Dr. Steven Moore is known nationally for saving lives. If only he could save his own. Unable to deal with his cancer prognosis, he retreats to a happier time in his past—to the woman who once stole his heart.
Four years after the death of her beloved husband, bookstore owner Elizabeth Roberts still struggles to sustain her faith and joy in the Lord as she raises her two sons. She strives to find … strives to find a way through her family’s grief, never suspecting a man from her past might offer hope for her future.
But how can there be a future when he’s only come to kiss her and says good-bye?
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I read Tanya’s book, Unconditional, first and I know it is helpful to read it and follow up with Restored. Both books are so good!
Elizabeth is a hopeful, courageous woman who has dreams after suffering a painful past of life and death. Her faith is strong and she still loves her former husband, Chris, even though it’s been a few years since he passed. Her long-lost love from her college years, Steven, returns into her life and though she tries to resist him, her heart tells her otherwise. Her two boys create some challenges along the way.
The romance between the two of them is intertwined with faith, heartbreak, sorrows, painful past, optimism, cancer issues, depression, fun, joy, and some surprises.
This is an excellent book and I’m glad that I read Unconditional first. They really flow together well.
I received a complimentary copy of the book. I was not required to write a positive review.
This book is amazing!! It is so full of emotions and you feel every one of them. It is a bittersweet romance that shows that God is always in control.
This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed how emotional her story is. You can feel the characters pain and sadness as the author delivers a story of second chances and faith. I knew what the book was going to be about and I had to prepare myself. The word cancer brings tears to my eyes and my heart hurts as I read this story.
It has only been two months since I lost my brother to Stage IV colon cancer. He refused treatment and before long it had spread to his liver and lungs. Reading about Dr. Steven Moore and his diagnosis was very painful for me. I was a bit surprised at the decision he made about his health. As a doctor, I would think he could have given more intense consideration to his decision.
Elizabeth is a strong woman who has just been through a difficult tragedy. She seems to be barely hanging on at times and what a surprise it was to see someone from her past. As the author peels away the pain and hurt that Elizabeth caused Steven so long ago, he still can’t forget her. I did like the encounters they had and how they both had to learn to communicate with each other. It is not easy to open old wounds and the author takes the characters through the process with faith and trust in God.
If I had to pick a favorite character it would be Elizabeth’s oldest son, Luke. Often times adults forget that children hurt from a loss and they don’t always know how to express their pain. Luke is guarded when Steven comes into their lives and I admired how protective he was with his mother. His maturity in handling things was well written and I found him to be a strong young boy who loved his mom and dad very much.
The story is a roller coaster ride of medical tests, tragedies, decisions and a prayer that God will heal . Not everyone is healed the way we want, such as my brother but I did like how much both Elizabeth and Steven trusted God to do His will. It is hard to walk by faith when everything around you looks hopeless. Can two people find happiness again after years apart? Will health be restored to one of the characters? These questions can be found by reading this story that gives hope, and walks us through restoration of emotional scars.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Restored
A wonderful story of hope, and love. Steven thought he was dying so he decided to provide for Elizabeth who is a widow. She is also the one person he loved but had let her go. Will they be able to revive their love again?
I loved the children in the book. The interaction that Steven had with Elizabeth ‘s sons. Luke the older one played baseball, Steven loved watching him play.
My first boy by the author. I definitely plan to read more of her books.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
This is not your typical, light-hearted romance. The hero is staring at his mortality, the heroine is still grieving the death of her husband four years later, and several obstacles—including one of Elizabeth’s children—stand in the way of anything other than friendship between Steven and Elizabeth.
I appreciated the characters’ mutual agreement to be honest with each other from the get-go (and, of course, there are a few instances of omission because where would the conflict be without it?). The strength of faith of both is also something that stood out as well as the timeless message carried throughout the story: Love conquers all.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
This is book 2 in Elizabeth’s chronicle of sorrows, hopes, and dreams. If you’ve read book 1 (Unconditional), I’m sure you fell in love with Chris and Elizabeth as they recommitted their lives to God and to each other. They both went through a tremendous amount of pain to arrive at a place of peace, love, and hope…and Chris became an incredibly swoon-worthy hero….and as this second book opens, he dies in the prologue without even getting a scene in the book. HE DIES!!! No, this is not a spoiler. The book blurb already told me Elizabeth is widowed and I knew this before delving into the story…but my heart still hasn’t recovered. Unconditional should be read before Restored. The heart-squeezing angst, sorrow, and love that Elizabeth and Steven feel in this story can best be understood by reading the first book to walk through Elizabeth and Chris’ lives some 12 or so years before this story.
Despite how much I felt rattled that Chris died, Steven is an equally likable and noble hero in this story (as he was in the first story) with his intelligence, self-sacrificing and compassionate and tender heart, undying devotion to Elizabeth and her two boys, and fierce loyalty. Elizabeth, even after several terrible tragedies, is stronger than ever in her faith and will to survive and love. This book explores more deeply such themes as grief from loss of family, hopelessness of dreams lost, human desire to be known and loved, despair in facing death, and sacrificial and unconditional love, which were all touched upon in the first book. The reunion of Elizabeth and Steven is sweet and sigh-worthy…for Steven has waited a long time to love her fully.
This book is a contemporary romance that will bring tears of sorrow and joy with the pages – don’t forget your box of tissues while reading it. I received a copy of the book via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.