Finding Us is a wonderful follow-up in the Pictures of the Heart series. This one picks up with Addie's co-worker, Eleanor who also is a camera girl at the Seattle Expo. She meets Bill who has come down from Alaska and they immediately hit it off but when her parents find out they are not so happy to give their blessing. There's a bit of a mystery concerning Bill's sister in law. His brother Wallace believed her dead after being separated when their boat went down on the way to Seattle. Turns out that there's a sinister man out there lying to them all!

Sweet romance with a lot of faith filled moments. Tracie Peterson always writes amazing Christian Historical Fiction.

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

Publication date: 25 July 2023

Finding Us
By Tracie Peterson

Set in the Pacific Northwest in 1909, Finding Us tells the story of four people who have loved, lost and then found each other. Wallace Reed loss his pregnant wife, Amelia and his faith overboard in the icy waters off the coast of Alaska. As his brother, Bill struggles to help him find way through the grief and into the arms of Jesus, he finds himself drawn to a young camera girl at the Seattle Expo, where they are both working. Eleanor dreams of studying botany and of also finding her Prince Charming she doesn’t think God will bring them both in one package. When Bill sees a photo Eleanor has taken of a woman dressed in mourning black and holding a baby, he is shocked to see his sister in law! Will they be able to find her in a large city like Seattle before Wallace take’s matters into his own hands? Is there a future and a hope for Eleanor and Bill?
I found this story to be a beautiful story of forgiveness and redemption of hope and love. I loved Eleanor’s youthful optimism and Bill’s steadfastness and patience in teaching her about botany and also in courting her and talking with her very worried parents. He was kind and very respectful. Wallace’s pain broke my heart and I felt myself relating to some of the Faith questions he was wrestling with. And also his humbleness when he realized the error of his ways. This is a great example of God’s grace and redemptive power in our lives. I enjoyed the rich characters, vibrant setting of the Seattle Exposition and the well developed plot.

Thank you to @netgalley @bethanyhouse @traciepeterson for the opportunity to review for my honest opinion

This series unfortunately isn't the one for me! _Finding Us_, book 2 in the "Pictures of the Heart" series, suffers from two of the same troubles I experienced in book 1, Remember Me: overtelling/writing and passive voice. I tried to keep with it, as the plot was actually quite interesting--but gave up at about 60% as I was unfortunately dreading picking it up again every time.

I'm tempted to revisit other Peterson books I know I enjoyed, just to see if the writing style has changed or if it's my own tastes--but for now, this book/series and I must part ways.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Finding Us is about Alaska without being set in Alaska. Eleanor Bennett works as a Camera Girl at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle. A botany enthusiast, she loves photographing the wide variety of plants used in the landscaping at the expo as much as taking souvenir pictures of those attending. That's how Bill Reed came to find her in a precarious position photographing floating plants in a small lake. A botanist by profession, Bill was working giving tours in the Alaska building at the expo. As usually happens in historical romance books, Eleanor and Bill's friendship quickly grows but faces unusual obstacles. In this book, the obstacles stem from Bill's brother, Wallace, having lost his wife and unborn child in a shipwreck on their way to Seattle from Alaska, an event which negatively impacted his faith in God. Further complications arise from the vengeful attitude of a man whose brother was hanged after Wallace testified against him.

I really enjoyed the plot of this book. The author paced it well and transitions between storylines were smooth. The dialogue occasionally felt off, but not often enough to impact my enjoyment. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Finding Us from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Tracie Peterson never fails to truly pull me in. This was an amazing story of what an evil man can accomplish, and the lives he can deeply hurt. It’s also an amazing story of the power of God, and how He can make everything come together to reflect His Glory in the end.

Grady was a truly evil man. He was angry with William and Wallace because they testified against his brother resulting in his hanging. Grady knew his brother was guilty, but he believed they should have remained quiet allowing his brother to walk free. As a result, he met them on a ship and vowed to make them hurt the way he did. He did this by making Wallace believe he lost everything that mattered most to him when the ship went down.

This was a story of intense pain, intense strength, and true redemption in the end. We saw how evil can cause so much pain, but his faith in the end can heal all Satan has tried to destroy.

I will continue to love this author! Thank you, Bethany House and Netgalley, for this wonderful opportunity to read these books for free in exchange for an honest review.

Finding Us by Tracie Peterson is the second book in the Pictures of the Heart series. It can be read as a standalone if you have not read Remember Me. The story transports readers back to 1909 in Seattle where the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition is taking place. The author’s descriptions bring the scenes to life. I could imagine the bustling exposition, the flora and fauna in Seattle and Alaska, the streets of Seattle, and even the sinking of the ship. I enjoyed learning about the exposition and the Camera Girls. A picture taken by one of the Camera Girls may have been only ten cents but that was a fortune for some people. I was surprised to learn that the “new” Brownie camera cost only ten dollars. I can tell the author did her research on the exposition. I enjoyed getting to know Eleanor and Bill. We also get to know Bill’s brother, Wallace and his wife, Amelia. Grady Masterson is an evil man intent on revenge. I did feel that Bill and Eleanor’s romance moved too quickly despite the explanations. Wallace had a crisis of faith which is understandable after the loss of a loved one. It is reasonable to wonder why God lets bad things happen especially to good people. I did feel that Wallace was a little quick to change his tune when hope came his way. Faith, God, and scripture are strong themes in the story since faith is a big part of the main characters lives. I like that we got to catch up with Addie and Isaac from Remember Me. The story does contain violence (fisticuffs, abuse, and murder). Key details are repeated throughout the story. I can understand repeating them once or twice, but no more than that. I felt that Finding Us was a nice but predictable story. In Finding Us the author has combined love, loss, hope, revenge, greed, friendship, and faith into one heartwarming tale.

Finding Us, is the second book in the Pictures of the Heart series by Tracie Peterson. Now Tracie has some calling her the "Queen of Historical fiction." I can rightly see how she would have earned this nickname. I've been reading her books right from the start when she was published with Barbour books and knew she would go far in the publishing world. Her books take ahold of you, and you get lost in the fictional world she is portraying. The first book in this series focused more on cameras and taking pictures and selling them at an exposition in Seattle in the early 1900's. Now this one does the same thing as it continues the series but not as much as the first.
"Women and children first" they said effectively removing Amelia Reed, heavily pregnant from her husband as she's helped into a lifeboat when the ship, she's on with her husband starts to sink. When the lifeboat is found capsized, she must have drowned.
A chance meeting at the exposition has want to be botanist Camera Girl Eleanor Bennett meeting botanist Bill Reed when she snaps his photo. As they get to know each other their mutual fascination with botany brings them together. As Eleanor snaps pictures of others at the expo she sees a sight that she won't soon forget. A woman in widow's weeds, with a haunted look on her face with a newborn baby. The woman agrees to have her picture taken so she can have a picture of her young baby. Remarking to Bill about this memorable woman she shows the picture to Bill who is astounded saying this is his sister-in-law. This starts the process of trying to relocate the woman despite many obstacles and through dangerous situations.
The book is a tale of love, loss and restored faith.
I found the book to be very enjoyable and realistic and greatly look forward to more books by this author.

Pub Date: 25 Jul 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Tracie Peterson brings us back to Seattle during the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo of 1909 in her book Finding Us. There is heartbreak and sorrow where faith is tested almost to the limit anyone can handle. There is suspense along with deceit that goes hand in hand with evil. Although faith is questioned, will it be enough to overcome the sorrows and discover a couple miracles? I enjoyed the historical context with the AYP Expo, and the struggles the individuals go through that test their faith. It is helpful to have read the first book in the series, Remember Me, but it is not essential. I recommend this book and look forward to the next book in the series.

The second in the Pictures of the Heart series features Camera Girl, Eleanor. Set in Seattle during the World's Fair, readers will enjoy the excitement of the fair as well as learning about Alaska through the exhibit. Bill and his brother Wallace having just survived a shipwreck traveling from Alaska are mourning the loss of Wallace's wife and baby who perished. Murder, a mysterious widow and a man out for revenge all make up this tale. I liked that characters from the previous book were included. Enjoyable story even though predictable at times. Recommended.

My favorite series of Tracie Petersons to date!

I can't get enough of these "Brownie Girls" and their stories. Each book is centered around one of the camera girls during the Seattle Washington Expo. The mixture of suspense and romance is just a perfect mix. If I didn't have other things going on (like sleep), I would have wanted to finish this book in one sitting 😂.

A missing wife, mysterious widows, love at first sight and Tracie Peterson's knack for writing bad guys. You can't ask for more.

Finding Us is a bit of mystery, a sweet romance, a tale of faith, and a tender story of trust and discovery. I enjoyed this book, found the characters endearing, and enjoyed learning a bit about the AYP Expo of 1909.

🤎Book Review📷
Finding Us
Tracie Peterson
Publisher: Bethany House
Publishing: July 25th, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Thank you to NetGalley, Bethany House and the author for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: "While taking photographs at an exposition in Seattle in 1909, Camera Girl Eleanor Bennett snaps an image of a woman in widow's clothes with deep sorrow etched in her expression and a young infant in her arms.
Eleanor longs to study botany at the University of Washington and soon becomes fast friends with botanist Bill Reed, but she can't stop thinking about the widow in the photograph. She is stunned to learn Bill recognizes the woman as the sister-in-law he believed lost in a shipwreck.
As Eleanor and Bill hunt for Amelia Reed to reunite her with her grief-stricken husband, they must stand together to face the danger that follows and learn to trust that God will direct their paths."

Read if you like:
🤎 Love at first sight
📷 Mystery
🤎 Historical fiction
📷 Plants and flowers

I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet and fun with a bit of mystery thrown in. I am not usually a fan of love at first sight books, but it worked for this one. I'm really excited for the last book in the series, too! Great for those looking for a Christian historical fiction novel.
(While this is in a series, they can he read as standalone books.) Available on July 25th!

#qotd : If you could visit any state you've never been to, what would it be and why?

#bethanyhouse #findingus #traciepeterson #series #picturesoftheheart #netgalley #review #rep #christianfiction #historicalfiction #reviewbooks #Christian #cleanromance #romance #mystery

Finding Us is the second book in the Pictures of the Heart series by Tracie Peterson. This story takes over where the first book ends, so it is best to read them in order. However, there is enough background information to read as a stand alone story. This story takes place in 1909 at the Alaska Yukon Pacific Expo in Seattle. The story has a mix of nice and wicked characters. The main character is Eleanor, a camera girl at the expo. One of the pictures she takes is of a grieving young mother and her newborn child. Eleanor is also helping Bill rewrite his botany book for his publisher. His original book was damaged when the ship he, his brother and sister-in-law were on sunk. They believe his sister-in-law died, but she is being held captive by a man who despises her husband. When Bill sees the photo, the search is on to find his sister-in law.

This is an enjoyable story to read. It shows the deep grief Bill’s brother and sister-in-law go through believing the other has died. We also see how generous with her time, Eleanor is with helping others. We also see the deep love and protection her parents have for her. This story takes several twists and turns and contains suspense and romance. This book kept me reading to see if the couple would find each other and how Elanor’s and Bill’s relationship would develop.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

What a thrilling and inspiring Christian romance! I loved how Peterson hooks you in right from the beginning with the shipwreck and not knowing what happened to everyone. Eleanor and Bill have such a sweet and beautiful connection right from the start, that you can't help rooting for their happily ever after throughout the rest of the book. And then everything gets more intense when Eleanor takes that photograph of the widow who ends up being Bill's sister-in-law, thought to be dead.
I loved the themes of following the guidance of the Lord, especially when life is dark. Wonderful read!!!

Bill Reed and his brother, Wallace are returning to Seattle from Alaska as Wallace's wife is due to have their baby any day. As the ship starts to go down in the midst of a heavy storm, Amelia is separated from her husband and brother in law; and when she lands in Seattle, she is told they have both perished. In turn, the brothers on a separate ship are also told Amelia has perished along with the baby. In turn, Bill, a botanist, gets a job in the Alaska booth at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition where he meets Eleanor Bennet, a camera girl, who is a budding botantist. Who from their past hates them so much that they would pass on lies and can Bill and Eleanor discover the truth?

Tracie Peterson never disappoints, and this second book in her Pictures of the Heart series pulls in her love of Alaska, her extensive research on the AYP Exposition, and her amazing plot lines. The developing relationship between Bill and Eleanor with their common interest was sweet to watch. Bill's attention to his brother Wallace as he mourns the loss of his wife and child continually undergirding Wallace's lost faith was a wonderful thread. Amelia's strength in persisting to take care of herself and little Will against the constant push of the villain of the story showed what a smart woman she was. Overall, another great read from Tracie Peterson.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

3⭐️s
“Finding Us” by Tracie Peterson is the second in book in the Pictures of the Heart series. We return to the Seattle Expo in a dual perspective story following camera girl, Eleanor, and Alaskan botanist, Bill, as they discover how one decision, one moment, one photograph can be used by God to change a life forever.
With the gorgeous setting of the Seattle Expo and all the talk of the Alaskan territory, this book will transport you to those areas. The author has an excellent way of conveying the atmosphere whether bustling about and overcrowded or isolated in the nature.
The interweaving storylines were interesting, but the romance was too fast for me even after all the explanations in the book. I also had trouble with the extreme highs and lows of Wallace’s faith. This did not make his character more relatable, which I think was the intent, but it was far more difficult to connect with his character. Some of the side characters were very enjoyable, and appearances by characters from previous book were welcoming. I plan to read the next book in this series to see how these character’s lives unfold.

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House for an advanced copy to honestly read and review.

I thoroughly enjoyed FINDING US. I had not read the first book in the series, so I'm delighted to say this one stands alone.

I'll admit that at first Eleanor got on my nerves a little bit because she is extremely perky. But she grew on me and I'm glad I kept reading.

The story of the shipwreck and the photograph taken at the expo really grabbed my attention. I also enjoyed Eleanor and Bill working on the botany book together.

The bad guy was kind of odd, but I suppose necessary for the plot to come together, which it does very nicely.

The conflict with Eleanor's parents seemed realistic, and I appreciated how Bill and Eleanor both prayed about it.

Wallace's faith is an interesting subplot. It seems realistic that he might have questioned his faith when he thought all was lost. However, in the story, it takes a jolt of very good, surprising news to restore his faith. Perhaps it would have been a stronger faith message if he had found a way to regain his faith even when times still seemed very dark.

Ultimately I found this novel to be thoroughly enjoyable, and I look forward to this author's next book.

Tracie Peterson once again delivers an epic tale of love, loss and restoration in Finding Us.

Bill and Wallace Reed believe Wallace's wife, Amelia, has been lost in a shipwreck. With no hope, Wallace's faith and trust in God crumble. Meanwhile, Amelia believes her husband was lost in the wreck. Each is dealing with the grief of loss, never knowing how close they were living to each other.

When Eleanor Bennett snaps a picture of Amelia at the Seattle Exposition, it sets a chain of events in motion she could never have imagined.

It was nice to travel back to the Expo and see it through a different lens this time. And it was great to see Addie again from the first book, Remember Me. But, while I enjoyed Finding Us, knowing what would happen spoiled the book for me. There were no real surprises. Even the villain was introduced early, so you knew how this story would unfold.

However, I enjoyed the courtship story of Bill and Eleanor and their deep-abiding faith. I especially loved how the author showed a pastor losing his faith when faced with unspeakable loss. I thought his remorse over his failure to pass the testing of his faith was genuine.

If you enjoy historical fiction with faith elements, you will enjoy Finding Us.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest review.

5 stars for this well written book! Loved every minute of it!
My favorite thing about this book was how Peterson made my heart drop in a certain scene, which made me hold my breath all at once. She's wonderful like that.
Another thing I loved was fact mixed with fiction. I found myself looking up certain events that I was in awe of.
I just simply couldn't put this amazing adventure down! I finished it in a day. Amelia and Eleanor were very interesting people. I loved getting to know them along with Wallace and Bill Reed.
Even Grady, who got his fair share was the perfect villain.
I could picture my favorite actor for his part if this were made into a movie.
My favorite and most important thing was God's presence throughout this book. He is forever showing us love, grace, and mercy. He will never leave or forsake us no matter what. We only need to ask Him.
This was a quote from Bill Reed. I kind of worded it wrong, but I think I still got the message across.
I myself would NOT know what to do without him! I'd be lost!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Finding Us (Pictures of the Heart #2) by Tracie Peterson, 320 pages. Bethany House (Baker Publishing), 2023. $18.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Eleanor went to Seattle to be a camera girl at the exposition going on there, and she has loved every minute of it. William, on the other hand, only took a job at the expo because tragedy ruined the plans he and his brother had for Seattle. Their lives intersect for a reason, and everything becomes clear after the development of one of Eleanor’s photos.
Eleanor’s story can be read independently of the prequel; characters in the first book show up in this one, but the details of their story are not necessary to read Eleanor and William’s. Peterson includes strong Christian themes and scripture quotations due to her characters’ faith being a big part of their lives. The main characters feel Mary-Sue-ish and some details are belabored, but, overall, the story is heartwarming and faith-promoting.
The majority of the characters, including Eleanor and William, are White, and May is half Japanese. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, and the violence rating is for mentions of abuse, gun use, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen