Hello there! Welcome back to another post here on the blog - today I have the honor of reviewing a young writers recently-published book - "Sins of the Past" by Bethany Klassen. Bethany reached out to me a few weeks ago and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing her book on this blog, and of course I said YES! I recently finished, and I'm excited to be able to share this with you guys - so without further ado, let's jump right into the review!
Summary
Matthew Ellison escapes his dangerous lifestyle to take refuge in the small town of Albury, Texas. Wanting only to forget his past and the pain associated with it, he settles into the community with hopes of a new beginning. But danger has a way of following him, and Matthew soon has to make a decision – leave town, or stay and protect it.
Emma Royce travels West with her brother after her heart is broken by the man she thought she loved. With a new home and new friends, she’s ready to start over. Before Emma has a chance to gain her footing, however, she has stumbled into a dark and puzzling mystery – the new stranger in Albury.
Okay, let me start off by saying that I'm am not usually a fan of westerns - books or shows - and as I know many of my friends would disagree, I just never found them very interesting.
But...
I was pleasantly surprised to read this book, as it exceeded my expectations in many areas. The exciting and sweet plot kept me captivated soon after the first few chapters. The characters were all unique and well-crafted, and definitely drew me in from the get-go.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The main characters in "Sins of the Past" are Matthew Ellison, Emma Royce and Nathan Royce. All three were extremely relatable and interesting to see unfold throughout the story. Matthew is a outlaw who, even in such a difficult job, tries to do the right thing. He then settles in the small town of Albury where he is soon asked to become sheriff and protect the townspeople from harm. But with his unknown outlaw past, he struggles to find the balance necessary to keep the town safe. Emma Royce is sister to Nathan and accompanies her brother in his journey to help pastor a small-town church. When they meet Matthew, she is immediately suspicious of his past and where he came from. She soon learns that there is more to him than meets the eye... Nathan Royce is a young man on a mission. A mission for God that is. When he hears of a pastoral need in Albury, he wastes no time in jumping on his wagon and heading off. With his caring and loyal nature to everyone around him, Nathan is an example as a friend and brother.
All the characters in this book were so real and raw to the reader, I couldn't help but feel everything they were feeling. Matthews utter despair in his past life, Emma's initial wariness of a stranger and Nathans struggle to understand his friend. Klassen does a wonderful job of crafting the people to be relatable to every walk in life.
My overall rating:
I would suggest this book for anyone who enjoys the western / historical fiction genre. It may lean towards the teen age group, as there is some shooting / getting shot parts.
Overall, I really enjoyed this historical fiction read, and am extremely grateful to Bethany for giving me this opportunity to review her book. She is a fantastic writer and an inspiration as a young person to work hard to pursue your dreams, whatever they may be.
Hi, everyone! I'm Bethany.
I love coffee, books, and horses - in that order. Of course, I also love writing, and just recently released my first novel Sins of the Past. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, though I also like suspense and a bit of romance mixed in. As a Christian author, I strive to write action-packed stories that teach important truths while entertaining readers. My goal is to honor the Lord in every area of my life - including my
books.
Connect with Bethany
WEBSITE:
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FACEBOOK:
I hope you all have a lovely week and thanks for reading!
