Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won’t be able to do it alone.For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, … Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He’s determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn’t expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.
Debut author Rachel Fordham invites historical romance readers to the charming town of Azure Springs, Iowa, where the people care deeply for one another and, sometimes, even fall in love.
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With unusual charm and warmth, Rachel Fordham opens the door to Azure Springs, a place as memorable as the people who inhabit it.
Hands down, I absolutely loved reading this book. It’s full of adventures and a little bit of romance too. If you like reading historical fiction books, then you’ll like reading this story. I look forward to reading more books by this author!
This book is one of the best books I have read this year. You are immediately drawn into the book and it’s characters. You feel as though you are right there on the train, or on the horse, even chasing the dog. I love both books written by this author and can’t wait to read more of her books as they come out. Once you read her books, I believe you will be hooked!
This delightful book about the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love will keep you turning pages until the very end.
The Hope of Azure Springs is an EXCELLENT story. I 1000% loved every second of this book. I was astounded when I discovered that this is Mrs. Fordham’s debut novel. WHAT?! NO WAY!!! This book is so well-written. The characters are wonderful, especially Em and Caleb, the plot is thoroughly engaging, the emotional moments in this book had me sobbing and reaching for tissue, and the romance is perfect. This book feels like it is written by a pro with many, many novels under her belt. I cannot wait to see what Mrs. Fordham has in store for readers next.
My 9th grade religious studies teacher always began class with a 10-minute journal assignment. One day, the prompt asked my class to discuss one insecurity we struggled with on a regular basis. I am the short, squat daughter of a stunning mother who is a size 4. You can imagine what one of my insecurities at 14 may have been. In the middle of writing my response, I felt my teacher’s presence hovering behind me. When I looked back, I noticed my teacher reading my response over my shoulder. She came around to face me and proclaimed that I was an ugly duckling. She said not to worry though because most ugly ducklings turn to swans, so there was hope for me to feel differently about myself. My teacher’s words that day devastated me. I wish I could tell you that this was just one really bad teacher-student moment, and that my teacher was an exception. But, that would be a lie. I have a horrid memory from when I was 7 — a boy told our entire class I looked ugly like a clown. I have another terrible memory at 13 — my mother slapped me in the stomach and told me to suck it in cause no one likes a fat girl. I have many more stories just like these. I guess when you’re not “perfect” people feel like they have the right to tell you all of your flaws. Maybe it makes them feel better? I’m not sure, but I do know that all of these comments have stored up in my heart. Whenever I read a book with a plain Jane heroine, she immediately endears herself to me. I feel like plain Janes and I are kindred spirits.
Em, the heroine of this novel, is a plain Jane. By the end of chapter one, I knew she would be my second favorite heroine — second only to Jane Eyre herself. Em is an excellent heroine. In one review that I read for The Hope of Azure Springs, the reviewer calls Em “unconventional.” I’m not a fan of that word. It’s a word many people use to describe the plain girl heroine. Em is amazing. She is feisty, strong, and very brave. She has been through so much bad, but does not let any of the bad turn her negative. She doesn’t whine. She doesn’t complain. Em is good. I mean the kind of good Jesus wants us to be. I don’t think Em is “unconventional.” I think Em is exceptional. Her beauty is bigger and better than the pretty girls in the novel because her beauty isn’t skin-deep. Em’s beauty is soul-deep. I love how she treats people. I love how hard she works. When my daughter is old enough to read a novel of this length, I am without a doubt giving her The Hope of Azure Springs. Em is a great example for my daughter to emulate!
The Hope of Azure Springs is a wonderful novel. It’s highly engaging. It’s deeply meaningful and emotional. And, it’s romantic and sweet and uplifting. This story and its characters will stick with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book, and give it 5+++++ STARS.
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via NetGalley and Just Read Tours. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Title: The Hope of Azure Springs
Author: Rachel Fordham
Pages: 336
Year: 2018
Publisher: Revell
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Em has experienced a lot of pain and grief in her life. Her parents were killed in an epidemic fever that spread through her town. She is put on an orphan train with her younger sister and sent away from home and all she has known. Her sister is taken by a family, but Em is not, leaving her alone to be given to her guardian. For seven years she has lived with this poor man, cleaning and cooking for him when there is enough food. She is barely able to survive. Then, two men kill her guardian, shoot her and leave her for dead. She is discovered and recovers under the care of a loving family in town. She has been saving every penny she can in the hopes of buying a train ticket and finding her sister. She has grieved over their separation for seven years. The local sheriff promises to protect her until the gunmen are apprehended.
Caleb Reynolds never thought he would be sheriff. He has taken the job to make a good reputation for himself and hopefully make his parents proud of him. He feels he has been a disappoint to them. His older brothers died in the Civil War, leaving Caleb as his parents’ only child. To be a good sheriff, he thinks he must solve every crime that presents itself. Em’s shooting and her guardian’s death are no exception. If he can just solve enough crimes, he will be good enough for his parents. He doesn’t count on having fun with Em as she recovers from her injury or beginning to care for her beyond friendship.
This such a good romance! I loved Em’s character! She had such a loving heart, caring, compassionate heart, especially with the Howell’s youngest children. She had grit to survive in terrible conditions; yet, she kept her sweet heart. I would have liked to have seen more references to God and faith.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
Absolutely loved this! One of my favorite books!
Great read from new author, Rachel Fordman. Ever wondered about the reality of the Orphan Train? This historical romance opens in the town of Azure Springs, Iowa. Em is a plain young abused woman who travels from NY to Iowa with her sister on the Orphan Train, but they are separated. Em is adopted by a trapper who is kind but difficult and living conditions are hard. George is murdered by robbers, she is shot but is able to flee to town seeking help. She is taken in by strangers, unconscious. Enter Sheriff Caleb Reynolds who becomes determined to find the perpetrators. The story is touching. Get to know the townspeople of Azure Springs and the scars and victories of Em and Caleb as romance blooms and hope proves victorious.
I absolutely loved this book, I couldn’t put it down I had to read it cover to cover!
I love some many things about this book and I’ll try to not give anything away. I love how strong Em is, how she pieces together her life but finds happiness along the way. I love the part about saying we don’t realize we’re answers to other people’s prayer. Caleb is handsome and strong and it takes him a while to figure things out but my favorite part is the epilogue, its the perfect ending. I think whenever I see sunshine I’ll think of this book.
Debut author Rachel Fordham is one to keep your eye on. She has crafted an exquisite masterpiece filled with deep emotion. Hope whispers softly though the pages of this captivating novel. I read it in one sitting.
Recommend to readers who enjoy inspirational, historical fiction.
I won a copy. I’ve expressed my honest opinion.
Praise from the Clean Romance Team:u2060
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“Beautiful debut about love, hope and finding family.”u2060
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“Inspirational Western novel that left me wanting to follow Em’s example and touch the lives of all around me for good.”u2060
I won this book in a giveaway that asked who you would give the book to. I said my daughter so I gave her the book for Christmas. I didn’t have a chance to read it before I gave it to her though. But recently I borrowed it from her so I could finally have a turn.
My heart ached for Em and the traumatic childhood she’d endured. And I cried. Real tears. Em’s sense of survival and determination to succeed in her goals was admirable. I think I might have just curled up and died at some point during those seven years after being separated from her sister. It was amazing that she could influence so many for good after what she’d been through. I did wonder a little at her ease in speaking since she’d spent 7 years in near silence. Maybe she talked to herself the whole time.
It was an interesting concept about us not realizing that we may be blessing others while they are blessing us. I have definitely experienced that. And both sides feel like they are getting the better end of the deal. Em felt like she had nothing to give to people who were blessing her. In reality she gave them a lot.
I liked Caleb but he was slow to come around. He needed a good knock in the head to figure out his feelings. I felt like he maybe could have realized his love earlier than he did. But he was a good man even if he was dense.
George was confusing to me but since Em didn’t understand him I don’t know why I should. Margaret may have been my favorite character in the book along with Millie and Mae.
Christian themes were pretty light and seemed to come out of the blue. If you don’t want those themes in a book this one might be okay anyway because there just wasn’t a lot of it. If you love Christian Lit you are going to want more.
The premise of the book was interesting and a little horrifying at the same time. I’m surprised this was a first book for Ms Fordham. It didn’t feel like a first publication book. I felt like the story dragged a little in the middle with some repetition about Em’s insecurities etc. but overall I enjoyed the book very much.
Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: yes
Hard to find the words to describe how much I loved this book. The characters are so endearing. I laughed and cried and felt inspired.
What a glorious emotional journey that took me on. I probably cried at least 4 times before it was over. I really enjoyed the underlying messages through out the book: how does one define beauty, how do we overcome feelings of being unloved and unwanted, and how to we find the strength to press forward when life becomes almost unbearable? Em was an absolute gem of a character. I haven’t enjoyed a heroine this much in awhile, I found myself wishing I could give her a hug and spend the day with her. The relationship between her and Caleb felt so genuine and sweet. I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
Synopsis:
Sheriff Caleb Reynolds dreams of a quiet life, but feels the need to continue to defend his town to make his parents proud. When a gunshot victim is brought to town, he expects the case to be straightforward, like many of the other cases he’s solved over the years. But nothing about Em is straightforward. She’s a waif of a woman who quickly worms her way into the hearts of those who meet her. Through her stories, hard work, and kindness, she’s quickly touching the lives of all those who call Azure Springs home, the sheriff included. But can Caleb find and bring down the outlaws after her before it’s too late? And what of the sister Em is so determined to find? With so much struggle stacked against them, happily ever after may linger just outside of Caleb and Em’s reach.
Review:
For me, The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham started like most western romances, I enjoyed the opening and appreciated the story. By the end, it had sucked me in with an emotional story that tugged on all of my heart strings. I won’t spoil it, but I have to say the ending is one of the most satisfying endings I’ve ever read. After finishing I immediately texted my sister and told her she needs to move this book higher up in her TBR pile because I NEED to discuss the ending with someone. Haha This book is filled with powerful characters you can’t help but love and a wonderful setting you’ll want to return to. If you love western romance, I highly recommend The Hope of Azure Springs.
A LOVELY DEBUT!
I just knew I would enjoy author Rachel Fordham’s debut novel after reading the first line: “She’s dead?” This western romance set in 1881 Iowa grabbed me from the start, with a cast of endearing characters I wanted to cheer for! There is nineteen-year-old Em, who seven years ago was shipped out west on an orphan train and now tries to piece together her life after enduring a nightmare in foster care. And she has only one goal in mind: to find her lost little sister.
Caleb, the town sheriff of Azure Springs, longs to make a name for himself and determines to protect Em from those who would harm her and he offers to help discover the whereabouts of her missing sister. But as the stakes rise along with the danger, Em and Caleb both realize there’s more between them than friendship and the offer of a helping hand; and when the truth is finally revealed, both must make a choice between their lifelong dreams and the future.
The Hope of Azure Springs is a poignant, compelling story guaranteed to warm your heart, and a favorite among readers who love Christian historical fiction!
I absolutely love this beautiful story by Rachel Fordham. The characters are lovable, the content is well written and well edited, and the story is emotional. The storyline will take you from tears to joy throughout the book. Make sure that you have time to read because once you get to chapter 17 you won’t put it down until you finish it. The ending is so beautiful and the epilogue leaves you with an ending you will think about for days.
This is a beautiful book that is appropriate for a teen reader also. There are Christian themes of hardship, how we treat people, selfishness vs selflessness and a character much like Nellie on Little House that you will love to hate. Congratulations, Rachel, on a beautiful story that many will enjoy for years to come.
The original plan was to read this as part of a read along, but I had to set it aside partway through… it was absolutely worth the wait! I wept and rejoiced with every new chapter in Em’s story. She was surviving—broken, neglected, unloved, and unworthy—yet through a bizarre turn of events, she is forced to embark on a new life in Azure Springs. There she meets a cast of characters who reshape her life—a family who slowly becomes her own, and shows her that she is worthy of love, a somewhat misdirected sheriff Caleb, who becomes a close friend and confidant, and Margaret, who is so full of the best kinds of wisdom. Em has so much to get through before she can choose her own path, but somehow all of the heartbreak she endures points her right to the prince who sees her for the princess that she is. Unforgettable!
I really enjoyed reading this book. As the story began, I felt so badly for Em. Not only had she been injured in an attack where she lived, but it became clear that she was malnourished and had a lot of emotional pain in her life. To top it off, she heard comments about how plain she was and how she wasn’t a beauty. However, as the weeks passed, it became clear that Em possessed the best kind of beauty there was, the kind that radiated from the inside and affected everyone around her.
I enjoyed watching the growth of Caleb’s character. There were a few moments in the book when Caleb did something or said something that indicated that he didn’t really understand true beauty and how to look beyond a pretty face. However, Caleb learned what was important and what was fleeting and it was wholly satisfying to see the man he became by the end of the book.
(4.5 stars)