Love's Rescue

Title: LOVE’S RESCUE
Author: Tammy Barley
Publisher: Whitaker House
July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60374-108-8
Genre: Inspirational/historical

In 1863 the War Between the States is just beginning, and it is dividing more than a nation. To escape the escalating conflict, Jessica Hale’s parents decide to flee their Kentucky home and head for the Nevada Territory. This is good news for the parents who make a fortune selling expensive goods to those who strike gold. But then Jessica’s brother, Ambrose, decides to head home to Kentucky and defend the family land—and joins the Kentucky militia, resulting in his being disowned.

When Jessica attempts to send a telegram to someone to get information about her brother, the family is presumed to be Confederate, and Unionists set a fire to her home, murdering her family. Jessica is rescued, but “kidnapped” by cattleman Jake Bennett and taken to a remote ranch.

Despite attempts to escape, Jessica is apprehended each time. Leaving Jessica wondering—what happened to Ambrose? Why did God allow her family to be killed, but spare her? And why is Jake Bennett so determined to keep her in the Nevada wilderness?

LOVE’S RESCUE is Ms. Barley’s debut novel, and the first book in her The Sierra Chronicles series. I enjoyed taking a new and different look at the Civil War era and how it affected people, even those assumedly far from the conflict.

Jessica is a realistically developed heroine who only wanted to keep her family together and keep in contact with her brother, but ended up losing almost everything dear to her as a result. A heartrending beginning, but the story does end up showing an important lesson about forgiveness. $6.99. 400 pages.