Since losing his wife and child, widower Cam McKenna has tried to avoid children. But when he must temporarily care for his niece, Cam opens his home. With no idea how to relate to a fourteen-year-old girl, he seeks the advice of the new Christian Youth theater director. He’s touched when Rachel Clark gives his niece a scholarship–and teaches him a thing or two about teens…and love. But why … love. But why is Rachel so secretive about her past? The truth threatens their fragile relationship yet promises to bring them closer to each other–and the Lord– than either dreamed possible.
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Carrie Turansky is a very accomplished author with an easy way of storytelling that draws the reader in. This book, Seeking His Love, was no different. Her obvious love and trust in the Lord shines brightly in her story, causing the reader to want to place their trust in Him for their every need. Bravo, Carrie, for using your God-given talent to encourage the masses.
Many who see the title of this book will assume that Seeking His Love is romantic fiction and that the title refers to a woman longing to find true love with a man. This is part of the story and there is a sweet romance but there is so much more. There is a man dealing with the grief of losing his wife and son and his guilt that he may have contributed to their accident. After almost five years he still can’t forgive himself. There is a young woman who has been unjustly accused of inappropriate behavior with her student and she can’t escape the gossip that seems to follow her. But most of all, Seeking His Love is about faith and forgiveness. Faith in God and the people around us and learning to forgive as we are forgiven.
I admired Rachel Clark and her efforts to guide and counsel the young people involved in the Youth Theater Program in Fairhaven, Washington and I could understand her reluctance to tell why she had left her former teaching position. Rachel was a strong Christian, she believed that God would work in her favor, and she believed in the power of prayer but she still couldn’t fully trust that people would believe in her innocence. And even as she realized that her feelings toward Cameron McKenna might be more than friendship she still kept her secret. Cameron was a good man but he was keeping a secret also: his guilt about the deaths of his wife and son. He was also dealing with his sister’s battle with cancer and trying to provide a temporary home for his teenage niece. So much to handle and Cameron was lacking the moral strength that comes from being an active worshipper. I loved that a sermon about The Prodigal Son was the turning point in Cam’s faith journey and I am so glad that Turansky chose to use this beloved parable.
Just as Rachel and Cam begin to work through the hurts and disappointments of their pasts a situation occurs that may end their chance of a happy future. This is when we are allowed to witness their realization that loving God is truly the first step in having successful relationships. When we accept the love and forgiveness that only He can offer we are free to truly love and forgive others and also ourselves.
I knew Carrie Turansky’s reputation for writing wonderful historical fiction but Seeking His Love proves her ability to write contemporary fiction. This is an updated version of a book first published in 2010 and it is perfect for fans of Christian romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but I voluntarily chose to share my honest opinions.
Seeking His Love is a sweet love story. Who wouldn’t be drawn to handsome widower Cam McKenna. Cam is an excellent male protagonist as he realizes God loves him and is waiting for him to return despite his mistakes. Your heart will go out to Rachel Clark directs the children’s theatre and learns not to hide the truth. I enjoyed this excellent contemporary novel by Carrie Turansky and recommend it to others. I received a complimentary e-book from the author. This is my honest opinion.
I’ve been a fan of Carrie Turansky’s wonderful historical fiction for quite a while, so I was excited to read one of her contemporary books. Seeking His Love is a sweet, clean, inspirational story with endearing and captivating characters. Rachel Clark is a talented, drama teacher who was falsely accused in her previous job. As she tries for a fresh start, she runs into Cameron McKenna who is wounded and hurting from his past. The two are thrown together and find a chemistry, despite misgivings about each other. I enjoyed this tale with its tender message of forgiveness, trust, and hope. I would recommend it to those who enjoy clean inspirational contemporary fiction.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
A sweet story, with a touch of mystery, of a prodigal coming home
My rating is 4.5 stars
Cam is a hero who is hard to not admire. Despite the fact that he doesn’t want Rachel’s theater group to rent space from the co-op, once the decision is made, he can’t stop himself from helping and protecting her. I loved his care and concern for her and for his teen-aged niece.
Rachel is both full of faith and insecure. She had been badly hurt by the accusations that drove her from Seattle. Now, in her new place, she is very hopeful she will be able to put her past behind her. Yet when it appears that her stalker may have followed her, she is afraid to tell Cam lest he reject her.
This is a lovely Prodigal Son themed story. Though that parable is clearly used to help turn the prodigal back to the Father, it is neither trite nor predictable. I cared for the characters and the heartaches they faced. The answer to the mystery and the outcome of the story were a complete surprise.
If you are looking for a shorter book full of hope and faith that will remind you of God’s love through trials, this may be just the book for you.
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I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
I just finished this book by Carrie Turansky over the weekend. It was a pretty quick and thoroughly enjoyable read.
Trying to escape an incident in her past, Rachel moves to Fairhaven hoping to start a new life with new children in her theater group. The first challenge is finding a place to rent. The second is changing Cam’s mind about having children and teenagers around all the time. Forgiveness is a theme that pops up in both Rachel and Cam’s life throughout the story. They both must learn to forgive others and themselves. While surprises arise in their lives, love is the biggest one. Neither expected to fall in love.
Carrie writes in a manner that definitely keeps the reader’s attention. There are so many more things going on in this story than just the main plot line. Definitely another great book by Carrie Turansky you will want to pick up.
This story overflows with the themes of forgiveness and faith! It’s beautifully written and a very enjoyable read!
Rachel’s had to deal with some very difficult things in her life and it leads her to be wary of trusting people. Her growth in this story is very well written! I loved how she’s strong and yet desires protection and love. Cam lost his wife and son in a car accident when a drunk driver hit them. He’s been distant from God ever since and has no desire to try again…until Rachel. Their stories weave together seamlessly and was a really nice progression.
This is a re-release of the book and I’m really looking forward to reading the next two books in the series when they come out later this year!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Seeking His Love by Carrie Turanksy is a marvelous read from start to finish. It is the first book in the Bayside Treasures series. Originally published in 2011 through the Love Inspired series, this version is revised. Those who love good, clean romance will definitely find that here. The characters are real and well developed. They face many challenges and have to deal with loss, pain, and false accusations. This is a fantastic read and I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the author with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
In the quaint setting of Fairhaven, Washington, Seeking His Love is a quick and enjoyable read. The artistic characters have unique personalities that when combined become an interesting community who all utilize the same building. I appreciated the realistic struggles of faith the characters faced when dealing with hurts from the past. Turansky’s story displays the importance of trust and friendship. The lessons in grace and forgiveness demonstrate that investing in other people has true rewards. Overall, this novel is a fun contemporary romance for readers of all ages. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This is an enjoyable story about two people who have both struggled with heartbreaking situations in their past. Rachel is trying to rebuild her life after false accusations cost her a teaching position. Cam feels responsible for the accident that took the lives of his wife and child. As the Fairhaven community begins to establish a Christian Youth Theater, they find that they need to set aside their differences to help the young people in their town. Rachel and Cam’s romance has a rocky start. As they work together, they discover that their new beginning might just include each other.
This is a sweet and clean Christian romance that encourages faith, trust, and love. I could see this book making a charming Hallmark movie. This story is just the right length for those times when you need something lighter to read. This is the first book in the “Bayside Treasures” series set in the community of Fairhaven. There are great characters in this community, and I believe this will be a good series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Seeking His Love was such an enjoyable contemporary romance to read. However, it was so much more, as well! Some of the topics this book explored were grief, guilt, forgiveness, gossip, and faith, just to name a few.
I liked both of these main characters. Even though Cam started off the story as a very gruff person, I thought the author did a great job of portraying him as a hurting soul who had lost his way and had stepped back from his relationship with God.
I appreciated the way that Rachel was open about her faith and worked to help Cam and his niece navigate through a very trying time. Yet, even Rachel had things she continued to struggle with and she fearfully kept silent about a situation from her past.
This was a story that was hard to set down once I started reading it. I look forward to reading more in the series. Seeking His Love was originally published in 2011 through Love Inspired and is now updated for new readers.
(4.5 stars)
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
This is the first contemporary romance I’ve read by Carrie Turansky and it was quite enjoyable. It is also a book that was released in 2010 but revamped. I can’t wait to read the other two books in the series where we can meet other residents in Fairhaven, Washington! The book is well-written with a smoothly flowing plot, real and hurting characters, and an overarching theme of need for forgiveness and God’s grace.
Cam is a young widower who has changed his entire career trajectory after losing his wife and son. He’s resourceful, hard-working, and loyal though a bit judgmental and harsh at times. Rachel is the director of a Christian youth theater group who is loving, compassionate, and talented though her past mistakes haunt her. As their past and present collide, both Cam and Rachel must overcome the barriers they’ve erected to find and receive forgiveness because that’s the only way their futures will align.
I received a copy of the book from the author and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
A sweet contemporary story about second chances, covering themes of forgiveness, honesty and families being reunited. Both Cam and Rachel have experienced trouble and pain in their lives. Cam lost his wife and young son four years ago and blames himself. Rachel lost contact with her father at a very young age. Later she experiences false accusations and her reputation is destroyed before she left town and moved to Fairhaven, Washington. I enjoyed every page, watching how they learned to trust God, grow spiritually, and overcome their troubles.
I was given a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author, but was not required to write a review. The thoughts and comments are my own.
A beautiful story of forgiveness. Wonderful characters that all have troubles and are true to life. The author draws the reader in from the first page and doesn’t let go until the last sentence of the book. The story tells how we all make mistakes and even hurt those we love, but because of God’s love and forgiveness we can forgive and be forgiven. This was beautifully written with wonderful characters making me wish I could give it 10 stars!
Turansky has written a sweet novel about forgiveness and redemption. Vivid word pictures put me right in Fairhaven, making me want to visit this quaint town and get to know its residents.
Rachel has a heart for the Lord and follows him with a sincerity I admired. My favorite thought of hers was this—But she was definitely not going to let herself get carried away with romantic daydreams about him. She had no idea where he stood spiritually. And that was much more important than outward appearance or superficial kindness.
I was glad to see a heroine with godly character and self-control, which of course comes from her knowledge of the Word of God and her relationship with Christ. Is Rachel perfect? No. She has flaws like we all do but as Christians we are called to be set apart from the world and this is how she behaves–set apart.
Cam has suffered a devastating loss and basically walked away from the Lord. When he comes to the realization that God has never left him, his restoration is moving and realistic. I liked Cam’s character a lot.
My review is based on a revised and updated version of Seeking His Love provided by the author. I read the original back in 2010 or 2011. No review required. No compensation received.
When widower Cam finds himself the caretaker of his 14 year-old niece for the summer, he asks Rachel Clark, the new youth community drama director for help. Cam has been mourning his wife and son for four years and has no desire for a relationship. Rachel has fled a bad situation and is being cautious, too. Together, can they allow God to heal their hurts? Especially when an old and painful past intrudes? Sweet story of love, forgiveness and honesty and of how God works things for good to those that believe and are called according to His purpose.
*My thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Carrie Turansky expertly weaves the themes of faith and forgiveness throughout this contemporary tale. While I have been a fan of Turansky’s books for years, I have not read one of her contemporary stories until now. I simply adore her historicals but was relieved to find that she was able to switch genres with ease.
Rachel Clarke is hoping for a fresh start as the new director of the NorthCoast Christian Youth Theater Group. She befriends a widower who is trying to escape past memories as well. I really liked how Rachel maintained a strong faith walk in spite of her troubles. Rachel and Cam find that honesty and forgiveness are key if they hope to repair their respective family relationships and help the theater group and art center succeed.
One of my favorite quotes:
“Finding your way home is worth the journey, no matter how far you have to travel or how long it takes.”
Seeking His Love was previously published by Love Inspired in 2011 and has been revised and updated for new readers to enjoy. I am looking forward to reading Book 2 and 3 when they release later this year.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.