Remember Me

Author: Tracie Peterson
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Pictures of the Heart #1
Pages: 304
Release Date: March 7, 2023
Publisher: Bethany House

From the Yukon to Seattle, the hope of a new beginning waits just around the corner.

Addie Bryant is haunted by her past of heartbreak and betrayal. After her beau, Isaac Hanson, left the Yukon, she made a vow to wait for him. When she's sold to a brothel owner after the death of her father, Addie manages to escape with the hope that she can forever hide her past and the belief that she will never have the future she's always dreamed of.

Years later, Addie has found peace in her new life as a photographer, training Camera Girls to operate and sell the Brownie camera. During the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle, Addie is reunited with Isaac, but after the path her life has taken, she's afraid to expose the ugliness of her former life and to move toward the future they had pledged to each other.

When her past catches up with her, Addie must decide whether to run or to stay and face her wounds in order to embrace her life, her future, and her hope in God.

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Reviewer: Conny Withay

“There was always that one question that came to haunt her: If God controlled her fate, why hadn’t He kept her safe from the horrible things she endured,” Addie ponders in Tracie Peterson’s novel, Remember Me.

The first book in the Pictures of the Heart series, this two-hundred-and-ninety-three-page paperback targets those interested in a historical romance about a young woman dealing with her shameful past to find God. With no profanity, topics involving a brothel, physical abuse, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending has the author’s biography and advertisements.

Set in Seattle in 1909, twenty-six-year-old Addie has fled from her past tragedies living in the Yukon and is somewhat content training Camera Girls to operate and sell Brownie cameras at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo. Her past catches up to her when she encounters a man she previously promised herself to, and she is determined she is no longer worthy of his love.

Since I live in the Pacific Northwest, I love learning about its history, especially when it involves Alaska and Seattle. I appreciate the tenderness the author uses in describing Addie’s experiences growing up and living in a brothel. The details about photography, the expo, and Pinkertons were interesting.

Those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ may not like this story of how a broken woman must trust God and realize that she is loved and forgiven for the past, including things she could not control. Others may not care for the fear, pain, and mental and physical abuse they cause.

It may be helpful to include a map of Seattle and a list of characters in future books in the series.

If you enjoy a read about remembering how God arranges true love, this first book in a historical series will want you yearning for more.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through Interviews & Reviews. I am under no obligation to give a positive review.

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Reviewer: Carolyn Bryant

The Picture of the Hearts series is off to a wonderful start with Remember Me, another 5-Star offering from master storyteller Tracie Peterson. 

The story unfolds in a beautifully sketched 1909 Seattle setting against the backdrop of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo. The intriguing plot pulled me in from the beginning and held me captive to the end. Compelling characters, main and secondary, enrich the story. 

Fascinating historical details, seamlessly incorporated into the narrative, transport you to the scene and bring the story to life. The challenging second chance romance is heartwarming, though at times heartbreaking. As always in a Peterson book, I appreciate the valuable faith lessons woven throughout the story. This is Historical Christian Fiction at its best, and I highly recommend it!

I look forward to the next book in the series.  

I received a copy of this book from the publisher with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

​Tracie Peterson delivers an inspiring story in the first book of her Pictures of the Heart series.

How do you convince someone who has known only violence and hatred at the hands of her own family that she is worthy of love? Peterson takes the character of Addie Bryant and, with captivating prose, leads the reader on Addie's heartbreaking journey from victim to victor.

When she finally escapes the horrors her brothers forced her to endure, we meet her again with friends and allies that support and love her. Still, she hesitates to tell them about her past, fearing they will reject her. And when her long-time beau Isaac Hanson shows up after years of searching for her, she fears he too will turn his back on her. 

While Addie feels her "sin" is unforgivable, it takes a long time for her to realize she was sinned against and there was nothing to forgive. The author brilliantly leads Addie to a greater understanding of Jesus' love for us, giving the reader a clear presentation of the Gospel message. But not before she is again put in danger and asks the age-old question - if God loves me, why does He let bad things happen to me? The author not only shows Addie why but the reader as well.

While Isaac seemed like a puppy who just found his favourite chew toy, I loved how he had to learn how important it was to take it slow with someone like Addie, who had endured horrible abuse. Speaking of which, this might be a trigger for some who read this book. So, please note it deals with physical abuse that is quite graphic. Unfortunately, there was no way to tell this tale without it.

I loved this book's ending, the danger, the romance and the message of hope. I look forward to the rest of the series. 

I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest review.

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