"Along the Rio Grande" is a Christian romance set in 1899 in New Mexico. Susanna's father is addicted to gambling and high risk investments, but he has poor judgment and lost his fortune. Her mother gets her way by throwing temper tantrums. Her brother resents their father and wants to earn his own way rather than work at the hotel they're supposed to run. Susanna has money of her own, but she sweetly does the hard labor at the hotel and makes new friends. She struggles to stand up to her mother's whining and so enables her parents to resist learning that they're not entitled to money and respect. Owen helps her brother find a job he's good at and helps her look beyond her parent's expectations that she support them.

Owen and Susanna respected and built each other up. They're kind, hard-working people. Together, they grew beyond the emotional legacies passed down to them by their families. Historical details about the job, place, and people were woven into the story, bringing it alive in my imagination. Susanna prayed that God would cause her parents to see the truth about themselves and their situation (and He did through a series of events that forced them to take a hard look at their behavior). There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting historical with an enjoyable romance.

A Book on Family, Forgiveness and God’s Redemption Plan!

As I read this book I was drawn to Susanna and her amazingly different behavior compared to her immediate family! I was so fed up with the family dynamic. Don’t let it sidetrack you. The story is definitely worth the wait to get to the end!

I also enjoyed the the romance between Owen and Susanna. I hope there will be a book on what happens with Gary’s life.

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

Along the Rio Grande
by Traci Peterson
Pub Date: March 1, 2022
Bethany House
Recently widowed Susanna Jenkins has decided to follow her family to the booming town of San Marcial, New Mexico, for a fresh start and to aid in her family's sudden change in fortune. They are tasked with managing her uncle's new Grand Hotel, and it takes all her patience to try to help her parents see the good of their circumstances and relinquish their sense of entitlement.
Peterson fans will be glad to read this new book! Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC.
I highly recommend it and will be purchasing it for our library.
5 stars

Forgiveness and redemption abound Along the Rio Grande for Susanna her new love Owen. She and her family travel to San Marcial, New Mexico to run her uncle's new hotel so her parents can learn to make better choices. They start with hardened hearts but by the end you just might be crying along with me and the characters!

This is my new favorite by Tracie Peterson...she definitely has a 5 star winner with this one!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publishes 1 March 2022.

It's been an embarrassingly long time since I've read any of Tracie's newest books, even though she's in my top 5 authors list. Along the Rio Grande, her latest release was a wonderful story of growth. I've never seen so many whiny characters that I wound up not absolutely despising at the end. Any Tracie fan will love picking up this brand new series. I loved the setting and the cultural aspects woven into the novel. Of course, the romance was sweet, although slow. Honestly, the first two or so pages have so much information that it's almost overwhelming, but after that the story slows way down. The pacing felt funny, but it was a quick read. I knocked it out real fast, and I was engaged the whole time. It wasn't as gripping as some of my Tracie faves, but, at the same time, I think my brain was ready for some light reading and I was never bored. I've been reading so much heavy material lately, that it was good to slow down and just have a story that's not kicking my adrenaline into overdrive. Overall, a great story, with so many wonderful spiritual truths, but not comparable to Striking a Match, Alaskan Quest, or Yukon Quest. However, if you're looking for a masterful light read, help an author out and go check out the new book baby.

A wonderful start of a new series! Love the New Mexico setting featuring the Santa Festival railroad and the Harvey House. Susanna certainly had more than her share of struggles with her family. At times the parent's actions were unbelievable. Owen's patience with Gary was commendable. Loved Lia and her family! As always, the message of salvation is the most important part of the story. Looking forward to the next in the series. Recommended.

Tracie Peterson writes beautiful Christian fiction, and this one sure didn't disappoint! In fact it was a page-turner! I needed answers.

Susanna's family have been brought to their knees, so to speak, they were born with the proverbial silver spoons in their mouths, but the mighty have fallen, but we are there to see how they deal with working for a living!

You will love the character of Susanna, and the people who are put in her path! This booming town of San Marcial, NM, a railroad town, but full of people who live their faith and welcomes this family! Will they be able to accept?

We are enriched with the descriptive part of this country, and the giving people who embrace these newcomers, along with some sweet romance!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

Susanna Jenkins and her parents and brother are moving to San Marcial, New Mexico, to run the new hotel her uncle has built there. Her uncle is trying to help out her father who has made some poor investments and lost everything he had in Kansas City.. Susanna is a widow with her own fortune but she is determined to help her uncle out and also try to help her parents help themselves. Her brother takes a job with the railroad as a boilermaker and Susanna meets his boss, Owen Turner, through him.

Getting adjusted to the new town, the new circumstances and new situations is taxing on all of them. This author does a good job of character development and also describing the setting. This way an interesting and compelling story.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my own honest opinion.

I enjoyed my time with the characters in Along the Rio Grande. From the first sentences, we are plunged into the conflict of this family. Their backstory is revealed in snippets along the way and definitely kept me turning pages. How did they land themselves is such a mess?

It’s easy to wonder if this family’s dynamics are true to life. Can people really feel this entitled? The picture Tracie Peterson paints helped me feel Susanna’s deep sense of hopelessness. That hopelessness leads to enabling, which in turn fuels the dysfunction. The cycle is so hard to break, and the author did a great job of helping me experience Susanna’s exhaustion. Maybe we, too, wonder if there is any reason to hope her family will change (and perhaps we think about someone in our life as well). Maybe we cheer Susanna on to wash her hands of the craziness and go find her own happiness. But God…His story is one of redemption.

We may not see how. We may not see it in the way we want or in our lifetime, but He always pursues the sick and the broken. Our job is to pursue them with Him and not be led by our hopelessness. How strange in our world, but how right in the Kingdom of Heaven. And that is where the author leads us - to hope in Him. He is the solid foundation that the kingdom is built on. He really does change lives. And suddenly, our hopelessness is no more!

An advanced copy of this book was provided by Revell through NetGalley for an honest review.

I loved Along the Rio Grande, first book from Tracie Peterson's Love on the Santa Fe series. I highly recommend it. Five stars.

This is a fantastic start to the new series by Tracie Peterson and I already think it’s going to be one of her best. It was hard to stop reading it once I started, the characters practically jumped off the page and came to life before my eyes. Susanna Jenkins has a lot to contend with, not only is she a widow, but due to the challenges her family is faced with, she decides to move along with her parents and brother to make a new start in New Mexico. My heart went out to her for having to go through what she did, she deserves all the respect she finally received. What a strong, dynamic lady she is.

I absolutely adored Susanna and once Owen Turner came into the picture, he was an instant favorite of mine. There is a strong message of faith woven in the storyline which is another thing I loved about the novel. The parents and son have led fairly charmed lives which led to their dismay when they check in at the Grand Hotel and discover the new tasks and responsibilities they must face. I loved the growth and changes the characters; it was such a wonderful part of the story.
I am already looking forward to the next book in the series. I think it will be another 5-star delightful read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

What a wonderful family adventure story. A true reminder of the need each of us have for God's grace and forgiveness. The author draws you into the story as she describes the individual people, making this apage turner.

This is a start of new series and it's off to a good start. I liked the story and it kept me reading. It's a story of transformations and new starts. It's faith based so God's forgiveness was a big theme also a major theme.

I liked the hero and the heroine as well as their friends. Family is essential to the story and it's interesting seeing the different dynamics and how they change during the story. I also like how Tracie has solid history to back up why characters do the things that they do.

I got this story in exchange for a review. I enjoyed this story, will be reading the next one and have ordered if for my library.

ALONG THE RIO GRANDE by TRACIE PETERSON is a beautifully written romance novel with a really great Christian message of redemption and second chances which forms the backbone of the story. The characters are very well portrayed and the author makes us feel their joys, frustrations and pain.
Susanna Jenkins, who was widowed a year ago and was left comfortably off by her husband, is torn between wanting to make life easier for her parents who have lost everything due to her father’s foolish investments, and hoping that their forced move to San Marsial in New Mexico Territory, where they are to run her uncle Harrison’s hotel, will bring them to their senses.
Susanna works hard at the hotel without any help from her parents or her brother Gary, none of whom have ever done any work in their lives.
It is a story about family dynamics and forgiveness ~ especially forgiving oneself for past mistakes. The love shown by Lia Branson’s large family is something that has always been sadly lacking in Susanna and Owen’s families, and we see it contrasted with Herbert and Gadys Ragsdale’s selfish and entitled lifestyle.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I found Along the Rio Grande a most enjoyable and inspirational read and highly recommend the novel to anyone who enjoys this genre. I am looking forward to the next book in the Love on the Santa Fe series.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.