Marlene's Reviews > Revealed

Revealed is the second book in Tamera Alexander's Fountain Creek Chronicles series. It is standalone, and does not reveal much about the plot of the first book. I really enjoyed the first book, Rekindled, over a year ago, and the book was memorable enough for me to recall the plot. I even remembered Matthew Taylor, who was a secondary character in it and is the hero in Revealed. Revealed is a Christian historical romance set in 1870 in the Colorado Territory and then in Idaho.

The book begins with Annabelle and her dying husband, Jonathan. Annabelle was a former prostitute purchased into freedom so he could marry her. Annabelle cared for Jonathan, but was incapable of loving him the way she wanted to. Now she is faced with the daunting tasks of burying her husband and traveling to Idaho to claim his homestead, which is now hers. She needs a guide to help her catch up to the wagon train she was originally traveling in with Jonathan.

Matthew Taylor is on the run from gambling debts, and is looking to get away from his troubles. He needs a job to give him income for his journey, and he is also trying to find his brother, Jonathan McCutchins. The way he last parted with Jonathan has weighed on his conscience. He applies for the position, unaware that Annabelle is the one who needs a guide.

I was nervous going into this. I don't tend to love stories about prostitutes, nor stories about very recent widows. But I love Tamera Alexander, whose books I have consistently given five stars to.

What I liked:

*The characters are so very real. Amazingly so. I liked Annabelle and Matthew very much.

*The progression from near-enemies to friends to sweethearts felt very natural.

What I didn't like:

*I had a hard time getting moving with this book. It is more fun and lighthearted at about the halfway point. However, I don't really consider this a flaw, because I think the plot necessitates the more serious first half of the book.

I would recommend this book to adults and teens old enough to understand prostitution and its emotional impact and to fans of Christian Westerns.

I look forward to reading Remembered.