The Way of Love by Traci Peterson captivated me with the heartwarming tale of love, faith, family, and the courage to fight for truth and justice.  I absolutely enjoyed the way that this book continued the story begun in her related series Heart of the Frontier, which told of Grace, Mercy, and Hope three sisters who became the mothers, aunts, and grandmothers of the characters in her new series Willamette Brides from which The Way of Love comes.  Ms. Peterson's writings are incredibly entertaining as well as wholesome. She takes care with her topics to bring to her readers subjects that may have been avoided or forgotten, like the great discrimination against the Native American people of early American history. I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Peterson's historical perspective into the time of this book, allowing her readers to feel as if they stepped into the streets of late 1800's Portland, Oregon. I have read and greatly enjoyed Ms. Peterson's Heart of the Frontier series which leads up to this new series, Willamette Brides and would definitely recommend The Way of Love as an excellent, entertaining, and thought-provoking read!
Faith Kenner is the main subject of The Way of Love and what an intriguing protagonist!  I absolutely loved her drive for learning, her passion for healing, as well as her eyes which saw clearly into a person's soul. Faith has a big secret that she has been living with her entire life. Faith is half Native American, the result of her mother's captivity and assault in the Whitman massacre. Although Faith and her family have no issue with her heritage, societal norms and laws forbid her from many things, such as marriage to someone who is full-blooded white or Native American as well as forbidding her from educating herself at most prestigious colleges.
Living fearlessly, Faith pursues her passion of becoming a doctor and is attending Willamette University's medical college. She greatly desires to use her gifts and talents to help the neglected, poor, hurting, and forgotten peoples. When Faith helps an injured riverboat captain, she didn't expect to make a friend, but Captain Andrew Gratton soon becomes her closest friend. Andrew respects Faith and her pursuit of her dream of becoming a doctor as well as her staunch stand for justice for all people. Andrew also desires to fight for the rights of the oppressed and helps Faith as she speaks out against the laws and policies which were unjust. As Faith and Andrew work together in their push for justice and changed laws, they meet tough opposition from some of the most influential and powerful men in the Oregon society. When suspicious "accidents" keep happening to Faith and some of her family and friends, she is horrified that they have been bearing the brunt for her speaking up for justice. Faith is now tangled in a messy plot of evil men trying to instigate a war which would destroy the native Americans of the region.  Can Faith and Andrew overcome this oppression and find authorities that will believe them and help them take down these evil men? Can their friendship survive these difficult and dangerous situations? Can Faith trust in God to help her overcome her love for Andrew and live with her secret heritage? Will God allow her and Andrew to survive, let alone truly love one another?  I guess you'll have to read it to find out!

Disclaimer: Bethany House Publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.

The second in the Williamette Brides series continues as Faith studies to become a doctor. This well researched book is rich in facts and history as Faith struggles between her heritage and realities of Oregon's strict laws. Readers who love history will enjoy this latest installment. History, a little romance and a touch of mystery makes this novel intriguing. Anxious to learn more about Mr. Smith... Recommended!

The only problem with this book is that in finishing it, I immediately want to read the next in the series! Unfortunately that requires a wait until October - sigh! This is the second in a series of books. While you probably could read it as a standalone, I would recommend starting with the 'Heart of the frontier' series. That is in many ways, the precursor to this series as the main characters in this series are the children of the 'Heart of the frontier' sisters. It also adds much context and spoils those books if you haven't read them first.

Tracie Peterson writes strong women characters who have faith in God. They have "real" emotions too which helps involve you in the story. While I did get this free of charge, I wouldn't provide a review without it being honest. So to that end, I will say that I enjoyed this book in two sittings - unfortunately, real life called for a little while!

I do think you will enjoy it and while it might take you a little while to get to it if you follow my recommendations - just know that you will have less time to be patient for the upcoming third book in the series!

“I suppose they hope to silence me, but I won’t be silenced.”

A sweet and heart-wrenchingly relevant read from Tracie Peterson! This story draws haunting parallels to our world today with instances of racism and hatred that allow many moments of useful reflection for readers on their own actions and beliefs. It was an incredibly timely read with its topics of racial injustice and the hatred that people must combat on a daily basis.

In terms of the romantic plot, I found it to be a bit lacking. The interactions between Faith and Andrew were incredibly limited, and besides learning one thing about Andrew’s backstory, the reader never really got to know him as a character. When there were scenes between the two, the romance was sweet but ultimately felt forced since the romantic plot was not given much time to develop.

Faith was a great character, and readers will love getting an update on Seth and Nancy from Secrets of My Heart (Book 1 in the Willamette Brides series), as well as beloved characters from the Heart of the Frontier series.

As always, Peterson does a great job of incorporating faith into her stories. Although it sometimes comes across as preachy, the message of God’s love is clear and wonderfully written.

3.5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First off… I liked Nancy much more in this book! Just to have closure on the first book in the series.

On to Book 2… I really enjoyed this book and more about Nancy and Seth. I really enjoyed the story as it unfolded between Hope and Andrew. I can’t wait for book 3!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

The Way of Love
by Tracie Peterson
Bethany House
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 02 Jun 2020 | Archive Date 02 Jul 2020

Traci Peterson is one of my personal favorite authors. I love the way she researches each book. It brings me a lot of pleasure to read her novels.
So Once again, this is a 5-star read. I will recommend it to our patrons when we reopen.

This is the second book in the Willamette Brides trilogy. I highly recommend reading book one (Secrets of the Heart) first in order to keep up with the characters and ongoing mystery. I read this book first and found myself lost in parts.

The book is well researched and the author lists supporting information in her note that helps the reader conduct further research - since our curiosity was certainly tapped. There were multiple relationships and romances that kept the book moving quickly. As sometimes happens in romances, I became frustrated with Faith and Captain Gratton because of a secret they kept from each other that would have prevented a lot of their angst.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Tracie Peterson’s latest, The Way of Love, is a fast paced read set in Oregon in the late 1870’s. Now, 30 years after the Whitman Massacre, racial tensions are still erupting between not only Indian tribes and the white settlers, but also anyone of color. Peterson illuminates this turmoil as her characters fight for justice amid rampant discrimination, threats of Indian uprisings, and personal vendettas for power.

As one who loves history, I highly appreciated Peterson’s attention to detail, her ability to keep a plot moving, and the array of characters who bring to life this unstable time period. Peterson’s books are always a delight to read, full of suspense, history, and wonderful characters. I especially enjoyed reading about characters who appeared in a previous series of hers, Heart of the Frontier. You will most definitely want to read that trilogy to gain a deeper understanding of this new book.

That said, however, The Way of Love can hold its own. Romantic, suspenseful, and heart rendering, Peterson delivers another excellent read.

I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own

I loved getting to know some old characters better and meeting new ones. This is one of my favorite authors and I knew I would like the book but I didn't know just how much I would love the book as well. Plus the book just left me hanging on some parts and I really need the next book in the series now!

Can Faith ever achieve the dream of her certification? She knows how to heal people but she wants that title so maybe other people will give her the respect and attention the title demands. She's vowed to never marry so her medicine is her life.

But more importantly, can Faith survive?

When bad men target Faith and her family she's not sure why but she knows that her secret has been found out. Can she protect those she loves without sacrificing herself? And what of the love she's discovered? Will anything ever come between her and the man who stole her heart?

Great read. Can't recommend it enough. Highly recommend you read it and the first book in the series if you haven't already.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

The Way of Love is an interesting sequel to "Secrets of My Heart". Set in Oregon in the late 1800s, the book tells the story of physician-in-training, Faith. As Faith navigates med school, she also becomes involved in helping nearby Indian tribes. Meanwhile, she also becomes unknowingly involved in the continuation of a mystery began in book one of the series. The book gives interesting facts about Oregon in the late 1800s, intertwines romance and family heritage while continuing the story of Faith's cousin's boarding house. The book could be read as a stand-alone, but will make MUCH more sense if read in sequence as the storyline from book one's characters continue in this book. Another fantastic historical fiction novel by Tracie Peterson!

Full of rich historical detail, The Way of Love tells the story of a brave, intellectual woman, pursuing her doctorate in 1880 Oregon. Feeling called to aid and abet the native populations, Faith Kenner quickly and readily supports her colleague’s lectures to speak out against Oregon’s racist laws and policies. However, danger quickly arises for Faith and all those she holds dear as powerful men maliciously plot for local Indian tribes to rebel.

One of my favorite aspects of reading historical fiction is the knowledge gained. I absolutely love learning about different cultures and languages, geographical regions, historical events, and eras. I especially love when I read about true historical events that I have either never heard of, nor truly understood the significance of. The Way of Love is full of historical information that I had never heard of, such as a natural disaster, inequitable laws, as well as simple domestic changes such as bathrooms. I stopped reading a few times to inform my family on something new I had learned, especially as I read the Author’s Note in the end.

Faith Kenner was a character worth admiring. Her bravery, her humor and quick wit, her willingness to follow after God’s calling on her life, and her ability to forgive others for their egregious actions truly made her a character worth pulling for, even if at times it was a little superfluous or even unreal. I greatly enjoyed reading as Faith and Captain Andrew Gratton’s relationship began to flourish and I appreciated his steadfast and honest character.

With that being said, there are times when I felt the story lacking. In highly anticipated moments there seemed to be little build-up and suspense. It seemed all very rushed and maybe even a little surface level. I don’t want to go into too much detail so as to not spoil the story for you; however, I wish there was more meat, more depth, more longing.

I would highly recommend reading the Willamette Brides series in chronological order. I had not and was thus lacking in background information at times or even depth of understanding of characters and situations. I found out after reading the book that it is a continuation of another series called Heart of the Frontier, which tells the story of Faith’s mother and sisters as they found love while pursuing God’s calling in the frontier of Oregon.

The Way of Love will be released on June 2, 2020, but can be pre-ordered now as well!

If you enjoy an interesting read on a time in American history rarely discussed or known as well as characters worth pulling for, then The Way of Love is the book for you!

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

The Red Review: ❤️❤️❤️💔
***3.5 Stars: Compelling Characters, Well-Written (.5), Interesting Storyline, Unable to Stop

"The Way of Love" is a romance set in 1880 in Oregon. This is the second book in a series, and it continues the story of Nancy and Seth in addition to Faith and Andrew's story. You can read the story as a standalone, but it'll spoil some parts of the first book. The author wove historical details about a very bad storm, women in medical colleges, and racist issues into the story. Faith is part Native American but passes for white. She's also studying to be a doctor when very few medical colleges allowed women to attend. This sets up the conflict. Faith is almost done with her studies when she attracts the attention of two donors to the college. They're powerful men trying to prevent Blacks from settling in Oregon and trying to get rid of the Indians in Oregon.

While I liked Faith and Andrew, I found stubborn, idealist Faith a little exasperating. Faith is repeatedly warned by family and friends to not anger these men just yet. They're powerful and will retaliate if she publicly stands against their views. She ignores their advice to wait a few months...with predictable results. Then she asks these family members to fix things for her. She's also committed to staying single and is comfortable with this idea, but then suddenly she's dressing up pretty and completely besotted with Andrew. While he's a nice, honorable fellow that shares some interests with her, they really don't spend much time together before she's trusting him with other people's secrets. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story to fans of historical fiction.

Another great read:
This is the 2nd book in the series and I'd highly recommend reading them in order so as to fully enjoy the depth and complexity that they offer. This is the story of Faith, Hope and Lance's daughter from the Heart of the Frontier series, who is of mixed Caucasian/Native American heritage. However as such it was illegal for her to marry a white man and she had tried to come to peace with the fact that she'd never be able to marry and instead focused on her dream of being a doctor. It was wonderful seeing her work towards that, especially as woman doctors were so rare in those days. Her name was most fitting as she certainly proved herself to be a someone of great faith and integrity.
Meanwhile Andrew is a boat captain who becomes enamored of the beautiful and gifted Faith. Their paths keep crossing but he also had his reasons as to why they can't pursue anything. I enjoyed seeing them come to rely on each other as they faced the obstacles before them.
This book continues on with the investigation into the illegal provision of guns and liquor to the Indians and the terrible treatment of the Native and Negro people in Oregon during that time. Whilst interesting and certainly an important topic to explore, I did find it rather heavy at times and the situation is not resolved but carries over to the final book in the series due October 2020.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This is the second and final book in the Willamette Brides Series, and it details the life and love of Faith Kenner. She is pursuing her certification as a surgeon. She has very strong opinions of the issues of the day, i.e. the laws prohibiting people of color living in Oregon, and the instigating of Indian wars so that they could be eradicated from Oregon. Her opinions stir up trouble with those in power and end up getting her expelled from medical school just weeks before she graduates.

During all this, she meets the captain of the river boat that takes her to her home and back to Portland. Both are holding secrets that they believe could harm the other, but they can't deny their feelings for each other.

After finishing the book, I read Tracie Peterson's research notes. Her research of the historical events is spot on. She used these events as a way to support the plot, which only added to the intrigue of the book. It is hard to put down and compels the reader to continue reading. It is a five-star book, with two thumbs up, and a handsome river boat captain to escort you on your trips.

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

The Way of Love is the second book in Tracie Peterson's Williamette Brides series. Personally, I had not read the previous book myself before reading this one. I was still able to enjoy it as a stand alone. I did get the impression that perhaps some of the backstory for these characters was given previously, however enough was given that I wasn't lost.

In The Way of Love we are introduced to Faith and Andrew. (I believe Faith may have actually been introduced in book one, though I couldn't say with certainty.) Faith is pursuing her goals of becoming a certified doctor at the first college allowing women to do so in the time...she's definitely one of those headstrong female characters that so many of us are drawn to in our favorite novels! When she comes upon an injured Andrew, a riverboat captain, the two form a great friendship, bonded by their mutual support of Native tribes... It is a friendship that despite their feelings otherwise can become nothing more due to the secrets of Faith's heritage and the laws of the time.

I must admit, I don't know much in the way of specifics about the laws and treatments of Natives in this time. I know the basics, of course, and what was taught in history books, but I also know a lot was left out. Though their horrible treatment is certainly not a pleasant topic, I did enjoy getting the chance to learn more about it. Tracie Peterson put a lot of research and thought into keeping this fictional story accurate to the events in the area at the time. I certainly appreciate that, and liked that the author's note in the end addressed that- giving some more information to check out myself. I learned a lot, while also enjoying a fantastic romance along the way...

Overall, this was a really fantastic read. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is definitely one to check out.

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

The Way of Love
by Tracie Peterson
I love when love finds its way through adversity.
The burden Faith Kenner and Andrew Gratton carry keeps them focused on the lives they have established. They long for so much more, however. When they find themselves caught up in a dangerous political mess, they find their friendship is more important then they realized. Can they come together and fight for what is right without their secrets being exposed?
I enjoyed this book and think that it is despicable what the Indians of the past had gone through. I am sad for the terrible treatment they endured and for the ugliness of people who had the power to help them but choose instead to extort and murder them. That being said the author did a lovely job bringing this story to life.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to read this second book in a new series by Peterson. She did not disappoint! The only "issue" I found with this book was that the friendships from the first book did not seem to match up with the friendships in this one. For example, Gabe and Seth were best friends since birth in the first book, and Nancy's dead husband was not close to anyone, nor did he have anything to do with any of Nancy's family or childhood friends. In the second book, Seth and Gabe were not shown as friends at all; and mention was made at the beginning that Gabe was best friends with Nancy's dead husband. When I first read this so early on, I worried that there would be discrepancies throughout the book. However, even though Seth and Gabe were not shown with any real friendship at all, the rest of the book was right on the mark with all other relationships and events. Although I found it sad that Gabe and Seth weren't included as close friends throughout this book, I did find the book to be absolutely wonderful! So, this alone was not enough to lose a star with me!

I love how Peterson digs so deep with historically correct descriptions of how people with color were treated and viewed in some states. I loved how the heroine had ancestry that was not visible, but did come back to impact her and her family. How they all handled it was beautiful! I especially love how there is an underlying storyline that will obviously unfold as the books in this series are presented. I am waiting on pins and needles to discover who the mysterious "Smith" will turn out to be! I'm dying to know if it's anyone from in the background that we have "sort of" met somewhere within the pages of the first two books, or if it will be somebody totally new to us. Needless to say, I will be reading every book that Peterson writes and publishes in this series! Please keep them coming!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Love Tracie Peterson! If you have read her "Heart of the Frontier" series, this book is a continuation. This is the second book in the "Willamette Brides" series. Excellent story of Faith, who is white and Cayuse Indian, who is becoming a doctor. She believes she will never be able to marry, because there is a law preventing mixed marriages between whites and Indians. She meets ship captain Andrew Gratton, and their friendship grows into more. He doesn't know she's a "half breed" but he thinks he can't marry because of the same reason, he's of mixed blood. It's a beautiful story with a great ending!

I loved this newest installment in the Williamette Bride Series.

This is the second book in the series...it picks up with Faith. moving into Nancy's boarding house while she attends classes in Portland. We get to see how things are going with newlyweds Nancy and Seth. We meet a few new characters, Captain Andrew Gratton and the interesting crew on his riverboat. We also uncover some interesting details about the inhabitants of the boarding house. The villains from the first book are wreaking havoc on our beloved characters and a new villain is introduced.

I can't wait for the next book in the series to find out what happens next.

As I mentioned, this is the second book in the series. You really need to read the first book before reading this one. The first book is called, Secrets of My Heart. It is awesome as well.

I received an advance copy os this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.



I

THE WAY OF LOVE by TRACIE PETERSON is the second novel in the Williamette Brides series. It is an historical romance novel with a great Christian message. I love the way the author makes us feel what the characters are going through. We see how the truth of Proverbs chapter three verse five, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" becomes very real to Faith as she tries to deal with injustice.
The story takes place in Portland Oregon in 1879, and, as in the first book in the series, the problems of racism and hatred of people of colour are addressed, together with the limitations placed on women at the time.
Faith Kenner is living in her cousin Nancy's boarding house while she attends medical school. She has been working as a healer since the age of fifteen and is thrilled to have the opportunity to obtain her degree in medicine.
The book is full of colourful characters, especially the unusual lady boarders.
Faith has a secret and so does Andrew Gratton, the handsome riverboat captain. Add to this gun runners, a cyclone, murder and the arrival of a baby, and you have a great story.
The Way of Love is a really good read and one I can highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.