I loved revisiting the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle and reconnecting with the wonderful Camera Girls in this second awesome installment of the Pictures of the Heart series. This story held me captive from the stormy beginning to the satisfying ending. The plot moves at a fitting pace with several surprising twists and revelation. The well-crafted, compelling characters touched my heart except for one who was one of the most deranged villains I have ever encountered in all my reading! Amazing historical detail and vividly detailed descriptions immersed me in the setting and helped to visualize the events of the story. The double dose of romance is sweet and heartwarming. I greatly appreciate the strong faith thread that permeates the story. This is top-notch Christian Historical Romance, and I highly recommend it and the series. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I really loved this story, as I did the first book in this series, and this can be read alone with some recurring characters.

The author gives us a character that truly embraces the face of evil, and goes to great ends to inflict the most emotional pain he can possibly cause on another. Then there are those who give their love and support to those who are unfortunate and in need, and they live their faith.

What a page turner this book became, and just when you think things are finally going to work out, something else happens!

Now I can't wait for the next read in this series!

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

Finding Us is a great addition to Tracie Peterson's Pictures of the Heart. I highly recommend it and am giving it five plus stars.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.
Finding Us is Book 2 (the pictures of the heart series) By Tracie Peterson.
This is the story of Eleanor Bennett and Bill Reed. Takes place in 1909 Seattle at the Exposition.
Eleanor is a camera girl at the exposition but longs to study Botany at the University of Washington.
She sees a woman in black clothing with deep sorrow and with an infant at the Expo. She is moved by this woman and takes her picture and tells her that she will send it to her.
Eleanor meets a botanist called Bill Reed and become fast friends.
She is constantly thinking about the woman in the photo and when Bill visits her at the store he recognizes the woman as his sister in law, whom he believed was lost in a shipwreck. His Brother Wallace- who is grieving the loss of his wife and baby and has lost all faith in God.
Both Eleanor and Bill go in search in finding Amelia Reed and reunite her with Wallace. No matter what obstacles and danger that follows them. They will put their Hope and Trust in God to direct their paths and protect them.
A great book and a joy to read.
Christian Fiction

I requested to read and review this book for free from Baker Publishing Company. This is the second book series in the Picture of the Heart Series by Tracie Peterson. This could easily be read as a stand alone. But I think you would like the first book as well. This is for any type of reader and can be ready anywhere. This book has drama, mystery, romance and love. Sometimes God puts trial in your life to give us a wake up call to remember life is precious. You will meet the Reed family and discover along with them the trials that come along with life and hopefully peace in the end. You will meet the Brownie girls again and experience Eleanor story this time.

"Finding Us' by Tracie Peterson is a sweet romance with twists and turns. Learning about the Exposition in Seattle and learning about the foliage in Alaska through the eyes of a botanist was very interesting. Also, this is a story of a believed lost love, lost faith, and recovered faith for Wallace Reed. A new relationship is also born for William (Bill) Reed, Wallace's brother. For an easy read, pick up "Finding Us".

An e-copy was provided by NetGalley but the opinions are my own.

"Finding Us" is a Christian romance set in 1909 in Seattle, Washington. It's the second in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone and didn't spoil events in the previous book. This was primarily a sweet romance between Eleanor and Bill as they worked to re-type his ruined botany book in time to get it to the publisher. They got to know each other's character and shared many interests. They worked well together as a team. They not only fell in love but prayed and felt God was confirming that they should get married even though they hadn't known each other long. This was one "quick romance" where I felt like they really did know the important aspects of the other's character rather than having only a superficial attraction.

The side story was about Bill's preacher brother and his wife. After being separated during a shipwreck, an increasingly insane man managed to convince Wallace and his wife, Amelia, that the other was dead. Wallace turned his back on God in anger and grief but Bill kept trying to help him find faith again. They learned fairly quickly that Amelia was alive, safe, and intending to return home to Alaska, so they didn't try too hard to reconnect with her before then. They just rushed to return to Alaska.

The main characters were likable and generally behaved realistically. Interesting historical details about the Expo and life in the Yukon were woven into the story. Wallace questioned why God allowed bad things to happen. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance.

The writing was alright and the story pretty predictable. I know this was a Christian romance but this is a book that gives Christians bad names- always talking about how 'blessed' they are when things are going right but turning their back on God during the hard trials. I felt this made the characters very one dimensional and not very interesting. I was also disappointed that Wallace never regained his faith until his 'miracle' occurred. Not very faith promoting. Not a horrible book, just very unbelievable and very trite.

This novel includes a clean but rapidly progressing romance which is understandably challenged by parental objections; a minister's serious crisis of faith precipitated by a grave personal loss; and a villain who is so bent upon revenge that he becomes mentally delusional. While I personally did question how realistic some of these situations and relationships were it is a quick read that is appropriate for young adults forward.

In this second book in the Pictures of the Heart series we reconnect with characters from the first book and meet several newcomers. I love the suspense, a little danger but most of all the sweet romance that have played an important role both novels.

I loved returning to the exposition in 1909 in Seattle, the detailed descriptions made me feel like I was seeing the sites, getting caught up in the excitement of the visitors while trying to find out if one of the missing characters would be found. This is a story filled with loss, faith, new found love and the hope of being reunited with a loved one. There is just enough of suspense and romance that me fully engaged throughout. I loved the characters, except for the deranged creepy one, but he did add an intriguing element to the plot. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. Opinions are my own.

I loved this historical story of romance and intrigue and grief and faith. Peterson is adept at plot twists and portraying characters’ emotions. She also places the reader squarely in the early 1900s with her Pacific Northwest descriptions.


I loved Peterson’s characters, especially down-to-earth, intelligent, and friendly Eleanor. I felt Bill and his brother’s grief. Peterson’s villain is cruel and scary, the kind of character a reader loves to despise!


However, I struggled with Peterson’s writing style, especially in dialogue passages. The men sound just like the women, and the women sound like each other, and mostly everybody is wordy when they speak. Sometimes an author carries the plot through dialogue to get on with the main part of the story, but it happened too much for me in Finding Us.


My niggles about writing style are a personal preference, and readers’ mileage will vary. YOU will probably love this book. I just wasn’t the right audience; my reading preferences simply didn’t mesh with Peterson’s technique.


Overall, a five-star story and a three-star (for me) execution.


Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Finding Us.

The second in the 'Pictures of the heart' series. Despite being part of a series, this book could be read as a standalone story. The characters in the story were well written and strong characterization. I liked the main character's brother as this is not something that would be a typical portrayal.

I really like the premise of the series and the way different facets of this facets of this story fits together to tell the story. Definitely worth a read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I receive complimentary books for various sources including, Netgalley, Authors, and other such sources. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received compensation.

FINDING US is the second novel in the Pictures of the Heart series by TRACIE PETERSON but it can easeily stand alone. The book is full of excitement, suspense, beautiful descriptions, wonerful characters and romance, and also has a strong Christian message.
Bill Reed with his preacher brother Wallace and Wallace’s pregnant wife Amelia are on the City of Canton when it sinks and are separated. The two brothers hear that Amelia is dead and she hears the same of them. We see the very real struggle that Wallace has with God in his grief, and how Bill tris to encourage him.
Eleanor Bennett is working as a Camera girl for Fisher Photography at the Alaska-Yukom-Pacific Exposition and Bill is giving lectures at the Alaska exhibit. They meet and find they have a common interest in plants and become friends over the re-writing of Bill’s book on Alaskan vegetation.
A photogtraph of a young widow with a baby taken by Eleanor sets things in motion - not all of them good…….
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I cannot recommend Finding Us strongly enough.
I was given a freecopy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.