Oh my goodness, this book was awesome! I loved everything about this story from the characters to the mysteries, to the unearthing of a dinosaur and Anna being involved with that even within the time period the book is set. I also was impressed with the way Julian is written and what that character brings to the story. My favorite part of the book was a surprise at the end, that was such a fun addition that I didn’t see coming but was perfect. I can not wait for the rest of this series!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher but also purchased my own Audible copy. I was not required to post a positive review and all thoughts are my own.

Amazing Discoveries, second chances, but also some unsettling secrets..

This book takes place in Wyoming territory in the late 1800's. The paleontological aspect was what interested me. But there is so much more going on than a dig. There's mysterious disappearances and danger lurking. I enjoyed this book so much!!

I will honestly say, at first, Anna Lakeman was not my favorite. I really did not like her attitude, BUT her character development and growth was realistic. I ended up liking her more as the book progressed. I loved the decision that Joshua Ziegler made. It was the most logical one and showed a willingness to make the best start. I don't want to say too much cause I really don't want to spoil anything.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Tense and intense are the first descriptors that come to mind when thinking of The Secrets Beneath. Each time things seem to be going well for Anna Lakeman and those she loves, another unexpected and unwelcome event occurs, creating increasingly greater degrees of tension between characters and within the reader. The book has multiple themes, but the one that spoke the loudest to me dealt with showing the love of God when doing so has the possibility, or even the likelihood, of putting oneself in danger. The story touched on how paleontology and Christianity may go hand-in-hand. I truly hope the author expands on this in future books in this Treasures of the Earth series, of which this book is the first.

The Secrets Beneath is a compelling story, one I highly recommend. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I was thrilled to finally be able to read The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse. I’ve read a couple of her books prior to reading this newest book, and I really enjoyed them. When I learned she was writing a book about a woman in paleontology in the late 1800’s, I was quite excited. Not only is this about the Bone Wars though, it is a second-chance romance, and there is also a mystery involved.

Anna Lakeman and Joshua Ziegler have been apart for a few years, having parted after a horrid argument, though they had been engaged to be married. They hadn’t talked to each other in the time that Joshua was away. This is now a chance to possibly work out their relationship.

Anna had been helping her paleontologist father for years by drawing detailed, wonderful sketches of his work. They now had an opportunity to dig near their home. However, different obstacles and dangers keep popping up and put a damper on things.

And then there is Julian, the man whose land they are digging on. Something isn’t quite right with this man, but Anna is sure she can help him by showing him kindness. As the reader we get to see things from his point of view at times which really added to the tension and even a bit to the confusion.

There is a good deal of suspense and mystery in this story. There were things I did see coming, but there were definitely times the author took me by surprise. I appreciated the way the characters leaned on the Lord and grew in their relationships with him. I found the information on the Bone Wars quite intriguing, and loved the way it was mentioned more than once that the fossils would have been buried during the great catastrophe of the flood in Noah’s day.

I really appreciated this passage from the story,
“Over the last three years, he’d learned about the leaps and bounds they were making in scientific discovery. It was changing the face of medicine. Which was a good thing. Healing people always needed a boost when ailments seemed to crop up overnight.
If only faith and science could be reconciled. Why couldn’t the two come together?
It didn’t make sense. They went hand in hand.”

I also loved seeing the relationship between Anna and Joshua develop. They definitely had some things to work through and I was left wondering more than once if they would be able to work it out or not.

The author brought this story to a great conclusion, with some added surprises, but the story wasn’t left on any cliffhangers, which I had worried about, knowing it is the first in a series. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for the next one.

I received this book for free from the author as a part of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own, honest thoughts.

Wow! What an amazing start to a new series! Having grown up in Utah and visited the Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal many times, this book really hit close to home. I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter from real life paleontologist Earl Douglass who discovered the first dinosaur bones at the site in 1909. Along with all the fascinating paleontology aspects is a fantastic mystery, nail-biting suspense, and a second chance romance. I was definitely hooked from the start and enjoyed every moment!

Anna Lakeman is finally returning home to the Wyoming Territory after assisting her father on his numerous paleontological digs. As a brilliant artist, she’s able to expertly capture drawings of the dinosaur bones he discovers. She hoped to be married by this time, but a huge misunderstanding with her would be fiancé led to his leaving for medical school for three long years without a word. When dinosaur bones are discovered near her home, she and her father work to secure the location for digging from their quiet, often misunderstood neighbor, Julian Walker.

Joshua Ziegler regrets the way he left things three years ago with Anna whom he never stopped loving. When he finally returns home for the summer, he’s surprised to find Anna there and still unmarried. It’s a delicate dance as they try to put aside hurt feelings and rekindle what they lost. But, when Joshua’s nephew goes missing, he’s afraid of facing the same loss they experienced years ago when his sister Mary disappeared. Where could the boy have gone to and is his disappearance somehow connected to Mary’s?

I loved so many things about this story! The slow burn, second chance romance was so good. There were times when both Joshua and Anna were being stubborn and needed to sit down and just talk things out. Thankfully they eventually did. I felt for Anna who had such knowledge and great talent, but because she was a woman was discouraged from participating in her father’s work.

The surprising, suspenseful twist at the end really threw me for a loop! I did not see it coming. I also loved the way the author reconciled faith with science and how the two aren’t incompatible. It was such a unique, enjoyable story and I can’t wait for the next book. Highly recommend to historical romance and suspense fans! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

I was so excited to receive a copy of this book! How often do you get to read about women paleontologists? Since it is also written by one of my favorite authors, I have to say that I had the bar set pretty high for this book.
I was not disappointed! The ups and downs in this story had me glued to the page, wondering what was coming next. I did not expect this level of intrigue, action, and suspense to be so well balanced out with compassion, love, and forgiveness. Truly, another wonderfully written story from Woodhouse! I loved it!

I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book that left me feeling scared, but this book did that. The premise was extremely intriguing, and the antagonist was so well thought out. The romance between Anna and Joshua was sweet, and I felt myself rooting for them the entire time. I loved learning more about paleontology through this story. Kimberley Woodhouse did her homework and it shows in this novel. 10/10 would recommend!

I was provided a free copy of this book in order to offer my review, but my opinions are all my own.

Kimberley Woodhouse gives us a glimpse into the historical world of paleontology. Set in Wyoming Territory during the late 1800s, the past comes alive for both the book characters and the reader. With a marvelous mix of romance and danger, the layers of each person involved in the story are chipped back much as the fossil bones are exposed one chisel chip at a time. The amazing attention to detail brings this story to life and the research is evident with the descriptions of meticulous work to unearth each bone. Just as the bones are being unearthed, there are secrets around this town that are also waiting to be uncovered, but the danger that waits with them could end both Anna and Joshua. With their feeling fighting to be heard, where will they each be when the dust settles? Both main characters and support characters leap off the pages under the expert pen of Kimberley Woodhouse. These characters add depth to a story that is the first in a series that I can't wait to read. With the added suspense and dark edge that the book brings to life, I am so excited to see where Kimberley Woodhouse takes this series. It is sure to be an exciting ride! You will definitely want this on your TBR pile, if you can wait that long! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Secrets Abound!
"I'm amazed by what you and your father do. How you can see what's there. It's definitely a gift."
Indeed Kimberly Woodhouse's latest novel is a gift! The Secrets Beneath is book one in the Treasures of the Earth series. Woodhouse casts a strong female character in Anna Lakeman. Anna has been part of the science world as long as she can remember, helping her father in his paleontology work. She's been instrumental in his digs and has cultivated a talent for sketching the bones her father finds and creating the creatures they came from. She's loves the work and is determined to continue, no matter what society thinks.
Society, or rather her friend Joshua Ziegler, doesn't really approve of her being a part of the paleontology world, much less going on the digs with her father.
However as he takes a summer off university and lends a hand to Anna and her father's latest dig, he finds a new respect for Anna's work.
Mingled with intrigue and a mysterious misunderstood neighbor, Woodhouse takes readers through time as Anna and her team dig not only for bones but for answers. Readers will find themselves lost in the Wyoming territory, anxiously awaiting Anna to unlock the Secrets Beneath.

Wow, I wasn’t expecting this story to be suspenseful, but it was! Anna Lakeman has worked with her father for years on his dinosaur digs, always hoping to be a paleontologist. Her determination, grit, and love for the profession keeps her going despite everyone prejudice.

Joshua Ziegler and Anna were at one time going to get married, but when an unresolved argument occurs and years go by, Anna has given up hope that they will ever reconcile. Their rocky relationship at times wanted me to say, “Stop and listen to what they are saying instead of making assumptions.” I was very happy when they began to do that, which helped them work through their difficulties.

Julian Walker who was a classmate and neighbor on whose property the dinosaur site was located, was a complex man. He was mysterious, lonely, and I felt sorry for him at times. I love the twist that he provides to the story!

If you enjoy books from the romantic suspense genre and authors such as Jaime Jo Wright, you will want to read this book. This is the first in the Treasures of the Earth Book and I am looking forward to reading the other two that are to come.

I received a complimentary copy of the book. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Wowza! A captivating beginning to what promises to be a stellar new series by Ms. Woodhouse. With a delightful peek into history, Woodhouse centers her story around a young paleontologist during the Bone Wars of the late 1800's. As Anna unexpectedly finds herself leading the dig, she uncovers unforeseen secrets beneath the ground. The author pens an intriguing mystery that just might have links to unsolved mysteries of the past.

Expertly plotted, Woodhouse will keep her readers totally invested in the story until the last age has been read. While the mystery has some positively creepy moments, I found this to be a beautiful story of family and love, of faith and forgiveness. Eagerly anticipating reading the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Unfortunately, this was far too predictable to be enjoyable, as well as having characters that acted in ways that didn't really make sense. The premise behind the romance felt...flimsy. While the idea of a childhood pining trope alongside second chance would normally be appealing, in this instance it wasn't engaging me at all. The hero abandoned the heroine three years prior and never wrote her, then lamented that she never wrote him, and he somehow expected that an apology would be sufficient to fix things. Then when the heroine's father falls ill, the hero thinks that is an excellent time to try to get back together. WHAT? He seemed so insensitive to me, and it was so immature. I didn't really see why the heroine would take him back, and the way their relationship mended itself didn't feel genuine. It would have helped to have had more backstory on the couple's prior relationship, since maybe it would have made me feel more invested in them as a couple. But by the time I got majority of the way through the story, I wasn't interested in seeing them together and felt zero chemistry.

I have tried to read this author before and haven't had much luck, so I think it may just not be a good fit from a writing style perspective.

”The garden—his garden—was alive with color today, while the inside of him was black as death.” With this ominous opening sentence, I could see The Secrets Beneath would be quite different from other historical fiction books Kimberley Woodhouse has written.

While Woodhouse’s books are on my “buy first, ask about content later,” list, Woodhouse has elevated her historicals to include psychological suspense, channeling Jaime Jo Wright or Janyre Tromp. This may be one of my best reads of 2023!

I had never heard of the Bone Wars of 1877-1892. I actually looked them up. Woodhouse meticulously researches these, and weaves a beautiful, intricate story of a Wyoming archaeologist, Peter Lakeman, and his daughter, Anna, an aspiring archaeologist. Anna has a few regrets about young men from years ago that come back to play important roles in her present life. I stayed up way too late to finish this book, as the mystery and romance had me enthralled and unable to escape.

I loved Anna’s father for his wisdom, quiet observations, and clear assessments of situations as well as parental love for his daughter. His example shows how a child will later better understand the one True Father. When one has a father more like the neighboring Julian Walker has, comprehending the love of a good Father can be very difficult.

Every chapter starts with a quote from Earl Douglass. Historical notes are always a pleasure to read, separating fact from fiction. I love the well-woven spiritual truths that are hidden within the book, as well.

Because of all the emotions evoked, the surprises, and the choices characters make, I would highly recommend The Secrets Beneath for a book club.

I received a copy of the book from the author and from NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

But if people could see him differently . . . that would help him to be a better person.

“If only faith and science could be reconciled. Why couldn’t the two come together?”

“Isn’t it dangerous to believe and rely on love changing a person here on this earth?” Dad shook his head. “The only love that can truly change anything or anyone is God’s love. His is supernatural. Our love here on earth fails. It falters. It isn’t enough. We shouldn’t love someone based on the idea that they will change. That’s wrong thinking.”

“You don’t need kindness—although that’s nice isn’t it? You don’t even need a friend. But you do need to see God’s love. He’s the only one who can restore you.”

Listen, when I tell you I finished this book like 9 minutes ago. I swear, I love it so much. Like, I don't even know where to start! First off, dinosaurs! Who doesn't love a great book about dinosaurs and women paleontologists and Wyoming? Second, Josh is just about the cutest little derp ever! I'll be honest, Anna is pretty much a spoiled brat, but she grows on you, and her dad is the most precious! Julian... he gives me the creeps, and Damian, I had him pegged for at least 200 pages. Don't tell me how, I just did. The plot... I was so glad that Rosemary was just a minor inconvenience, because it would have made me mad if she were any more annoying. I loved watching the relationships play out. The parallels between Caleb and Mary were heartbreaking. Honestly, I was hooked from the prologue.

Fair warning: Kimberley Woodhouse was temporarily, I believe, possessed by Jaime Jo Wright, and for the first time ever, I had to put one of her books down because I was afraid I would have nightmares. Seriously, preorder the stupid book. Okay!

A murder mystery set against the simplicity of a bygone era in combination with history's first archeological digs of dinosaurs? It's somewhat of an odd combination, but executed SMASHINGLY well!!!

THOUGHTS:
- Mental health in the era of the Old West was not talked about like all generations before my current generation of Millenials, so I always find it interesting when it's discussed in historical fiction. Are people really mad, or are they a consequence of their upbringing/genetics? If they had had proper care, could they have been better?

- Can you imagine being some of the first people to articulate dinosaur skeletons? Even though our heroine had to skirt the laws to be part of these digs and to be taken seriously, she had to use the shelter of her father's legacy - it was a step in the right direction!! (Yay for semi-feminist historical fiction!)

- As always, when I think about the old days - I think about the fact that they didn't have weather apps.. and not do I genuinely think I couldn't have survived those conditions .. I'm always impressed by anyone who lived longer than 45.. Can you just imagine being in a world where flash floods and random blizzards just *happen* and there's no text alert? Wild.

NOTES:
- CWs: child abuse, alcoholism
🌶️ - Sweet not spicy - the mystery/plot takes center stage

**Thank you to Bethany House, Bethany House Publishers & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

It was hard to put this book down when I was reading it. It took me three days since I had to do daily things in between reading. While reading and even after I was done, I kept thinking about the characters and the story. I like that there was Biblical truths about forgiveness and kindness spread thought out. It also showed that darkness can turn into light when we accept Christ.

My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed reading about a woman trying to make her way in the man's world of paleontology in the Wyoming territory. This novel had so much in it, and I loved it all and how the author wove it all together throughout the storyline. Anna has been working under her paleontologist father for years and they recently have come across an amazing find practically in their own backyard. After getting permission to dig from the owner, her father falls sick and the lead excavation is left in Anna's hands. However others make it very clear that a woman has no sense or ability to lead a team with such a large scientific discovery as this. Fighting every step of the way Anna is determined to prove herself, her father's years of tutelage and what this really does mean to her. Working to prove her worth not only in the dig, but with a long standing cooled romance, Joshua has returned from medical school and the two have yet to hash out the long-standing three years of silence between them, while Anna has another admirer that could potentially come between them working things out. There is so much going on, yet it is such a smooth and fast paced read. Thank you to the author for the free novel and allowing me to be a part of the launch team. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

Can I just say WOW?! I did NOT see that ending coming! My jaw literally dropped. This book is so good! I enjoyed all of the characters a lot! Joshua and Anna were once together but had a falling out but now that Joshua is back home from medical school they start over again. Anna is working on a dinosaur dig and has to lead it due to her father falling ill. This is during a time where women didn’t do such things. Joshua helps out on the site. Julian, whose land they are digging on, has recently found out some unpleasant news and is dealing with that but makes a friend in Anna. Julian is really good at gardening and teaches Anna how to do it. I also liked the mystery part of this story. There are suspicions thrown around and disappearances that keep you in suspense throughout the book and wanting to know how it will turn out. The writing is amazing! Very well done! I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content: murder, and the bad guy is very evil, content might not be suitable for everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The beautiful cover of this book caught my attention and I immediately requested it on NetGalley after reading the intriguing synopsis. This is a truly unique and fresh historical fiction novel that includes alternating character perspectives, a compelling mystery, and clean romance.

The author researched paleontology during the late 1800s to provide a realistic picture of Anna Lakeman’s experience, adding a distinctive element of interest to this engaging novel. I was encouraged by the Biblical thread running throughout the novel and felt that it added incredible depth to the overall story.

Overall, I highly recommend this one and am grateful to Bethany House Publishers for the e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

My goodness what a story!! In this case the title certainly fits! t
Just wow!
I think this will be my favorite Kimberley book!
I.was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Quite a nail biting mystery for sure!
Dinosaurs have always intrigued me so I loved that this was added into the mix too.
The opening scene with the floodwaters made my heart speed up because I I thought that for sure they were gonners! I kept rooting Anna on!
She's one determined lady!
The cover is simply gorgeous!
I love the sayings at the top of each chapter
"I cannot tell you what the years may bring, life is a scene of change. "
How true this is!! This speaks volumes!
If everything stays the same then there would be no room left to grow!
I really enjoyed this story to the fullest!
Woodhouse has written another adventure for me to enjoy.
This was very fast-paced, so I finished it in one day!
I simply couldn't put Anna's story down!
I really felt sorry for her the Zeiglers. They went through so much! I couldn't even imagine what they went through.
Didn't much care for the Walkers at all but then I guess you've always got that one family in a town no matter where you live at.
My heart actually went out to Julian because of the way he was treated his whole life. It wasn't his fault. It's no fun being bullied just because you're different. I get it. I do.
But, sometimes as we get older life has a tendency to change us sometimes not so good all due to that green eyed monster.
My most favorite thing was the theme of forgiveness and the way that the characters tried to show their love to the ones who weren't so nice.
Just a wonderful story all the way around and one I highly recommend!
5 stars for a well written novel.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.