“Unveiling the Past” by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a great story about a woman who finds her birth father, a man who abandoned her mother when she told him that she was pregnant. The story is told from 4 different points of view that alternate throughout the book, and it was great to read their different perspectives. Sawyer is a great writer and I look forward to reading more of her books! Speaking of more books, “Unveiling the Past” is the second book in a series. I have not read the first book, but I will certainly do so now!

Unveiling the Past by Kim Vogel Sawyer is like reading two books. Not because of the various storylines but because of the religious monologues throughout the book. First, the story is truly interesting. Somehow Sawyer manages to weave the same theme in each character's crisis. A father is missing, what happened is a mystery and what effect will solving the mystery bring. The characters are real and the descriptions are vivid from the way they look and smell to attitudes and behaviors. Any one person in the story could be developed into their own book.
I did find the "preaching" a bit much. Apparently, the answer to everyone's happiness is to be saved. I am a Christian and claim Jesus Christ as my savior so why am I being critical? Because it was a hard sell in the book to the point of being distracting. The story is truly interesting and the drawn-out efforts to convince someone to accept Christ was overdone.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

This was not my usual genre of book that l read but l did enjoy a change. The story was interesting and quite complicated which kept me reading to see if the puzzles could be solved. The main characters were strong and knew what they were doing in their jobs. I was not bored at all and will read more of this type of book.

Those who have read Bringing Maggie Home will enjoy catching up with the DeFord women in Unveiling the Past. Meghan and Sean are partners at work as well as in life now. Diane is living with her mother in Nevada but keeps in touch with her daughter.

When Meghan and Sean are given the choice to work together on a case or split up in order to keep working both cases, the second choice reigns. This couple is now forced to work with other detectives. If that isn't stressful enough, Meghan is also dealing with whether she wants to meet her birth father—a man who had no part in her life over the years.

As Diane attempts to bridge the gap between Sean and her daughter, Meghan discovers truths about herself she's never believed possible. With their evident faith, Sawyer's continued character growth is phenomenal and the intricate stories lines come together to form a satisfying conclusion.



Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This was a fantastic story! I had actually thought I'd read all of it, but must've gotten distracted and never did. So, I picked the ebook back up to dive back in and the chapters I'd already read came flooding back. I really liked having so many viewpoints. I know it could've been confusing, but the author's writing makes it easy to keep track of whose POV we're reading from.

The mother/daughter relationships really play such a vital role across the entire storyline. Just for my own wishes, it would've been great to have known Diane's relationship with her mom as she grew up. Her relationship with her as an adult seemed to be one of caring. It was a great testament to the power of prayer and the fact that people can change.

Actually that seemed to be the overall theme of the story.

I liked the mystery surrounding Sheila's father which gave us readers something to propel the story forward and keep us on our toes. I also appreciated that it helped Meghan see that she could care for others and that someone other than her husband could care for her in a reliable way.

One of the "negatives" I had with the story is the work relationship between Sean and Meghan. They seem to be these intense cold case detectives, but also very codependent. I can completely understand loving working with a specific person, especially your spouse, but it seemed on the unhealthy side in that they could barely stand the thought of doing a single, possibly short cold case with someone else. Even not having their desks touching seemed to make it so they weren't sure how to even function. In that respect I was incredibly glad they were forced to work with someone else. lol

Kevin's storyline was probably my favorite aspect of the whole story. His relationship with his father dictating how he responded to Diane's pregnancy, to his numerous wives, to his brokenness, all came together in a way that made him out to be a guy who was relying on everything BUT God for his life. I thoroughly enjoyed the roles Diane and Hazel played to help soften his rough edges and see past himself.

Another good book by author Kim Vogel Sawyer, I encourage you to read Bringing Maggie Home first. Things will make more sense if you do. I enjoyed visiting with some of the characters from it. Besides, it’s a really good book too.

Characters Sean and Meghan are strong and determined, which is good for business but not so good personally. We see them work through things, although it’s not easy.

There are several twists and turns in this story, making it one I had trouble putting down because I need things to be resolved. There were a few late nights in my life, but it was so worth it. I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

A review from a trusted blogger and author has shown me that I will not enjoy this book because there is sexual content that while fine for a married couple is not something I will read as a teen who is unmarried.

We all have a past and family members thAt have left deep wounds and scars. We can’t change them or the past but we can choose how to move forward and overcome fears and doubts to move closer to others and our Heavenly Father. See how their lives unfold and the paths chosen and where they lead.

"Unveiling the Past" is book 2 in the "Bringing Maggie Home" series by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Since I did not read book 1, I'd say that this one can be read as a standalone.

Meghan DeFord-Eagle and her husband, Sean, are newlyweds and cold-case detectives. They were partners before their marriage and have continued as partners since. Their current case seems to have reached an impasse, so when their boss comes to them with a new case where the person requesting their services has also asked for a female detective, Meghan is all for passing their case off to the other team and taking the new case. When Sean makes the decision at the last minute to stay with their case, Meghan is hurt, and sees it as yet another abandonment by the men in her life. Can she work with another partner to solve a 20-year-old missing persons case, even as she worries about the state of her brand new marriage?

Sean Eagle loves his wife, and loves working with her every day. Growing up in his big family, he wants nothing more than to add to their family with a baby. He doesn't understand Meghan's hesitation. When she pushes him to drop their current case and join her on the new one, he feels that God is leading him to stay on the old one. Can he work with the most anti-church detective in their unit to solve the mystery surrounding the deaths of twin boys, and still maintain his faith and his marriage?

I liked that Sean and Meghan, while not perfect, were willing to keep working at and talking through their issues. They helped model a godly marriage in a place and a job where marriages are often casualties. I also thought it was pretty cool how, when they each got a different partner to work with, they were still able to work with others to solve their cases and give the families involved closure. Cold cases have always fascinated me, and I love shows and books that dig into them and show the process involved in closing them.

Readers who like a bit of a mystery with their romance will love Unveiling the Past. The book's title actually has a dual meaning. Sean & Meghan unveil the past as cold case detectives, and Meghan's mother unveils the past when she finally gives Meghan her father's name, something she has been unwilling to do in the past. I could not put this book down once I started, so I definitely recommend it.

This book has potential. I've been reading it for more than a month now. It hasn't been a fast read for me as I wasn't extremely hooked by the words on the pages. I would try to finish it though but I'm not sure when.

Unveiling the Past by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a sequel but it reads as 100% standalone. This is the second book I'm reading from Sawyer and I have to say that her commitment to telling the truth of a gospel message and not letting anything get by her is inspiring. There are so many Christian books out there, but very few that I know that actually address and apply Jesus' death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit, and the power of prayer (through the Son). This was not only a breath of fresh air, but it brought tears to my eyes to see the breakthrough in a couple of the characters.

I have to say that Sawyer's writing only gets better. With quick, concise prose that delivers fine details in such a way to paint a vivid picture, I couldn't put this book down. The dialogue was strong, the secondary characters were strong, and any point-of-view character had a distinct voice, belief, and motive. It was most wonderful to read the growth of Meghan and Kevin, as it felt both organic yet powerful.

From a plot perspective, everything carried itself out to a decent conclusion. There was nothing that was left unanswered or nothing that I was left questioning. From chapter to chapter the pace never dropped, but if it did, the tension and the drive to keep moving never stopped.

This book is one that I would definitely recommend for those looking to be lifted up. Thank you to Netgalley and Waterbrook & Multnomah for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unveiling The Past is an interesting book of a single mother bringing up her daughter on a teacher's salary and little left over for extras. Diane was very determined to bring her daughter up without help. She had an elderly mother but during the years of Megan growing up their relationship was distant. She became pregnant while in college and her then boyfriend who she loved wanted nothing to do with a baby. Kevin finished college and got married four times. Through one of his marriages his wife had a three year old son. Kevin wasn't interested in a relationship with kip. Diane eventually received her collage degree. This is a story of faith in G-d, and how the characters have a strong tie to religion. Megan and Sean are cold case detectives. They work on cases that bring them full circle and find family that are meant to be in their lives.

Husband and wife detectives, Sean Eagle and Meghan DeFord, work in the same department. Normally, they are partners. A cold case for a missing person, results in the need for them to take different partners for a few weeks. Meghan is searching for a long-missing father and the bereft daughter insists on joining the case. Meghan, meanwhile, longs to meet her birth father as he has never been part of her life.
Sean works with a difficult co-detective who is fighting through personal issues that can make him even more gruff. The two cases are interesting to follow, along with how Sean and Meghan actually mature and have time to think when they are not partners on the job.
There's also a side story of forgiveness that is needed by Meghan's mother and reconnecting with Meghan's birth father.

First of all, this is the sequel to Bringing Maggie Home. Even though it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the previous book first since the story follows the same characters.

I have to say I was really looking forward to reading this book. I read Bringing Maggie Home and loved it, so I dove right into this one afterwards. I did appreciate seeing what had happened to the characters after the other book ended. I also enjoyed the two investigations in this book. But, I felt it was too preachy at times.

Honestly I don't remember ever finding a book too preachy but this one just didn't work for me. Although the faith elements were obviously present in Bringing Maggie Home I felt we got a better understand of the journey the characters were on. In this one, it felt just too easy... Especially when it comes to Kevin. A lot of things surrounding him in the book didn't seem realistic to me.

So overall I liked the book, but I preferred the first one. Still it was nice to revisit the characters and get a chance to see how their lives unfolded.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of the book. It did not affect my review.

In Kim Vogel Sawyer's Unveiling the Past, this beautiful Christian novel will warm your heart and tug on your heart strings. For Meghan De Ford-Eagle, she's always wanted to know about her father who's been absent in her life. She's a Cold Case Detective in Carson Springs, Arkansas, and works there with her husband Sean Eagle. When she asked her mother Diane about his name and how to contact him, it set them off on a personal journey of exploration and for forgiveness. When her boss assigned Megan to a new case, he split them up and worked with someone else. While she worked with a missing persons case, her husband Sean stayed on with the same case he worked on with a new partner. While she worked in Fort Smith, her mother Diane reaches out to Kevin Harrison, a workaholic who had failed marriages, and a weak relationship with his step-son Kip. When they meet for the first time in years, she forgives him and helps him redecorate a loft apartment in Las Vegas with her mother Hazel. While Megan waffled on the decision on motherhood and starting her own private investigation agency with Sean, she asked God for his help on truth, on forgiveness, and to help find answers for her client on the search for her missing father. In the end, both mysteries are solved, and Meghan sees things in a new light and a new definition on family in the end.

This is a story of letting go of the past, letting go of your fears and searching for truth.
This novel follows the lives of Diane and her daughter Meghan. Diane loved hard and lost, but she came back to her childhood faith and lives for the Lord now, working as a school teacher in a private school. Her daughter Meghan, is grown up and married to her work partner, a private investigator. Sean and Meghan work well together in the cold case state department, but both want different things for their future together. Meghan wrestles with her fears of becoming a mother since her father abandoned her before her birth. Sean wants a family with Meghan and is tired of waiting for her to commit to becoming a mom.
Meghan jumps at the chance to lead the investigation of a cold case involving a father who abandoned his family years ago. But leading it means separating her work partnership from Sean and having to deal with her own issues of abandonment. What appears to be the worst thing possible for their relationship turns out to be a blessing.
Kevin, the man who abandoned Diane and his unborn child over thirty years ago, struggles with contentment and high expectations. Though he’s successful in business, he’s anything but in his personal life. When Diane contacts him about the daughter he never knew she bore, he decides to take a risk and reconnect with a woman who represents a happier time in his life. What he didn’t plan on was experiencing a life-changing encounter.
There’s a strong thread of faith throughout the novel with characters coming to a saving faith. Scripture is used quite often and godly conversations take place.
There are some seedy characters with no tolerance for spiritual things that cause some trouble in places and added a realistic external conflict. The internal struggle of one character leading to a happy resolution was believable, but one or two others were questionable. I’m not sure how I felt about a couple of the characters or how either cold case resolved themselves. I was happy for Meghan and Sean that they solved their cases, but Sean’s case left me with more questions than a satisfactory answer.
The narrative is beautiful and easy to read. There’s enough conflict to keep the reader engaged and wondering what will happen next.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through Net Galley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Unveiling the Past, by Kim Vogel Sawyer, is book two in the Bringing Maggie Home series. This story does reference characters and situations from the first book, so I would recommend reading them in order. However, the author does a great job of introducing the characters and does give a little background.

This is a very good, well written story that deals with topics of unwed motherhood, fatherless child, divorce and alcoholism. This story shows how the way a person grows up affects how they feel about being a parent as well as the way they pursue their career and relationships in adulthood. It also does a great job of showing how money does not buy happiness.

I really liked Meghan’s grandmother. She is a very strong Christian and knows how to witness to people who are struggling. I like how she helped Meghan to understand how to know when God is telling you something. I also like how she helps Meghan’s mom understand her mixed feelings towards Meghan’s father and helps her realize it is compassion and she is now seeing him through God’s eyes.

This is a very good modern day book that I would strongly recommend. I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

"Unveiling the Past" by Kim Vogel Sawyer was a great read! I was hooked from the first page and continued to be throughout the whole book. I don't read a lot of books by this author, but this one had me hooked when I read the description. It didn't disappoint, either!

I loved how this book had some mystery also in it. There were actually a couple different mysteries being solved at the same time. I loved the main character, Meghan, in this story. Kim Vogel Sawyer did such a great job in making the characters come to life. It felt like I was actually living in the story!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys good, clean fiction with a little mystery in it. I don't think you will be disappointed.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Meghan Deford and Sean Eagle are an ordinary couple with extra-ordinary jobs. Together, they search for the answers to crimes long-past, until the day they find themselves struggling to unite in a life-changing decision. Can Meghan overcome a history of maternal neglect, abandonment, and pain in order to make Sean's dreams of the perfect family come true?

Unveiling the Past is a beautiful story of forgiveness, faith, and redemption all wonderfully woven together with a suspense-filled storyline. I really enjoyed watching the characters, especially Meghan, grow in their relationships; both with their families and their Heavenly Father.

If you're looking for contemporary romantic suspense with a unique story, you will want to add this one to your list ASAP!

* I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

UNVEILING THE PAST is book two in a series (Bringing Maggie Home is book 1). but it does stand alone. The story is slow, enough so it dragged, especially at first. But then something caught my interest and i had to keep reading.

This is more of a family saga than a mystery even though the main characters are both detectives and both working on cold cases. We do go along on the detective work but still the main focus is family saga.

There is a strong faith message,flash backs in time, and multiple main characters.

I enjoyed this book. Grab your copy today.

I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.