What Once Was Lost

July 1, 2013
There are times in a person’s life when they do the right things for the wrong reasons, a lesson Christina Willems learns all too well in Sawyer’s saga of life in 1890s Kansas. The daughter of deceased missionaries, Christina is left in charge of a poor farm owned by a mission board. When tragedy befalls the farm and its residents, it sets in motion a chain of events that tests Christina’s faith and challenges her beliefs. She must learn to rely on the kindness of others, including curmudgeonly mill owner Levi Jonnson, in order to find where her heart truly lies. The story is lovingly told, with particular emphasis on the development of intriguing secondary characters. The path through adversity is paved with love and prayer in this solid but somewhat uneven romance that depends a little too heavily on sudden epiphanies rather than subtle changes. Agent: Tamela Hancock Murray, Hartline Literary Agency.

September 15, 2013

In 1890s Kansas, Christina Willems runs the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor on a farm under the auspices of a church organization. When a kitchen fire forces the residents to find new homes temporarily, Christina asks local mill owner Levi Johnson to take in Tommy Kilgore, an unwanted blind boy. Levi grudgingly accepts and finds himself encouraging Tommy to learn to stand on his own and be as self-sufficient as he can. Meanwhile, Christina faces increasing problems related to reopening the asylum, and even with Levi's help, her patchwork family may be separated forever. VERDICT Multiple award-winning Sawyer (Sweet Sanctuary; My Heart Remembers) has written another gentle historical sure to please fans and win new readers.

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