Two women, three hundred years apart, must face the devastation of all they hold dear… Suspecting her husband is having an affair, Sarah Rodrigues fights to appear unbroken while attempting to salvage her family. Though distracted by her own troubles, Sarah is summoned to an elderly friend’s deathbed for an unusual request—find a long-lost daughter and relay a centuries-old family story. … relay a centuries-old family story.
Determined not to fail her friend, Sarah pieces together the story of her neighbor’s ancestor, Elizabeth Baker, a young colonist forced into an unwanted betrothal but drawn to a man forbidden by society. While Sarah’s family teeters on the edge of collapse, her world is further shaken by the interest of a caring doctor and a terrible accident that threatens a life more precious than her own.
Inspired by the unconditional love she uncovers in Elizabeth’s story, Sarah strives to forgive those who’ve wounded her soul. But when light shines on the dark secrets of her neighbor’s past and the full extent of her husband’s sins, will looking to a power greater than herself rekindle lost hope?
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This is an amazing story. I struggle to write a review that will do it justice. I’ve loved Heidi Chiavaroli’s stories since her very first book. Author Heidi Chiavaroli writes themes that you can identify with and stories that tug at your heart. The Edge of Mercy involves two women, 300 years apart both of whom have to deal with difficult situations and the the author deftly deals with the raw emotions of love, forgiveness, and mercy. I love stories where you simply have no idea how it’s going to end. The Edge of Mercy was just that kind of story for me. If you like time-slip novels that deal with real issues, and give you hope, this story is for you! I loved it and highly recommend you get a copy of The Edge of Mercy.
This is the second book I have read by author Chiavaroli and what I have learned is that she can take really bad and desperate situations and infuse a lot of hope in them. This one is my favorite, though at times this is not an easy read.
This is a novel about a woman, Sarah, who is navigating new waters as her husband of 17 years has asked for a break. This is a devastating blow as she thought their marriage, maybe a bit routine, was doing well. Not only that but he has asked that he take their 16 year old son with him for the summer so they can work together on the landscaping jobs. In the midst of all of this, Sarah’s neighbor’s dying wish is for Sarah to find her daughter and give her Elizabeth’s story.
Elizabeth is the neighbor’s ancestor and she lived and wrote a journal about her time around King Phillip’s War in 1675. This story shows a young woman who does not want to marry whom her sick father has chosen and instead finds herself caught between two men, Abram a Native American and Caleb her father’s chosen husband for her.
As we go through Sarah’s life and we read along with her about Elizabeth’s, both stories take unexpected turns and revelations that are brought into the light that end up rocking both women’s worlds.
This was a very emotional read and I was pulled into both women’s struggles, hoping for the best for them yet wondering as they did how can they ever go back to normal? The answer is that they can’t and this story takes the reader on the journey with them revealing some really important truths about unconditional love, what forgiveness looks like, and undeserved mercy. I like how the author ended the stories, especially the contemporary one.
I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
Engaging read of a timeslip novel.
Heidi is a gifted author and I enjoyed this book!
This is a time slip novel where we are wrapped up in a present day story of Sarah and Matt while Sarah is reading and transcribing an old story of Elizabeth during colonial times and conflicts with natives.
I appreciated the honesty of Sarah while she struggled with Matt and her marriage then other family trauma.
The story of Elizabeth was tenderly and also honestly told. Even more fun was the actual history interwoven into this fictional tale.
I felt like I could relate to the characters, they were well developed and I like how the author wrote of their self reflection.
I do enjoy a story that wraps up loose ends and this one did that nicely but not in a totally predictable fairy tale fashion.
Edge of mercy was engaging, brutally honest, deep, interesting, introspective, and relatable. I also like that the author includes discussion questions at the end for small groups. I like reading the questions just to bring the message home in my head as well.
Overall a great book and I recommend the read.
I received this book as an advanced read for my honest review.
This is a wonderful book! It is a time slip novel that takes place in the present and in the years 1675 and 1676. Heidi writes a beautiful story of love and forgiveness. She interweaves the lives of Elizabeth and Sarah in such a way that a lovely story is connected between the centuries. It’s a story of God’s love and mercy and how beauty does come from the ashes. This is a must read book and I highly recommend it. Heidi is one of my favorite authors and this is now one of my favorite books!
Oh how I love a well-crafted story. Oh how I love a time-slip novel with compelling characters. Oh how I love books revealing important messages of hope, love and faith. The Edge of Mercy is such a book.
This is one of those stories that makes me want to rush through, yet I force myself to slow down so I can savor each nuance. The opening scene captures my attention and emotions swiftly. Sarah has a softness about her that stands out to me, and her emotions feel raw and authentic. I enjoy Elizabeth’s story as well but connect more closely to Sarah.
Redemption. Restoration. Faith. Forgiveness. Powerful, emotional, and enlightening themes. Love it!
First Line: I slipped the two rings off my finger to cradle them in my palm.
Source: I received an advanced review copy (ARC) from the publisher with no obligation to post a positive review.
The Edge of Mercy is a fantastic story of love and redemption! This book is thought-provoking, emotional, and beautiful! Heidi Chiavaroli weaves a tale both historical and modern that will pull you in and keep you reading til the last page. Sarah, modern day, and Elizabeth, historical, are two strong, determined leading ladies. I love how reading Elizabeth’s story helped Sarah figure some things out in her own life and how Ms. Chiavaroli pulled their two stories together. This story is incredible and well worth your time!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.
Like all of the books by Heidi Chiavaroli that I have read, THE EDGE OF MERCY is sometimes difficult to read, but oh, so important and rewarding for the wisdom and spiritual nuggets it imparts. Sarah has been married seventeen years to her high school sweetheart, Matt. They have a sixteen year old son, Kyle. Sarah is surprised and devastated when Matt tells her he has rented a cottage in another town and will be spending the summer there doing a large job for his landscaping business. Kyle will spend the summer working and living with him. Matt wants a break from their marriage. Around the same time, their elderly neighbor, Barb, has a heart attack. Before she passes, she entreats Sarah to transcribe a journal of her ancestor, Elizabeth Baker, and then contact her estranged daughter. As Sarah reads the journal, written in 1675-76, she gleans much wisdom and hope that helps her with her situation with Matt. Having gone through marital discord of my own, I could relate to Sarah and thought her character was written with authenticity. Issues of infidelity, forgiveness, depth and different forms of love, and discovering the One solid rock are explored with sensitivity. I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the author. All thoughts are my own.
This is my third book by Heidi Chiavaroli, and I have definitely become a fan. I love time-slip novels, and Heidi does an excellent job of weaving the two story lines between past and present together. All of her books are well researched and the historical storyline, Prince Phillip’s War, was one I was not familiar with, which led me to look up further information about the topic. The contemporary storyline deals with a common yet timely issue of a marriage on the verge of divorce, while the historical storyline, told through diary entries, focuses on a young woman who falls in love with a Native, which is forbidden by society. However, she is being courted by a settler who loves her even after finding out about her affections for the native. I think the historical storyline was my favorite, but Heidi did a wonderful job of intertwining the message of Christ’s love and second chances. I look forward to reading future books by Heidi Chiavaroli in the future.
I’m so glad Heidi Chiavaroli decided one day to write books.
How far is too far gone for restoration? How deep is too deep to be healed?
Throughout this story, in two timelines, with a deft hand, Heidi once again weaves together something that is as painful as it is beautiful, as raw as it is honest. And full of truth, freedom, and love.
And love, they say, covers a multitude of sins.
I’m not in a similar season of life as the characters in “The Edge of Mercy” and I wondered how well I would connect to them. But then I remembered how Heidi’s previous books had completely stolen my heart even if there wasn’t much in the plot I could relate to. No, it’s the spiritual turmoil and unraveling that matches my heart to the characters, taking me closer to God as they get closer to Him. But also, dropping enough crumbs on the floor to help me get to Him on my own. And isn’t that the journey these characters face? Finding their own intimacy, their own expression, their own faith.
I absolutely LOVED this book! Heidi Chiavaroli doesn’t shy away from hard topics and I praise her for that! She does this with so much grace! Her books are so deep and raw. This book touched my heart. I truly felt Sarah’s pain and heartbreak! I really loved the message of hope that shone through the darkness. This is one book that I know I will read again! Definitely one of the best books of 2019!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Oh my this author broke my heart and put it back together. I really don’t know why I have been blessed to read such heart-touching books of such great authors. This is my first book by this author and I stayed up late reading just trying to find out what’s going to happen next. I’m not a peeper, flipping to the end so I wanted to finish but didn’t want the book to end. A thought provoking soul stirring book all the way to the end! A romance but so much more than just a romance. Two stories within one book that parallels, each with lessons to learn. Tragedy, infidelity, war, love, hope, redemption and faith all in this book. What more real life issues can you read about? Both stories tore me up so get ready to shed some tears. If you can read this book without being emotional more power to you. I will definitely be reading more of this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I so enjoyed this book. I had such a hard time putting it down and when I did, I just kept thinking about the characters and where the story was going to take them. Well written and well worth your time!
I received a free advance copy for review. Opinion is entirely my own.
Wow! I’m speechless, in the best way. Having read (and loved!) all of this author’s previous books I automatically signed up to review this one without even knowing what it was about! Based solely on the fact that it’s a Heidi Chiavaroli novel I knew that I would be swept away and would hate to put the book down, both of which happened almost instantly. I was completely engaged in the story and was rooting for the characters from the start! The Edge of Mercy is an emotionally rich, soul-stirring read, it grabbed hold of my heart and wouldn’t let go! I feel that God has used this book to change my heart and encourage my faith, and if you read it I have no doubt that He will speak to your heart through it as well!
This isn’t an easy, lighthearted read, but if you are looking for a book that will grab your heart and take you on a journey that will impact your life for the better then The Edge of Mercy is the perfect choice!
I loved this book and am so happy to have read it! I highly recommend The Edge of Mercy and cannot wait for Heidi Chiavaroli’s next book!
I received an ebook copy of this book from the publisher which did not influence my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.
“The Edge of Mercy” is another stellar book by Heidi Chiavaroli. The author has written several time slip books, and the talent she has for weaving Colonial age tales with contemporary ones is amazing. While none of her books are without struggle or tears, there always remains a sliver of hope, based on the characters’ relationship with Christ. The reader can tell the author researches her respective time periods well.
“The Edge of Mercy” delves into marital issues, infidelity, anger, grief, hidden family secrets–lots of tough topics, which is not unusual for her books. However, Chiavaroli knows how to address difficult issues without the characters becoming hardened, which is a good thing. Authenticity matters!
On the contemporary side of the novel, we learn of Sarah and Matt Rodrigues, a couple who are facing the possibility of divorce after 17 years of marriage. Through their journey, Sarah is also asked to transcribe the journal of Elizabeth Baker, linking the contemporary character to the Colonial character. She does this at the behest of a friend who is near death, seeking to absolve past problems and unearth long buried family secrets.
Sarah is a very powerful character, and her emotions are palpable. It draws the reader into a place of heartache and frustration, as Matt’s character is quite a piece of work. As Sarah understands how difficult it is to be married to someone who does not share her faith, she learns more about why she believes what she does and how our faith is not something we can absorb by osmosis through our families or other positive influences. Our faith must be relational and personal, not assumed.
The reader also glimpses the work that marriage can be, both when we tend to it and when we ignore it, hoping the problems get better. The Colonial character, Elizabeth sums it up best in her journal : “Even as love is an object of but two people, it is shaped and formed by others, by the circumstances that surround it. It can grow, or it can shrivel.”
Chiavaroli crafts characters based on true places and times and continues to confront and deal with issues a lot of CF authors do not like to, which as a reader, I appreciate. Life is not always easily traversed, and we need stories that we can identify with in a world that is imperfect. Honesty and vulnerability brings the story to the forefront and allows the reader to empathize with the characters and hope for better days to come.
Thanks to Hope Creek Publishers, I was an early reader. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a review. Chiavaroli’s work is an encouragement to me and I was excited to have the chance to review.
Heidi Chiavaroli writes some of the best timeslip novels that I have read. Her writing and stories always grab me from the first page. This story is no different. I was sucked in from the beginning and read it in three sittings. I slightly preferred the historical story. That being said, I was more invested in the characters from the storyline that takes place in the present.
Matt and Sarah’s story literally made my heart ache. Seemingly, out of the blue, Matt decides they need to take a break – actually that he needs a break from Sarah and their marriage. There was so much pain and, at least for Sarah, so many unanswered questions. I really wanted Matt’s point of view throughout the story. I wished I could have known what was going through his mind. Sarah’s main goal was to do whatever she needed to do to make their marriage work and Elizabeth’s journals gave her the hope she needed . I really want to say more about Matt and Sarah and how I feel about their whole story, but that would totally go into spoiler territory.
Elizabeth’s story is told totally through her journals. It is a story of the hardships incurred during the colonial times and one of unconditional love. I loved the character of Abram and I can say no more ~spoilers. I also loved Caleb. He shows us what unconditional love really is. I can’t wait to see what Heidi brings us next!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
This was such a beautiful redemptive story about love and marriage. This book was a dual timeline of sorts, but different from this author’s other dual timeline novels. This one fully takes place in present day, but our heroine is tasked with transcribing a journal from 1675 and so from the journal entries, we learn the story of Elizabeth.
Sarah Rodrigues has always been content with what she has – a wonderful husband, an amazing son, good friends and neighbors and her part-time nursing job. Until one day, when her husband requests “a break” for the summer, asking to take their son with him to teach him hard work and get to spend time with him. All of a sudden, that which was most important is suddenly gone. When her neighbor leaves her the mysterious task of finding her daughter and transcribing this journal, Sarah finds it as something to do since her house is empty, but as she goes, she learns a great deal from Elizabeth’s story. She comes to believe that was her neighbor’s intent all along.
This book (like Ms. Chiavaroli’s other novels) is emotionally wrought and has “all the feels”. She deals with difficult topics such as death, divorce, infidelity, and physical trauma, but gives us such a satisfying ending to the story. I would recommend this one to anyone who is struggling in love and/or enjoys emotionally laden satisfying stories. I’ll leave you with a quote from Elizabeth’s journal: “Even as love is an object of but two people, it is shaped and formed by others, by the circumstances that surround it. It can grow, or it can shrivel.”
Special thanks to the author and Hope Creek Publishers for an advanced copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.
Sarah and Elizabeth are two determined women whose stories are centuries apart. Each woman’s life is filled with heartache, hope, faith, and love. As Sarah transcribes Elizabeth’s journal, she learns from what Elizabeth has experienced. Heidi’s stories are compelling, real, gritty, and fully of hope. Her writing takes you into the middle of the experience.
Originally posted on the Inkwell Inspirations blog:
https://www.inkwellinspirations.com/2019/04/the-edge-of-mercy-by-heidi-chiararoli.html?m=1#more
In her latest time-slip novel, Heidi Chiavaroli creates an extremely compelling story filled with deep raw emotion and authenticity. She tackles difficult topics such as infidelity and pregnancy outside of marriage, while giving hope for the future and the realization of God’s grace and love.
The Edge of Mercy tells the contemporary story of Sarah and Matt, whose seventeen-year marriage is crumbling. When Matt moves out for the summer and acquires a new woman in his life, Sarah finds herself broken and unsure of her future. After an unusual request written in her late neighbor Barb’s will, Sarah begins transcribing the journals of Barb’s 17th century ancestor Elizabeth from the local historical museum. The journals take the readers back to the time of King Philip’s War in the late 1600s and the Legend of Abram’s rock. Elizabeth finds herself attracted to an intriguing Native American named Abram, while her secure, dependable neighbor Caleb seeks her hand in marriage. The growing tension and fighting between the settlers and Native Americans place Elizabeth in extreme danger. Sarah begins to see similarities between her circumstances and what Elizabeth experienced in the 17th century. Can Sarah find healing and repair her marriage or is it too late for her and Matt?
Heidi Chiavaroli is known for writing thought-provoking time-slip novels that take readers out of their comfort zone, while at the same time, drawing them closer to their faith. Forgiveness, enduring love, and second chances are important themes in this novel. The Edge of Mercy is highly recommended for fans of contemporary and historical fiction, and readers who enjoy time-slip novels by authors such as Melanie Dobson, Rachel Hauck, and Sarah Monzon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
The Edge of Mercy by Heidi Chiavaroli is a well-written time-slip novel that oozes with raw emotion, authenticity, and deep themes. It took a few chapters for the book to really grab me, but once it did, I didn’t want to put it down. The time-slip component was not at all confusing and I enjoyed how both stories wove together.
The Edge of Mercy gave me all the feels. Sadness, shock, tension, and hope. There’s a rawness and authenticity about Sarah as she struggles with shattered expectations and an uncertain future. The novel addresses gritty, real life issues of marriage and infidelity. Tucked into these prominent themes are quieter, but important truths about life, love, and God. One quote I loved: “It’s about finding hope when we’re at our weakest. About the power of God’s love, and our potential to love one another.”
The Edge of Mercy is the first book I’ve read by Heidi Chiavaroli and now I’m eager to read her others. I recommend this women’s fiction novel to readers looking for a moving story of heartache, hope, and love. 4.5 Stars!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This is the first of Heidi Chiavaroli’s books that I have read, but it won’t be the last! In The Edge of Mercy, Chiavaroli reminded me that there is power in stories. This poignant dual time frame novel involves characters finding hope in the difficult circumstances of life and the power of love and forgiveness. I liked that these lessons were learned from the story of another’s life. None of these conflicts involved quick fixes but instead the author portrayed real emotions, fears and steps toward true change and that I especially appreciate. The research involved in the historical section was evident and well balanced with the realistic contemporary section. Mostly, it was the well written heart stirring storyline that had me putting things on hold to finish this story. I was given a copy of this book by the author. All opinions are my own.