"Hope Rekindled" Review

Hope Rekindled is the final book in the "Striking a Match" series by Tracie Peterson. You can read my reviews of the first books in this series here: "Embers of Love" and "Hearts Aglow". These novels take place in Texas during the 1880's. 

After her life was turned upside down in the previous book, Deborah’s world has righted itself, and things seem to be falling into place. She is finally planning to marry Christopher when he once again receives urgent family news that takes him away. This time, though, he returns to Texas with some ‘baggage’ that Deborah never expected.

Faced with this new obstacle, Deborah once again questions her future as a wife and also as a physician. Add to this the fact that the logging community is still reeling from the recent fire that claimed the mill, and Deborah’s life once again seems to be going out of control. But all is not as it seems in the town of Perkinsville, and their salvation may come from the most unlikely of places.

Did you notice how I used the words “once again” three different times in my description of this book? It is because this third book in the series seemed to almost be a retelling of the second book. There were so many times when I felt as if I was reading the second book all over again instead of the third one. Once again, Deborah and Christopher are planning their wedding when something takes him away, keeping them from getting married. When he returns, something else gets in their way. I am not saying that the things that keep them from getting married aren’t important…just that it seemed as if we had already done this before…many times. This story might have been better told through only two books.

The issues with the logging company also felt a little repetitive, but I was more interested in that story than I was interested in the romance between Deborah and Christopher. The relationship between Stuart and Jael, though tragic, was compelling. I liked how the Vandermark family all helped each other when things got difficult, and the way the contract issue was resolved was marvelous.

Though Hope Rekindled was a bit tedious in its conclusion, the “Striking a Match” series still had a lot of what I like in Christian historical fiction.

I will give Hope Rekindled by Tracie Peterson … 3 BookWorms.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”