To let go of the past she must confront it.When Lane Steen discovers her father kidnapped her years ago, her fractured world shatters. A different world and a new family await to welcome her if she’ll only take the chance.Will they love her? Or will she trade one hostile home for another? Perhaps the journey will only raise more questions.Who is her father, really? And what happened to him? Will … what happened to him? Will she ever be able to forgive him so that love can heal her heart?
Valley Creek may be her prison, but perhaps it holds the unexpected. True love, purpose, grace, and redemption.
Join Lane on her search for the truth today!
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The path to recognizing our identity as children of God, and finding our proper place in His family is often a long, meandering one. So it is with Lane Steen, the title character in this riveting and inspirational novel.
Born into an impoverished, abusive home in the early 20th Century Ozarks, Lane has few prospects and little joy. But her life shifts dramatically when a kind young schoolteacher comes to town, offering encouragement and the key to an unexpected future. As Lane grows and her circumstances change, God changes her heart as well.
Lane Steen has the atmosphere and unabashedly Christian themes of a classic Grace Livingston Hill novel, but with an introspective and poignant view of the faith journey, facilitated by realistic first person narrative. Accompanying Lane through her challenges and blessings is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. The poetic natural descriptions and engaging character interaction make the story entertaining as well.
I highly recommend this book to readers who love Christian Fiction or anyone who enjoys historical coming of age stories.
Lane Steen is the first book I’ve read from this author, and it won’t be the last. I loved being swept away by the characters and the time period.
I really enjoyed this story of redemption. Parts of it were a little hard to read (domestic violence). For a first novel I felt the author did an excellent job. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series to find out more about the characters and what they are up to!
I enjoyed this book very much . The author did a remarkable job with each character. A love story with a twist .
In the early 1900’s and deep in Ozark country, young Lane Steen dreams of a life away from her abusive father. In a way school becomes Lane’s escape, but the longing building in Lane’s heart to be a teacher seems an impossibility.
Lane’s new teacher, Edith Wallace, and Lane’s dear friend, Guy, help when the brunt of her father’s fists leave Lane nearly incapacitated. Lane marvels at Miss Wallace’s offer to speak with Lane’s father. With some mysterious power, Miss Wallace gets Lane’s father to back off.
But will that be enough for Lane to gain her freedom from her under father’s heavy thumb? If so, will Lane be able to step forward into the faith that’s calling to her and be able to forgive her father? Is there a future for Guy and Lane deeper than friendship, or will they continue to be separated by too many obstacles?
Readers of Christian historical fiction and Christian historical romance will become drawn into Lane’s story of suffering, faith, grace, and forgiveness.
Reminiscent of Catherine Marshall’s Christy, West brings to life the Ozark region with satisfying description and rich characters, rife with emotion and struggling for more in life. Through West’s character, Lane, readers will experience pain, heartbreak, and the joy that comes with true freedom. Lane Steen skillfully tolls out a meaningful Christian message of salvation and redemption that centers this deeply moving novel. West portrays Lane’s struggles to release the past and embrace the future as relatable, driving the reader to be moved with compassion, holding onto hope for a better life for Lane.
Lane Steen is one of those books that has a profound effect on you long after you turn the last page. It’s a roller-coaster ride of emotions that I shared with the characters as I experienced their ups and downs of life in a small town. I laughed at Lane’s humor and cried at the scenes of her abuse. Get the tissue ready. It’s an emotional read.
If I had to pick a favorite character it is Lane. She is courageous and filled with hope regardless of her circumstances. Lane Steen is a story about forgiveness and learning the true meaning of faith. Lane goes through many life changes over the length of the story but comes out exactly where God intends for her to be.
One of the best stories I’ve read so far this year. Highly recommended.
If it were an option, I would probably leave this as 3.5 stars.
I lived this story. The redemption and growth was beautiful.
That being said, I am super picky and several factors took some of the pleasure away for me when reading this. The editing was just a bit rough so that despite it being written in first person past-tense, there were several spots where the tense switched to present or she mentioned something that would only have been known if you were in another person’s head instead of Lane’s. I also felt the conversation scenes were a little abrupt and stopped too soon. Personal preference.
Overall, the story was great, though, and I look forward to her next one.