and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine.
Grace Restored is aptly named. Michelle Thomas wants to pursue her law career, and Guy Pierre is the local sheriff and widower left to raise twin girls. Both experienced their share of past mistakes, but circumstances continue to throw them together and demand they face old secrets they’d like to bury.
My goodness! Grace Restored was an amazing book! It is book two in the Freedom Lake series, and if you read book one, then you have already been introduced to Guy and Michelle. However, Grace Restored can also be read and enjoyed as a stand alone novel, in my opinion.
This was a story that I had trouble setting down. Guy and Michelle both had serious pain, guilt, and even regret in their lives that burdened them and made it hard for each of them to trust in God’s grace. I loved that Grace Restored was a reunion story for Guy and Michelle. They had dated in high school and this was the story of them finding not only each other again, but also finding the Lord.
The author tackled some very serious and painful issues in this book, yet did so in a beautifully sensitive way. I loved reading about this group of friends and the Bible studies that they held. The author was able to fold in so much Biblical truth into the storyline in a completely natural way. I’m looking forward to reading book three in the series soon!
I loved reading the first book in the Freedom Lake series and I was super excited to be able to read this second story. It was like visiting old friends. While you could read this book as a stand-alone, you would miss out on the background information of secondary characters not to mention another fantastic story!
Grace Restored is a beautiful story! The writing style is engaging and captivating. The characters are realistic and I felt mesmerized and charmed by their story, yet humbled by their candid honesty. With a touch of drama, a splash of romance, and at its core the all-encompassing love of our Savior. You won’t want to put this story down!
Raw and honest this story challenged me to take a hard look at myself. It’s easy to put up the facade of “everything is okay”, while we hold on tightly to our secrets. But what a privilege we have as children of God to be able, to be honest, and share our burdens with one another and with our Savior.
At its core, this story is a gentle reminder that we are all sinners, and we all need God’s grace. I give this fabulous story 5 enthusiastic stars! Run, don’t walk to your nearest bookstore (or online bookseller) to purchase a copy of this book for yourself!
(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
Wow, you will be moved by this story! The emotion in the characters are so real, you get caught up in the moment of them!
To read more about Michelle and Guy in this 2nd book of the Freedom Lake series was truly wonderful. The way Toni writes truly shows that our God is a loving God and forgiving too. How Toni writes just makes you want to keep reading…and actually I read the words so fast because I want to know what happens. But when I do that, I sometimes have to go back and read it again because I missed something! 🙂
If you haven’t read any of Toni’s books, please get one, I promise you will not be disappointed!
Christianity is not about a perfect life, but about constant forgiveness – forgiving and being forgiven. This book did an excellent job in driving home this point. The characters were well developed and real, as were the life situations. Toni also did a great job of showing the element of doubt that all Christians (past and present) experience as we sojourn this side of heaven.
Thanks for a real book! Keep up the good work!
What an incredible and heartbreaking story of grace and forgiveness. Toni Shiloh once again delivers a touching and well-written tale of two broken people, separated by time and space and memories, coming together again to find healing in God’s restoring Grace and Forgiveness. This book is book #2 of the series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone. If you did read the first book in the series, you’ll definitely appreciate Evan and Jo returning to the storyline as they seek to help the hurting and become the bearers of light in the midst of their friends’ darkness. Anyone who enjoys heart-stirring and uplifting contemporary romance will love this book.
Michelle is an accomplished lawyer who has a lot of bitterness, resentment, guilt, and pain from her past. She runs away from God because of her past and has a difficult time accepting grace and forgiveness. Guy is the town’s sheriff who recently returned to Freedom Lake with his twin girls after becoming widowed. He, too, suffers from bitterness, resentment, guilt, and pain of his past and needs help climbing out from the dark hole in which he has placed himself. Enter God’s redeeming, unending, relentless Love and Grace (and a few friends who point the way) and they both find themselves walking down that path to finding freedom, though that path is strewn with heartaches and doubts.
The characters are real, the dialogue is fresh and honest, the plot is well-crafted, and the story is absolutely engaging. I’m thinking book 3 will be about the third friend Chloe and Darryl. I can’t wait to get my hands on that story!
I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher via Singing Librarian Books Tour. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
I have come to enjoy books by author Toni Shiloh, and this one doesn’t disappoint! I would love to visit Freedom Lake someday, if only it were possible. It sounds beautiful, and the people are warm and friendly.
The characters in Grace Restored dealt with some heavy things. Death of a spouse. Being a single parent. And one surprising secret that I won’t reveal, but in the “real” world can be devastating! So raw and honest in the way it was handled, and so beautiful in the way grace was indeed restored.
Through it all we see freedom when God is allowed to heal hearts and lives. If you enjoy contemporary Christian fiction that deals with real life in a very real way you’ll enjoy Grace Restored.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Grace Restored by Toni Shiloh is a filled pastry. Savory or sweet, the only way to sometimes know what’s on the inside is to take a bite. Try not to allow your expectation to influence your taste buds.
[Book Received. Opinions My Own.]
Michelle has created her perfect life, but then her high school boyfriend returns to town as a widower with adorable twin daughters. This was not part of the plan. In a small town like Freedom Lake, Michelle can’t spend her life avoiding him. When their relationship rekindles, can it stand the test of old secrets?
Grace Restored is book 2 of a series, but it could easily be a standalone novel. Toni Shiloh impressed me with the depth she brought to her characters. Sometimes Christian novels can ignore hard problems, but Toni Shiloh visited some challenging moments and the daily consequences. Although the story mostly focused on Michelle, I enjoyed the Bible study friend group with their own character growth and life changing moments. Toni Shiloh’s characters lifted each other up with God’s truth, which kept faith as an important component to the story and not just a side note.
If you enjoy modern day fiction with a Christian worldview, Grace Restored by Toni Shiloh is for you.
Author Toni Shiloh continues to write heartfelt, loving stories showing how relying on God and His love can lead us through any situation. This story takes the reader into the lives of everyday people dealing with emotions and decisions. Excellent story.
I just recently discovered Toni Shiloh’s books and I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Returning Home, and was excited to visit Freedom Lake again and explore some of the previous secondary characters. While this can easily be read as a stand-alone, I would highly recommend reading them in order as the stories do build on one another. I loved revisiting Freedom Lake and actually loved this book even more than the first one. Guy and Michelle were a great couple and I loved seeing their interactions with one another. And I absolutely adored Guy’s twin daughters! They were a fun, sweet addition to the story.
However, my favorite thing about Toni Shiloh’s writing is her ability to craft an excellent story centered on faith without coming across as preachy. Her characters are raw and real as they struggle through the hardships of life, whether it’s the brokenness of grief or a painful past. The message of God’s love and grace shines through on every page of this story, showing that God can restore anything, no matter how broken it might be.
My review is 4.5 Stars
It’s interesting that I read a book a month ago with this same sensitive topic and it turned my stomach and I disliked the story, yet in Grace Restored, author Toni Shiloh handles the subject with grace and sensitivity. (I won’t say what that subject is, so I don’t give any spoilers.)
While this is just the second book I’ve read by this author, I can see her love for the Lord and for sharing spiritual truths come through in her stories. She seasons her stories with Scriptural promises in a way that is very natural and not forced and helps her readers to work through similar issues as her characters.
In the first book of this series, Returning Home, the Michelle and Guy are introduced. Michelle appears to have her act together, though, in Grace Restored, we learn her deep secret and hurts. Her journey is one where she needs to learn about God’s grace and forgiveness, to share her burdens with her friends, and to forgive herself.
Guy carries the burden of grief from losing his wife when she delivered their twins. He went from a man who loved the Lord to one who blamed God for taking her from him. He also needs to learn about God’s love and forgiveness.
This is a beautiful story of redemption. As the second book of the series, this story is a continuation of the first, but it could stand alone. I suggest you read Returning Home first, to get the full blessing of these stories.
This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net Visit the post for an interview with the author.
I would like to thank Singing Librarian Book Tours for giving me this item. My opinion and review were not influenced by this gift.