Sunday, October 2, 2022

Review: Like the Wind by Robin Lee Hatcher

Releases: November 29, 2022 

Genre: Dual-Timeline, Women's Fiction 
Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
Releases: Nov. 29, 2022
336 pages
About the Book:

A life in pieces. A hundred-year-old journal. And a chance for love to be reborn.

Olivia Ward arrived in Bethlehem Springs alone—with no job, no home, and no money—after her manipulative ex-husband used his power and wealth to destroy everything. Six years later, the peaceful life she rebuilt is once again turned upside down when she learns that her fifteen-year-old daughter, Emma, will be coming to live with her. The reunion should be a dream come true, but years of deception have driven a wedge between them. And Emma seems more interested in an old diary she discovered than reconciliation with her mother.

Tyler Murphy knows what it’s like to lose everything. Propelled by his history in the foster-care system, he’s determined to root out dishonesty and protect the most vulnerable through his work as an investigator. When he’s hired to investigate Olivia Ward, though, he finds himself longing to believe she’s exactly who she appears to be, and he soon realizes that his desire to learn more about her has nothing to do with his job. But how can he pursue a relationship that began with a lie?
  

My Rating & Thoughts:    


Upon starting the story, it did not take me very long to feel for Olivia. She has been through so much hardship due to her ex-husband. He was able to use his wealth and power to keep her daughter, Emma, away from her out of spite. When her daughter, Emma, moves in with Olivia 6 years later they are basically strangers to each another. The tension between them felt real and relatable. The way their relationship developed over the course of time felt natural. We saw Emma transform from a bitter, mad teen to someone who found something they enjoy and make friends. We see Olivia learn to lean on God and open herself up to those around her. I liked the character of Tyler, he truly was a nice guy and was sensitive towards Olivia’s feelings. I do wish he would have shared his secret with Olivia much earlier than he did, but I understand why he held back.  I really enjoyed that the historical portion of the story was told completely through diary entries. These were interesting to read and I found myself learning more about what some experienced during the depression years. The diary writer did question God at times but also shared how they saw Him at work in their lives. I could easily understand how Emma was captivated by the diary entries. Her experiences are quite different from the writer, but she was experiencing some of the same feelings. This was a sweet family relationship story with a budding romance between Olivia and Tyler. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between mother and daughter improve. I found the faith message to be inspiring and overall I enjoyed spending time in this story. 

Favourite Quote: 
“She hadn't always understood God or what He was doing but she'd believe in Him and had trusted Him even when she was hurting.”

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

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