The Hope of Azure Springs

Author: Rachel Fordham
Genre: Historical Romance

Alone in a strange town, can she find healing for her new home . . . and herself?

Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won't be able to do it alone.

For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He's determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn't expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.

Welcome to the charming town of Azure Springs, Iowa, where people care deeply for one another and, sometimes, even fall in love.

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Reviewer: Rebecca Maney

"Soon enough she'd be back to merely surviving, but for now, in this moment, the world felt brighter."

Sleeping in a barn and working for non-existent wages, the past seven years have not been kind to Em ("a mighty plain name for a mighty plain girl"), but it seems that a near death experience has totally changed her life. Nearly bleeding to death from a gunshot wound, and terribly malnourished, Em is found unconscious by residents of Azure Springs, Iowa. When the local sheriff begins to unpack Em's story, " . . his gut (tells) him that this was no usual crime"; Caleb Reynolds is a determined man, and the waif like victim has quite the story to tell. 

Living with a gracious, esteemed family in the community during her convalescence, Em struggles to find her place; uneducated and rather ordinary in appearance, she wraps herself in their kindness; the likes of which she has never known. When her friendship deepens with the handsome sheriff, uninvited trouble appears on the horizon. And her future remains rather murky; for Em is determined to find the younger sister that she was forced to leave behind.

"Sometimes the steepest roads lead to the grandest views." 

A lovely debut with some inevitable predictability, but also sprinkled with glimpses of life's uncertainties and a beautiful ending. 

​Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Olivia R.

With an eye-catching cover and a new author, I was so thrilled to be able to read this book. There were good reminders of getting past the struggles of the world and facing each day with a smile. Also, the light humor sprinkled throughout the pain and grief created a story that is realistic in all of our worlds.

While I did enjoy this book, I did struggle with being drawn in by the main characters. Some of it was that a lot of dialogue was contrived and didn't fully show the potential of Em and Caleb. Their characters did develop throughout the story, but not as much as I hoped. The ending was a happy one, and yet, I felt there was something lacking to how everything came together. Some details, such as Alroy, seemed to be quickly passed by once it was over.

The romance was sweet. There was a little hint of a love triangle, but thankfully it didn't last long. I liked that the romance wasn't focused on the physical, but on each other's true characters. The spiritual content wasn't heavy...some prayers, mentions of God's goodness in their lives, but not any direct comments about Salvation.

This story will certainly interest western readers, and I'm looking forward to looking out for this author again in the future!

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

Wow! I always love it when I find a new author and Rachel Fordham is on my list as one of my new favourites!

The Hope of Azure Springs has so many layers to it that it is hard to know where to start. Let's start with our two main characters Em and Caleb. Em has had a rough life, and the author managed to pull on my heartstrings more than once describing her story. Caleb has had some heartache as well and how the two are brought together and how they grow together is a beautiful thing to watch. I started this book on Tuesday. On Wednesday I stayed up until 3:00 am to finish it! I could not put it down! Also, I couldn't turn my brain off to settle down after reading the book. That's how good it is!

The underlying theme of beauty and what that meant was something I found very interesting. Em considered herself plain and unattractive. In fact, she had resigned herself to the fact that no one could ever love her. However, she did not see her character and how beautiful it was to those around her. This is something people who struggle with self-esteem need to grasp. So you aren't a model? So what! Beauty is fleeting, it's what is on the inside that counts, and as Em grows in this story, her inner beauty turns more than one person's life around.

You will love this story which is filled with all the elements you want in a historical romance - growth in the characters, suspense, adventure a few chuckles and by the end (for me at least) many tears. This is one book you want to read!

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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