I’m not sure I can find the words to adequately describe just how beautifully written this novel is. If you have had the pleasure of reading any of this authors work, you already know she is truly gifted. In this dual time line novel she has crafted an amazing story with incredible characters. This book should be read slowly because you do not want to miss one single word that she has written. That was difficult for me to do because I am a fast reader but I truly had to slow down or I found myself going back to read certain paragraphs again.

I loved the strong sense of family and friends throughout but what I loved most of were the finely crafted characters that will stay with me for a long time This was a perfect book to read to escape the heat and everything that is going on in the world right now. Amanda Dykes is an incredible storyteller and one of my must-read authors.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All onions are my own.

Oh my goodness! This story is beautifully told, the settings, history, and characters coming alive with each sentence. I love Amanda Dyke’s writing and her unique ability to pull readers into the novel with such ease. I don’t think I have ever highlighted so many great quotes in one book! I cried in the first chapter (and several chapters thereafter!) as the characters became so authentic to me almost immediately. I love their achingly realistic backgrounds, their human-like flaws, and their genuine growth in the story. I also really enjoyed the creativity of the storyline and the way the plot flowed together and eventually connected several unique pieces. There are so many layers in the novel and I was easily lost in the tale late into the night as I unpacked its storyline. The spiritual themes and truths are deep and applicable. I loved this book so much and it will definitely be in one of my top reads this year! I highly recommend this novel and cannot wait to see what this author pens next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

After just finishing Set the Stars Alight, I am awestruck at this tale of hope, wonder, and light. The author has a way of wonder with words in this book and her previous novel. I loved her previous novel, Whose Waves These Are, and was anxiously awaiting this new story. I predict this time split novel by Mrs. Dykes is going to be another triumphant success. She is able to weave two different time frames (and stories) together so that the novel transitions smoothly throughout. Readers will be on a race to the finish to determine what is going to unfold. She interweaves inspiration and the Creator throughout the story. One of my favorite quotes was, “When things seem dark, Lucy, that’s when you fight for the light.” In this year of struggles for many people, this is a poignant reminder for us to choose to fight for the light when everything seems dark. She reminds us that God is always there, will never forget us, and is constantly pursuing us. Many times, we only see the darkness, not realizing that our Creator gave us the light in the skies at night to offset the darkness and give us a glimpse of the light for the One who has come and is coming again. The present-day tale focuses on Lucy and Dash, two childhood friends who have been told stories upon stories from her dad. The story in the past is about Frederick Hanford, a known betrayer of England who left behind a mystery that fascinates Lucy. Together they seek to discover how to set the stars alight. I highly recommend this novel! I promise you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.

I don’t even know what to say about this book except it was magical. After reading the first book by this author I had been waiting expectantly for the next one to come out. I didn’t think there was any way she could begin to come close to enrapturing me the way she did with the first book. I was WRONG! It took me way too long to read this book due to work and other stuff getting in the way but once I was captured my life took a back burner. I can’t wait to see what this author does next! She is in my top 5 favorites and is now on my “purchase her books the second you can” with Nicolas Sparks and Charles Martin.

Thank you so much netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to wait any longer to read it! The review is my own.

I had the privilege of receiving an early e-copy of this book, and it has been such a breath of peace and hope in the midst of a pandemic and unrest from social injustice in our world. Set the Stars Alight doesn’t ignore the reality of the darkness, but this beautiful story nonetheless urges us to “fight for the light,” ultimately because of the God who is “coming, and coming, and coming” for us. From a coastal English farmhouse in the 21st century to the windswept moors and castles of the early 19th, this novel sweeps us away with endearing characters, exquisite prose, and a heart that encourages ours not to give up hope, but join the Creator in “setting the stars alight” with it instead. I loved Amanda’s first novel, Whose Waves These Are, but I think this one has touched my heart even more deeply…or maybe it just is such a story for such a time as this. Pick up a copy of this story…I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

"In a world as dark as this, people forget how to see the light, so we need to remind them by telling the truth, paying attention...setting the stars alight."
Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes takes readers on journey in time. Beginning briefly in 1987 London, moving forward to 2000 London, backward to 1802 Sussex and spending several years in each time frame, finishing up in 2020 Sussex. All in an effort to solve the mystery of a lost ship, you will not become lost in the transitions, but will enjoy your time spent in each era. Along the way, you will meet some unusual characters, and grow to love them as dear friends. A family connected by the past, friends connected in the present. Amanda tells the story in the style of the great authors from days gone by, so much so that sometimes you will wonder if you're reading classic literature. She paints beautiful pictures with her words. You will be caught up in the story as if you are there by the shore, or there at the caretaker's cottage at Candlewick Commons. You will begin to piece together clues to solve the mystery, but when you get to the end, you will never believe where you find the answers. So step into the pages, find out about He who hung the stars and His love for those living beneath them, no matter what century they're in.
*Note, I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and a positive review was not required.

#Set the Stars Alight# by Amanda Dykes is an historical , romance and Christian fiction novel. The story is a time split story with the story going back and forth between 2020 and 200 years ago. Frederick lived in the early 1800s. and his story is told . The story in 2020 is with Lucy and Dachel. They grew up together hearing the watchmaker stories from Lucy's father who was a watchmaker. The themes of love, sacrifice, mystery, forgiveness, action are seen throughout the book. The book is carefully researched. The poetry is carefully written adding a special touch to the book. The reader is drawn into the mystery when the reader goes back and forth with the time split story. There are Christian values and character traits are woven into the story. An example of the Christian values and traits is this quote. "God is the pursuer of your heart , Lucy," Dad had said. "He is coming, and coming, and coming after you. In every sunset, in every snatach of birdsong. In everything that stirs deep into you and makes you hungry for bigger things, eternal things. That is Him, pursuing you with tenderest grace. In the places so hard they wring your soul. In the places so beautiful they steal your breath. He is there, filling your soul, giving you breath." It is beautiful that Lucy's Dad took the time to remind her to watch for God's touch and care of her all around her. He cares for us and we often do not stop to see it. I appreciate the author weaving God's love for the character into the story. Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, the author for allowing me to read and review this book. the opinions are my own. The book is well written and a rich story. I hope the book is a success. I look forward to sharing my review on Goodreads, facebook, my blog, Amazon, bookbub. and with church staff.

I really wanted to love this book, but it was just ok. The changing timelines was a lot to follow and the story was very detail-oriented. A few times when skimming I got completely lost--as in, wait, who died?? That being said, the complexity of the story does make it beautiful. I just needed things to be a little more straightforward at times (tired mom here).

But, if you like complex historical fiction Christian romance books you will probably enjoy this book. Just don't skim!

Thanks publishers & Netgally for the free e-arc!

** “The world is dark, so dark we sometimes forget the stars. But they are always there — we need only fight to see these places of brilliant light, these echoes of the truest story. Of a man who gave his life for another — and of a Man, centuries before him, who gave His life for the world. The One who is coming … and coming … and coming after you. Fighting for your heart. Every breath a gift.” **

Sometimes a book so deeply touches your soul, there simply just aren’t words to describe it. Such is “Set the Stars Alight,” a dual time novel by Amanda Dykes.

Hope. Wonder. Light. Coming home. “Set the Stars Alight” is a beautifully lyrical story that follows the lives of two characters — Frederick Hanford, who lived in the early 1800s, and Lucy Claremont, whom we follow from childhood to adulthood in 2020.

When Lucy’s love for the sea, and the desire to find the historic missing ship the Jubilee, brings her back into contact with her childhood friend, star-loving Dash Greene, they come together to search for the missing ship and discover its connection to Frederick, now known as a traitor.

We also follow Frederick’s story, from childhood when he dreams of working on a ship to the day where he is makes the ultimate sacrifice when found guilty of committing treason while serving aboard the HMS Avalon.

Dykes develops wonderful characters and worlds within her novel. Besides Lucy and Dash, she creates a fun and homey seaside farm environment with the intriguing Sophie, Clara and Violette; and from the 1800s, Frederick and his friends Elias and Juliette are plucky and inspirational.

“Set the Stars Alight” tells the story of love, light, sacrifice and hope, while offering deep and amazing themes, like focusing on the steadfast components in life, like the stars; take note of the true and good, while finding the miracles; defeat hopelessness by doing something within your circumstances; grief sneaks out of hidden exits; we don’t always know what to do when something is broken; the God who created the stars and the sea certainly cares for us; and making the impossible possible.

A huge theme of this novel is light — being the light, seeking the light, sharing the light. It reminds us that we need to show people the light (“In a world as dark as ours, we — that is, people — forget how to see the light. So we remind them by telling the truth, fighting the dark, paying attention … setting the stars alight. There are things shining brightly all along, if we will notice.”) It also encourages us to fight for the light when things seem dark.

Dykes writes her latest novel in a beautifully lyrical manner: “Flames — crackling hearth fire in winter months, pirouetting candlelight in the summer” and “ ‘Fabled over time’ — as if stories changed and grew, facts and twists sprinkling upon them like sweet white confectioner’s sugar from Clara’s sifter."

“Set the Stars Alight” is a beautiful, soul-touching story and I loved every minute of it.

Five stars out of five.

Bethany House Publishers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

A complex split-time tale. A mystery. The tenderest love story between two childhood kindred spirits that eventually blossoms into a forever love. "It was what it meant to be seen. To have one's heart held."

Amanda has written a richly layered story of loss, hope, truth, and wonder. Interwoven throughout are lines of our Father God's pursuit of us, his children. "The God of the stars... He is coming, and coming, and coming after you. Always. The heart of a father who will never forget his daughter." The book illustrates sacrificial love and what it means to forgive.

As with other split-time novels, I found the beginning challenging to make sense of. I plodded along, as I have had to with some of the best literature, including Austen, believing a good story was about to unfold. And this novel delivered beautifully! Ms. Dykes has written an enthralling tale that pulls one in - to its deep treasure of finding light in the darkness. I am happy to recommend this novel - it is one deserving of your attention!

My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for an ARC for this my honest review.

Last year I was stunned by the beauty and depth of Amanda Dykes’ writing in Whose Waves These Are (Amazon US & UK). I promoted it as my favorite book for 2019, so I was thrilled to see another release for 2020.

And Set the Stars Alight did not disappoint. Like last year’s release this book spans time, but rather than only going back as far as a living generation it takes us back more than 200 years to the time of the Napoleonic wars weaving connections between the past and the present.

The book is a mystery of sorts: a historical search for a lost ship. Yet, it is also a search for life and family and connection and love. Set the Stars Alight is about the pursuit of dreams, the people that make those dreams matter and the breathtaking beauty of a life lived for the sake of others.

It is a beautifully written and engaging book. I love how it wraps up the framework of the mystery, while leaving a lot to the imagination.

If you are looking for a beautiful and wholesome read then I highly recommend this novel.

And isn’t the cover artwork stunning!

I received a digital pre-release copy of the novel to read for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

In the early 1800s, Frederick grew up as the heir to his family’s estate, but for all its grandeur, his family’s grand house was rather dead inside. His father was singularly minded on preparing him for life at sea and inheriting the estate. Since his mother died, nothing else mattered, including, it seemed, Frederick himself. He learned more about social skills and life from watching and interacting with the shepherds and farmers who worked his family’s land than from his father. Frederick grew up having a strong desire to do the right thing, and was loyal to a fault. So how then did he come to be known in history as a traitor who stole a prison ship and disappeared with a vessel that wasn’t very sea worthy?

In London during the 1980s, a girl named Lucy and her parents befriended an American boy named Dashell who found himself in a new country and suddenly living with distant relatives. Lucy, her mum, and her dad, became like a surrogate family for Dash and poored out on him the love, care, and nurturing he was desperately in need of. From them he learned to dream, find truths in stories, and not be afraid to pursue his passion for the stars. In the present, the years saw Dash and Lucy drift apart through various circumstances, but when she goes to present her proposal to ask for funds to find the missing ship HMS Jubilee that grabbed her attention as a child, Dash suddenly shows up and helps her get extra time to gather evidence to be able to better convince the board to fund her research. Using Dash’s knowledge of the stars, Lucy’s knowledge of archeology, and a little help from a rather secretive guide, they’ve found themselves at Stone’s Throw Farm on the land where the traitor who disappeared with the HMS Jubilee grew up in the early 1800s. What secrets can the land yield that will help Lucy in her quest? Is the story really what it seems? And how will their time together after so many years affect Dash and Lucy?

I could’ve finished this a month ago but I decided to savor this story. Amanda Dykes has just jumped to my insta buy author’s list, and one of the authors I admire most for her way with words and how she weaves themes into her books. I didn’t think she could get better than Whose Waves These Are, but this may be even better! Her writing is consistently magical, rich in characters and themes, and transports you so fully into the characters’ worlds. The whole introduction about Dash and Lucy meeting and growing as children was such a powerfully moving story in itself that I needed a pause afterward to just fully appreciate its beauty and let the emotions settle. You know that phrase “all the feels”? Well this book will give you all the feels. There are moments of deep love, unthinkable tragedy, beauty from ashes, tenderness, anger at injustice, redemption, awkwardness, humor, and righting of wrongs. There are so many deeply moving moments in this book that if you cry easily, you may need 2 boxes of tissues for this book (both for sad and happy tears). I really loved the way the author wove together the stories Lucy’s father told the kids as children, Frederick’s historic tale, and the present mystery of what happened to the HMS Jubilee. It comes together so well. The characters in this book face some very hard things, and they are thoroughly aware that the world is a hard place, but they also end up seeing the way beauty can come from brokenness and that there is hope and redemption in the midst of heartache thanks to the One who holds the world in His hands. The Christian themes are woven intricately through the story but never come off preachy or heavy handed. It’s very natural and artfully done. If you love beautiful writing, emotionally rich stories, and clever weaving of multiple tales into one you’ll definitely want to get your hands on this book. Highly recommended.

Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a little kiss. Deaths/injuries in war are mentioned but not graphically described, deaths from disease mentioned but also not graphically described, deaths/injuries from accidents mentioned but not graphically described.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pure wonder. That’s the best way to describe the utter brilliance and quiet majesty contained within the pages of this book.

For once I really feel I am at a loss for words. I could go on and detail how I loved the love stories or wax poetic about the writing style or talk about how impressed I was that the author seamlessly connected everything beginning to end. This isn’t one of those books meant to be explained, though. It has to be read, experienced, felt.

Between the story in the present with Lucy & Dash and a story in the past with Frederick, Juliette and Elias, a narrative unfolds that will burrow itself into your heart and blossom there, bringing light, hope and an ache to uncover the simple beauty in the world around us.

For the author this is a true master work. In her author’s note she wonders if the words she types matter and hopes that her words have breathed truth into the life of someone. Well I can reassure you, dear author, you have. Your book reached into my life. This story made me cry, laugh, and smile just when I needed it. Journeying through the lives of these characters brought a warmth to my heart in being reminded of the One who chases after it because, even though they’re fictional, I know the true wonder you wove into their stories is very much real.

I urge everyone to pick up this book. To follow the riddle of the Jubilee with Lucy & Dash. The path of sacrifice and redemption with Frederick. Intersecting and intertwining to create a story bubbling over with awe, reverence and love that will challenge your mind and capture your heart.

Set the Stars Alight is a rich, multilayer story that begins with, Lucy and her parents, a family in London, in modern times and the friendship of a young American boy, Dashel Greene, who has moved around living with one family member and then another. Lucy's parents were his adopted parents and meant so much to him with their rich storytelling that they passed on to Lucy and Dash. After years apart, Lucy and Dash are reunited after her parents have passed. At a time in their careers, their paths crossed. Dash is responsible for that happening.
Two hundred years ago, a couple of young boys are forced to serve on a ship for His Majesty's Navy onboard the HMS Avalon. Their relationship started off in a negative way but they ended up best friends, where one will lay down his life for the other. And a young girl is part of their story.
These two stories are crossed in today's time when Lucy, a marine archaeologist, and Dash, an astrophysicist and forensic astronomer, unite to put their specialties together to find a lost ship, the HMS Jubilee, on the East Sussex coast in England on a small farm with delightful residents.
This is a lovely story about friendship, storytelling, exploration, rich history, puzzles, seeing God's handiwork in the stars, sea, and so much more. I was drawn in and held to the end of this rich story that will stay with you after the book ends. I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary ARC from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

To say I was blown away by Amanda Dykes’ first novel would have been an understatement. So it was with eager anticipation that I awaited the release of this book, knowing that I was in for another captivating read. Dykes writes with such beautifully crafted words, drawing the reader in and keeping them entranced till they lose all track of time or life around them. She makes you want to read every word as quick as possible but also want to slow down and savor the way each sentence is composed. She honestly steals my breath at times because I am so intrinsically lost in the story that I forget to even do basic things like breathing. And the way she weaves the past and present together with both the historical and modern day stories is truly a work of art. Each story was so beautifully engaging that anytime I had to switch to the other I felt brief disappointment, only to then become lost in that timeline.
Dash was my favorite kind of hero. Yes there’s something to be said for the strong, take charge, macho types, but if I have my pick I’m always more drawn to the quiet, gentle, slightly nerdy ones. And Dash certainly fit that bill. I was simply in love with his humble unassuming self and the way he quietly loved Lucy. The sharing of stories, the message he sent on that oh so important day, finding her when she needed him but didn’t even know it, and just supporting and encouraging her in his gentle way.
Lucy was easy to love as well, my heart broke for her as she faced the losses in her life but I loved seeing her find hope again and again.
Watching Dash and Lucy’s story unfold was so sweet, two souls that were meant for each other-which was evident from their very first meeting as children.
I loved Frederick too. His journey was anything but easy and I ached for the boy who felt alone. But I admired him so much and the way he found beauty in the ashes. And especially the way he truly lived out John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” I also adored the way Dykes made parallels between Frederick’s story and the gospel story. It was so beautifully woven into his life in a way that was both subtle and glaringly obvious and I don’t know how both of those things are possible simultaneously I just know that they were, like you couldn’t miss it but it also wasn’t beating you over the head. Everything about this story quietly pointed to Christ and his love for us and it was, for lack of a better word, beautiful.
I know this review is long but honestly it barely scratches the surface of my thoughts and love for this stunning story! Amanda Dykes has done it again and I can’t encourage you enough to do yourself a favor and get your hands on this one as soon as possible!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I previously read Amanda Dykes’ book, Whose Waves are These?, and I loved it. I was so looking forward to reading this one, but it fell a little short of my expectations.
Like Whose Waves, Dykes’ writing style is fluent and natural, her words conveying mood and images effortlessly. Again, she uses secrets that unfold slowly and the story is enchanting, but this time it was much too slow to keep me fully engaged. I did keep reading as I wanted to know the end, but I was seriously tempted to put it aside for good.
Dykes is billed as a Christian writer, which is affirmed in the author’s notes at the end of the book. That being said, Dykes’ story seems to run more along a subtle faith-based theme than an overtly Christian-based tale. It is centered around right and wrong, good and bad, honor and dishonor.
As for the story, there are two timelines involved. First, we begin in London with the friendship of Lucy and Dashel, who are both a couple of quirky adolescents, and the timeline follows them through to their 30’s. Second, we need to go back about 200 years, to Frederick Hanford’s childhood as son of a wealthy admiral and landowner. I found myself much more interested in Frederick’s story than the present timeline. Perhaps it is because both Lucy and Dash lacked maturation and as adults, they still acted like teeagers from an emotional standpoint.
Lucy’s father believes that it’s our duty, and our honor, to pass along the stories of those who have come before us. We live in a dark world and sometimes forget to see the light, yet things are shining brightly, if we would only notice. He tells her the tale of the Jubilee, the ship that disappeared along with Frederick. We learn of Frederick’s life as the son who could never live up to his father’s expectations, and how his journey took many unexpected turns. Lucy and Dash eventually begin a search for the missing Jubilee. The past and the present are skillfully woven together, but I won’t give you the remainder of the story so as not to ruin your reading experience.

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Amanda Dyke's has a gift of storytelling that invites the reader to view their real world with a sense of wonder and discovery, to see the profound in the ordinary, and to search for hidden messages from The Creator in the seemingly mundane.

I loved the dual timeline. Both Frederick's story, and Dash and Lucy's story drew me in equally, and I loved discovering with the characters how both stories fit together. Frederick's story made me want to reach through the pages of the story and give him a big hug. He was such a beautiful character, and I loved his story.

Dash and Lucy's story was like a fairytale and had me thinking back over my childhood friendships: the ones that have stood the test of time, the ones that have fallen by the wayside, and the ones that pick up where we left off every time we meet. It had me thanking God for the role each of those friendships has played in my life at different points in time.

I loved the theme of discovery and looking at life as a riddle given to us by God for us to learn hidden truths. It brought to mind the scripture, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out." Proverbs 25:2

Most of all, I love the rich, beautiful, almost musical language that Dykes uses in her stories. It makes you feel as if you are entering something magical.

If you have read Amanda Dykes' works before, you will not be disappointed with this one. It has stayed with me days and days after finishing it, and I felt as if I was leaving old friends behind that I can't wait to visit again. If you have never read a book by Amanda Dykes, this is the perfect one to start with! If you love mysteries, stories of friendships, dual timelines, English country settings, and beautifully woven tales that sweep you away, you will love this book.

**I received an advanced copy of this book for the purpose of reviewing it. All opinions expressed are my own.**

After finishing Set the Stars Alight, I know for a fact that whatever I say in my review will fail to do this breathtakingly beautiful story justice. I hadn't actually read Amanda Dykes' debut novel, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked this one up. I was intrigued by it since I'm a huge fan of timeslip novels, but I was definitely ill prepared for just how fantastic this story was going to be. I think readers everywhere are going to fall head over heels in love with this phenomenal story and its powerful message about the writer of the stars having an ultimate story for each of us if we're only brave enough to follow it.

For as long as I can remember, John 1:5 has been my favorite Bible verse, and this story was the best fictional illustration of it that's I've ever personally read. So often when books feature the moon, stars and the sky as a plot point it's done in a scientific method that never gives credit to our Heavenly Father and His ultimate design. I absolutely loved how Amanda Dykes on the contrary used these items to further the faith element in her story, and showcases the importance of the light's guidance even in the darkest of times.

I found myself interested in both time periods featured throughout the story, and I loved how romance really takes a back seat in both sections and how the focus is instead on the beautiful setting, the well plotted mystery and the development of beautiful friendships. I couldn't figure out how everything was going to come together to piece together the whole picture, but I was left feeling completely satisfied and blown away at just how many intricate details are interwoven throughout the complex plot.

I adored Lucy and her father, and the way they come to take Dash under their wing. Lucy shared such a strong relationship with her father, and the heartwarming fairy tales he so often dictates to Lucy and Dash were one of my favorite parts of the story. I think personally my favorite character ended up being Violette, as I thought she has such a complex but strong story arc, and I loved the part she plays on Lucy's journey of discovery.

Without a doubt I recommend picking this one up as I can guarantee you won't be disappointed. Amanda Dykes is truly a master at her craft, and her writing style is intricate, atmospheric and beautiful, and I can guarantee that this will not be the last book I choose to pick up by her. The only thing that kept me from giving this a five star rating is that I found the story was hard to get into for the first few chapters, but once I got past that part I could barely put it down.

Final Rating: 4.5/5


Thanks so much to Bethany House and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this!

I voluntarily read and reviwed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After reading Whose Waves These Are I was excited to read Set the Stars Alight. This was a totally different type of story that was hard for me to get into. It was slow reading and a little confusing to me. Written in a time slip style and set in England it covered present day and early 1800s.
I think the author is a brilliant writer and has a prose type of writing unlike any I’ve ever read. It just wasn’t what I normally read. Just call me simple minded because many other reviews gave it high praise. I may try re-reading it again in the future when my life isn’t so complicated. I’m five months into recovery from a severe auto accident and can only process light style, easy to understand fiction at the moment. I will continue to look for new novels written by Amanda Dykes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but was not required to write a review.

This was such a beautiful story; it could have been a sadder one if not for the hope and light infused throughout. I loved the unfolding of Frederick's story and how it related to the characters in the modern day timeline. I also loved the parallels between his sacrifice and that of Jesus; the Christian story was woven in an understated way. Overall, beautifully written and inspiring story of love for friends and family.