A Gift to Cherish
When Daisy Riley arrives in Refuge, Wyoming to live with her brother and his family, she intends to stay forever. A victim of violence in Los Angeles, Daisy craves stability, peace of mind, and safety. Her hope comes true when she lands a job as a personal assistant to Miss Joan Prescott, the owner of Cottonwood Acres, a historic ranch that once served as the set for a famous TV show. A retired college professor, Miss Joan has secrets and stories of her own, including a very unusual project that requires Daisy’s skills.
Rafe Donovan, a cop from Cincinnati, is haunted by a recurring nightmare about the death of his high school sweetheart and his failure to save her. Because of the nightmares, Rafe takes leave from the police department and seeks psychological help. He finds shelter in Refuge, where he pounds nails for his brother’s construction business. But he has no desire to stay in Wyoming and plans to return to Ohio as soon as possible.
When he finds Daisy Riley stranded late at night with a flat tire, Rafe is impressed by her courage. Daisy is equally impressed by him. Together they navigate the road to love—one complicated by the arrival of Daisy’s troubled best friend, online dating, and the impossible obstacle of 1,600 miles between her home and his.
AUTHOR NOTE: "This story contains mature subject matter. It's about our current dating culture, including the risks of online dating. It also looks at the social mores of 1970s and how those values impact today's women."
MY REVIEW: Author Victoria Bylin has a special gift for infusing inspirational contemporary romance with perfectly imperfect characters and compelling story lines that don't shy away from Life's complications. "A Gift to Cherish", Book 2 in her "Road to Refuge Series", is the story of a man and woman, both no strangers to violence, and each struggling to find sure footing on the path to ultimate faith, whose lives connect in the small town of Refuge, Wyoming. Rafe Donovan has been haunted for years by the death of his sweetheart, Kara, whom he could not save from the ravages of addiction. Taking a temporary leave from the Cincinnati police department, he heads to Refuge to help his brother, Jesse, with his construction business. Daisy Riley, a survivor of abuse and assault, leaves Los Angeles behind in her rear view mirror and makes a permanent move to Refuge to be close to her brother and his family. Seeking security and a fresh start, Daisy longs for a job beyond waitressing that will allow her to use her newly-learned office skills. Rafe and Daisy first meet when he helps her fix a flat tire. He is immediately interested in her, but she is quite wary of men due to the nightmare of a near-fatal attack by her former boyfriend. They meet again when Daisy is hired as a personal assistant by Miss Joan Prescott, who is renovating her historic family ranch home, Cottonwood Acres, and Rafe's brother's company is doing the building work. As time passes, with the help of Miss Joan as matchmaker, Daisy and Rafe will get to know more about each other, and friendship and attraction will grow between them. However, they are on different pages when it comes to spiritual matters. Daisy continues to embrace her faith as a lifeline and a source of strength to deal with trying circumstances. Rafe somewhat skirts the issue--unlike his brother, a former substance abuser with a troubled past, he has not found spiritual solace and the comfort of redeeming hope. While Daisy is happily planting roots in Refuge, Rafe yearns to return to his life as a big-city lawman in Cincinnati. Would their differences and the distance between them be too great to sustain a lasting, loving relationship? Can they find common ground and learn to trust in each other and the affirmation of abiding faith? I really loved Daisy and Rafe's story, and I also greatly enjoyed learning about Miss Joan's personal history. "Road to Refuge" is a beautifully-written inspirational contemporary romance series, and I highly recommend reading the first book, "When He Found Me", and then following up with "A Gift to Cherish". Victoria Bylin has a wonderful, unique storytelling style that is both and involving and uplifting.
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When He Found Me
Love Discovered . . . Hope Renewed
Once a strong Christian, third baseman Shane Riley lost his faith the night he injured his knee in a freak car accident. Determined to return to professional baseball and to find the sister he treated badly, Shane retreats to Refuge, Wyoming. There he meets Melissa June “MJ” Townsend, a single mom battling the virus that causes cervical cancer.
MJ wants nothing to do with the handsome athlete—no doubt a womanizer considering the stories in the news. But when a mistake results in Shane renting her garage apartment, they become friends. That friendship blossoms into something deep and pure, leaving MJ with a painful secret to tell. Even more complicated, she discovers an unexpected tie to Shane’s missing sister—a wounded woman who wants nothing to do with the perfect brother who scorned her.
MY REVIEW: Richly-layered, oh-so-human characterizations and an involving story line make "When He Found Me" a very enjoyable read. Author Victoria Bylin knows how to tell a tale that you can't put down until you've read it through. Shane Riley is a professional athlete who questions his faith when he suffers a serious injury in an accident that just may end his career. Accepting a temporary teaching and coaching position in the small town of Refuge, Wyoming seems like a good way to bide his time while his leg heals. On the road, he is briefly acquainted with a down-on-her-luck young single mom traveling with her precocious son. M.J. Townsend is headed back to her hometown to sell the house she inherited from her grandfather in order to ease her financial situation while she deals with health and career issues. As Fate would have it, Shane and M.J. meet again when he turns out to be the rental tenant of her grandfather's house. Agreeing to let Shane stay in the garage apartment while she prepares the house for sale, M.J. cautiously allows her son Cody to become pals with the famous baseball star. It's not long before the three of them are spending more and more time in each other's company, with Cody wishing Shane could be his dad. There are wishes and hopes between M.J. and Shane as well, but each of them has much to overcome. Shane is searching for his sister Daisy, from whom he was painfully and regrettably separated. While awaiting the outcome of health concerns, M.J. is trying to improved her strained relationship with her controlling mother. If prayers are answered and dreams come true, is there a chance for a happy future for all? "When He Found Me" is a wonderfully written inspirational contemporary romance from a longtime favorite author, Victoria Bylin.
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AUTHOR VICTORIA BYLIN SAYS:
"I write inspirational romance for woman of all ages. My heroines are usually in their 20s, maybe a little older, but they have moms, dads, and grandparents with full lives of their own. I love exploring the generations and how they interact, particularly how time changes some things in this world but not others.
Love is a constant. So is faith.
My newest book reflects that belief. When He Found Me is Book 1 in a brand new series called The Road to Refuge. It’s my first step into the world of Indie publishing (more about that under News). The best thing about going indie is the freedom to write books that address my most heartfelt beliefs. The most difficult aspect is getting the word out!
My writing career has morphed a couple of times now. You might have read one of my contemporary romances. Or perhaps you enjoyed one of my older western historicals. Past or present, my favorite kind of story explores love, faith, and romance through the lens of the spiritual 3 R’s--Redemption, Restoration, and Rebirth.
My characters are usually in big trouble when a book opens, which may be why my stories are called realistic and relatable."
Thank you, Virginia! Your reviews are such a pleasure to read :) I just shared on FB :)
ReplyDeleteYour books are always rewarding to read--thank you!
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