This is a wonderful historical fiction story. I loved Norah and Quincy. I loved that both characters had to work through their problems before they could be together. I loved the narrator of this audiobook. I love books set in the 1800s. I loved the romance in this story. I received a copy of this audiobook from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

This was my first book by Rachel Fordham and I must say, it won’t be my last! Where the Road Bends is captivating and beautifully written. I had the pleasure of listening to the audio book and rather enjoyed the narrator as well. Norah and Quincy’s story will hold you in their trance while you watch them learn to love and hope and trust. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this story. Five stars!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I enjoyed the story, a lot. I would totally recommend this book to friends. I cannot wait to red others by Rachel Fordham.

Another great work by Rachel Fordham, Where the Road Bends is certainly a tale worth reading again and again!

This is a beautiful story filled with love and heartbreak, sin and redemption, and so much more. You simply can't help but fall in love with the town, its people, and the process of watching all their life stories unfold!

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

This is a double review as I have read the story and listened to the audio. I loved Quincy and ora's story. Both were broken people who stepped up to care for others. It is a story of forgiveness and redemption. I love the gentle storytelling of Rachel Fordham. She tells wonderful stories in a way that keeps you engaged and wanting to spend more time in her world.

As to the audible version, Coleen Marlo does a fantastic job reading the story. She reads the book in such a way that I could easily tell who was speaking, each character had a distinctive "voice".

I highly recommend both versions of Where the Road Bends.

Brew up a pitcher of tea and settle in for a great read whether you prefer printed books or audiobooks.

I was given a copy of both versions by the publisher with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

This is a work of Christian historical fiction by Rachel Fordham. The story is set in the 1880s in Iowa. Norah King finds herself alone with only her family’s land left, after her parents pass away. She is destitute and desperately lonely with her parents gone and no one living close by. Desperate to save her family‘s farm, she agrees to marry a man she barely knows.

One day, Nora stumbles upon a severely injured man on her property. With the buzzards circling overhead, she knows he must be close to death. She finds a way to get him back to her house so she can take a look at his injuries more closely and try to clean him up as best she can. Even though he’s a stranger to her, and it’s highly inappropriate to bring a man into her home that’s not her husband, she feels compelled to care for him. He really needs a doctor but there’s no way she can leave him there alone to ride the 10 miles to town and back.

As Norah cares for the man, he slowly regains consciousness, Norah learns that the man’s name is Quincy Barnes and he’s made his money from fighting. Even though Quincy is a rough and tumble kind of guy, Norah feels safe around him. They spend many hours talking and Norah realizes how lonely she’s been and how nice it is to have someone there to talk to. She’s concerned that her soon to be husband will find out about Quincy staying in her home while he recovers and then call off the marriage.

Even though Quincy feels like he and Norah have a special connection, he knows he doesn’t have anything to offer her. All his money was stolen when he was robbed and almost beaten to death. He doesn’t even have any clothes, as the ones he was wearing were the only ones he had. Besides, Norah is engaged to another man and the wedding date is set for a few day later. Quincy decides he should leave so he doesn’t cause any problems between Norah and her intended. He soon departs, wearing some of Nora‘s father‘s clothing. He makes a commitment to Norah to live a better life in the future and sets out to do just that.

Soon after, things drastically change for Norah. Quincy is unaware of what’s happened, but a year later when a letter he wrote her returns unopened, he decides to go back to her farm to check on her. What he finds out shocks and infuriates him and he vows to find Norah and save her, just as she once saved him.

This was a wonderful story of love, redemption, and forgiveness. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it if you love historical Christian romance. Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor audio for allowing me to listen to this advanced reader copy and give my honest review..

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio version of this book and thank you to Tantor Audio for the cllab with Netgalley to allow me to listen to this book. I was pleased with the book and the vivid descriptions in the writing to make you feel like you're in the place with them. I found this love story to be very cute and proving that love really does have a magnetic type pull.. Norah finds a man Quincy on the brink of death in one of the fields on her property. She is just days away from marrying a man shes not in love with but he is older and has the means to fix up her farm and work the land to make a living. As she is nursing Quincy back to health they start forming a unbreakable bond- they manage to talk about life and goals. Quincy soon leaves as to not cause issues with Norah and her soon to be husband. Norah gives Quincy clothes that had once belonged to her deceased father.
Quincy later finds a large amount of cash stuffed in the pockets of the clothes with this money he is able to start a new life. He eventually works up the courage to write a letter to Norah and include the money that he had found. but Life didn't work out for Norah- she didnt marry the man she was engaged to. She came upon hard times. Quincy finds her at the brink of time and saves her. there is much more but you need to read it to find out!!

Hope! Forgiveness! Kindred spirts! Friends who become family...Coleen Marlo's audio performance of Rachel Fordham's book promises you all of these things. Right from the start you are given an impression of the beauty that is Norah's heart and the goodness in Quincy"s while the face life in the 1800's. However, while the story and performance starts out strong, it simply became to slow-paced without to keep my attention. 3 stars

Where the Road Bends was a great read by Rachel Fordham.Norah King surveys her family land in 1880 Iowa. This is all she has left and will do everything in her power to save it, even marrying a man she hardly knows. Norah discovers an injured man on her property days before her weddingShe is compelled to take him in and nurse him back to health. Unfortunately this decision will complicate her life and threaten her future. Norah’s care for Quincy, awakens his heart to the possibilities. He is penniless and homeless and knows he must head down the road and leave Norah to marry her intended. But it is harder than he ever imagined to walk away from Norah. I loved reading this book and cant wait to read more by the author.

Where The Road Bends


I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet clean historical romance story written about the hard times of the people living around the 1880’s.

This story is full of struggle, endurance, hope and faith, but mostly love, and plenty of forgiveness with a chance to start over again after looking as though there was no hope of that happening.

Norah and Quincy are the main characters of the story, with many other interesting characters that they met along the way on their journey to finding each other and happiness.

From the time that Norah finds Quincy injured on her property it changes both of their lives and future. They have an almost instant pull to each other even though Norah is promised to someone else. She is the fiancé in an arranged marriage. A marriage that she must except in order to not lose her family home and her land. But taking Quincy into her home and giving him time to heal puts that future marriage in jeopardy and changes everything in her life. When Quincy was well enough to leave he did so knowing that he couldn’t give Norah what she needed at the time. Quincy’s leaving is the start of a fascinating journey that takes several years for two hearts to find their way back to each other.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Rachel Fordham for the copy of this audiobook to enjoy.

Norah King is days away from getting married when she finds a seriously injured man on her property, Quincy Barnes. Due to Norah's care of him and listening to him as they talk, Quincy begins to see himself and his future differently. When the time comes for him to leave, he promises Norah he will change his life and help others the way she has helped him.

Word gets around about the mysterious man and Norah's marriage is immediately called off. After losing her land, Norah is forced to make decisions she never imagined just to survive.

A few years later Norah and Quincy cross paths again. The result is a friendship that grows and teaches them both that the past is the past and moving forward is what matters. They learn that with the Lord and each other, they can forgive and overcome so many things.

This was my first novel by Rachel Fordham and it will not be my last. She is a new-to-me author and I cannot wait to read more. Her characters are flawed, as are we all, and they learn powerful lessons we can all relate to learning, albeit in different ways. I love Norah and Quincy and their story. Their path was messy and complicated and beautiful and is one that will stay with me for a while.

Coleen Marlo did a fantastic job narrating this book. She captured each character so well and made following along with the audio such a great experience.

I voluntarily received an audio copy of this book from NetGalley and Tantor Audio. All views are simply my honest opinion.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. I loved this book! Great clean christian romance book. Highly recommend! The narrator seemed to be older sounding to voice these young main characters. I liked her voice but I think it was a strange pick. Someone with a more youthful voice would have been a better pick.

This book was such a sweet and tender story of two people with dreams, broken dreams, struggles, sorrows, disappointment, joys, hope and friendship. It was very touching. I loved how much the hope shone through. As well as the possibility of redemption, forgiveness, healing, family and love.

Life doesn't always happen as we dream it will and these two characters definitely knew that very well. Norah has been left on her own due to the passing of her parents. She's struggling and trying so very hard to keep her family farm running. She loves her land and will do anything to keep it thriving. Even marry someone whom she doesn't love. But then Quincy comes into the picture. He's broken, unconscious, hurt and alone. In rescuing him, they forge a friendship and bond that was very touching. Both end up on different paths than they thought would happen. Both of them rescue each other throughout the book in different ways than they could have ever imagined. Both of them have had ups and downs.

I loved the strength and goodness both Norah and Quincy show. Their goodness and help towards others. Their selflessness was very touching. I love when characters can show that inner strength and goodness after suffering themselves.

I really enjoyed reading and listening to this book and seeing how these two were able to help, sacrifice, forgive, rescue, offer hopes and dreams, and allow love and healing to bloom. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing these characters and this story to life. As I listened I could envision being there watching it all unfold.

Content: Clean. This is a Christian fiction book and has themes of hope and redemption. There is discussion of some hard topics but nothing overly graphic or that would make this book unclean. Very well written and addressed.

I received a copy from the publisher, Revell, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Sigh. What an enjoyable book! I was almost sad to finish it. I loved the characters with their interesting quirks and imperfect backstories. The secondary characters were developed with their own back stories. While the story itself was a little predictable, i really enjoyed the writing style of the author and look forward to reading more from her! The narrator had a pleasant voice that nicely adde to the story and kept me engaged. I am not usually an audio book fan but I really enjoyed listening to this one!

I enjoyed following Norah and Quincey through their trials and blessings during such a rough time. The characters were easy to empathize with as they were faced with things that required strength and grace. A heartfelt read.

3.5⭐This story is about forgiveness, restoration, healing, and dreams, but some dreams take time. as the gospel shines through.

Nora King is engaged to be married, living on her family's farm finds herself rescuing and nursing a badly beaten stranger, Quincy Barnes is given a second chance in life, becoming a very successful businessman, Nora King is strong, caring, and very hopeful, but things do not go her way. Tables turn, and Quincy Barnes becomes her rescuer one day.

I really have trouble rating this book, internal dialog is repetitive. I am not fun of a lot of inner thoughts to move a story along, I would like to see a bit more concrete details about Nora’s life after Quincy left the farm, better character development, and that special something that I just didn’t see.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

This book wasted no time getting right into the story. It kept me interested till the very end. Usually I can predict most books but this one surprised me a few times. I wasn’t expecting some of the twists.
Quincy and Nora were both such sweet characters. I loved seeing their growth and how they survived the hardships they were dealt without becoming bitter.
I wasn’t sure there would be a happy ending but I was happy with how things turned out.
I was also lucky enough to listen to the audio version of this book and it was very well done. The narrator did a great job.

Where the Road Bends
by Rachel Fordham
Narrated by Coleen Marlo
Pub Date 07 Jun 2022
Tantor Audio
Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance


I am reviewing a copy of Where the Road Bends, through Tantor Audio and Netgalley:



While surveying her family land in Iowa in 1880, she is acutely aware that it is all she has left, and she will do everything in her power to save it—even if that means marrying a man she hardly knows. Just days before her wedding, Norah discovers an injured man on her property. Her sense of duty compels her to take him in and nurse him back to health. Little does she realize just how much this act of kindness will complicate her life and threaten the future she's planned.




Nora’s care does more than just aid Quincy Barnes's recovery—it awakens his heart to possibilities. Penniless and homeless, he knows the most honorable thing he can do is head on down the road and leave Norah to marry her intended. But walking away from the first person to believe in him proves much harder than he imagined.




I give Where the Road Bends five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Where the Road Ends in audiobook format was an engrossing listen for me. Finished it in a few sittings. The story is one filled with hope and second chances, though the faith elements are very very light. The only thing that slightly spoiled it for me is that there is an element of failure on the part of the male protagonist. Glad that the ending was satisfying enough!

The narrator did a great job, though I think I caught a couple of times when she used the wrong pitch for a character (eg a low voice for a female) and also a couple of times when she used a conversation tone when the character was no longer speaking. But those are minor issues. I'm just being fussy.

All in all, a 4 star for me for both the book and the narration.

Wonderful story , great charscters , love the seconadary charcters as well , some shocking bump in the road for Nora and Quincy , which only endears them more in this story.