"when grace sings" by kim vogel sawyer

Continuing the story of the Zimmerman family, When Grace Sings exposes long-buried secrets and beautifully illustrates the grace and love of God.

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When trouble roars into quiet Arborville, Alexa and Anna-Grace find themselves the target for discord and exposed secrets. Can they continue to seek the God of all grace amidst the fog of confusion?

Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas, will ever fully accept her. Her family roots here aren't what anyone thought when she first arrived, but she is hopeful that her culinary and hospitality skills will win the skeptics over. The bed-and-breakfast she's operating needs to succeed so Alexa agrees to allow Briley Forrester, the hotshot reporter from Chicago, to stay as a long-term boarder not knowing his real motives for being amongst the Plain folk.

But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin Anna-Grace Braun, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa's insecurities and sets Briley on the trail to uncovering a web of hidden truths.

Plans for a secure future and the sweetness of young romance hang in the balance when Alexa and Anna-Grace have to face that their secrets are interconnected, binding the two in ways they could not have imagined. They must trust in a loving, heavenly Father and His plan for their futures.

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When Grace Sings is a wonderfully fascinating book. I almost passed on it because I'm tired of the Amish/Mennonite genre, but I've enjoyed Kim Vogel Sawyer's books in the past, so I took a chance. I'm glad I did!

Though When Grace Sings is the second book in the Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy, I was able to jump right in without having first read book one. (I'm sure I missed some things, but I never felt "behind" while I read.) The story is told from four perspectives: innkeeper Alexa's, reporter Briley's, bride-to-be Anna-Grace's, and Anna-Grace's fiance Steven's. This constantly shifting point of view could get old, but in this case, it works very well.

Out of all of the intertwining stories, I enjoyed Steven's the most. Steven's future is seemingly set when he is given his grandfather's farm in Arborville, yet what he really longs to do is teach. As he struggled with the pull between duty and dreams, I felt for him—and I found myself incredibly thankful to have grown up in a family where I had the freedom to make my own path.

As this is the second book in a trilogy, many threads are left unresolved at the end of the novel, and I look forward to reading the final book to see just how things turn out! (Anna-Grace in particular has a lot of story left, and I'm anxious for her to find out who she really is!) 4-1/2 stars.

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Read my reviews of Sawyer's Sweet Sanctuary (4-1/2 stars), Song of My Heart (4 stars).

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About the author: Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of twenty-nine novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

Find Kim online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."