Review: Traces of Mercy by Michael Landon Jr. & Cindy Kelley

From Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley, authors of The Silent Gift and creators of the hit television film Love Comes Softly, comes the first book in an exciting historical romance series set in post-Civil War, and filled with suspense and faith-building values.  At the war’s end, a young woman suffers an accident that leaves her unconscious and alone. Waking with amnesia, she takes the name Mercy and wants more than anything to find out the truth of her past. But then a handsome stranger arrives, who may hold the key to everything she has forgotten. What he knows could devastate her future, and even end her life. 

  





Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: October 1st 2013 by David C. Cook
Genre: Christian fiction/ historical fiction/ romance


  
Kristine's Review:

I received an advanced readers copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Historical fiction has always been and still remains one of my favorite genres and the fact that this book takes place at the end of the Civil War got me excited.
This book takes off running from the very first page describing a battle nearing the end of the Civil War. In the very next chapter we are introduced to a woman who is found with injuries and doesn't remember who she is but the readers do (sort of). Without going into too much detail or giving any of the story away the rest of the book is about this woman, Mercy, as she struggles to move on without a past. We are then introduced to Rand who becomes her love interest and the struggles they have when a person from her past turns up and complicated their lives. 

I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. The entire way through it I was wanting to know Mercy's story from before we were introduced to her. Sadly this does not happen in this book so I guess I am going to have to read the next book in the series when it is released to find out. The romance of Mercy and Rand is a big part of this book but unfortunately I didn't feel it as much as I hoped too. I found that the romance of the characters were a little underdeveloped to be believable. Perhaps that explains why I was not at all disappointed in the events that happen between them.  

Short chapters made it easy to get through this book quickly and at the end of the day I really enjoyed it. I will have to keep my eyes open for the next book because I really want to know the back story on Mercy and what becomes of her.

Kristine's rating