Announcements:

We had a wonderful Coffee and Books event last Saturday with authors Misty M. Beller, Jodi Basye, Lynn Shannon, and Abbey Downey. Thank you all who attended. If you missed it, you can watch the replay on our Rumble channel.

 

On February 16th we will have a drawing for our giveaway. Be sure to sign-up for our newsletter for a chance to win Mary Connealy’s Brothers in Arms series. There will be 2 lucky winners for this giveaway.

 

Authors, Sara R. Turnquist will share the pros and cons of the formatting softwares: Vellum, Atticus, and Scrivener. If you are trying to determine the best tool for you, then be sure to join us on February 17th at 11:00am EST.

 

Next week on February 14th our first Writers Wednesday episode will air. I have been connecting with many authors and industry experts. I cannot wait to share their advice with you. These episodes will air on a bi-weekly schedule. HCRW members have immediate access to all episodes, so if you would rather not wait, become a member today. We would love to write with you!

 

Now, let’s jump into this week’s book review.

 

Episode Notes

In this episode, I am flying solo as I bring you a review of Abbey Downey’s newest release, An Uncertain Road. This is the first book of three in her series and it is releasing on February 27th. You can pre-order this adventurous novel now with the link in the blog post of this episode.

Let’s dive in!

We meet our heroine Flora on the first page as she prays her Decauville will get her to her brother’s engagement party. She is kind, caring, and lives an adventurous life because of her free spirit. Flora knows who she is, what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it.

Don’t let her outward confidence fool you. She has her own demons. Unfortunately, fairy tale love has never existed for her, that is until she meets Jensen, who, by the way, hates racing.

Well, let’s say Jensen puts on that he hates racing and for a good reason. However, a passion for racing lives within him. All he needs is for Flora to help him overcome his fears and embrace the world of racing again.

You can imagine how well Flora and Jensen hit it off when they first meet. Her enthusiasm for racing clashes with his fear and hatred of the sport.

Abbey takes Flora and Jensen on an adventure packed love journey as they race together. One of the most nerve-wracking scenes is when they race up a mountain. The road is gravel and predominantly one car width wide. They experience heart-pounding moments as they cling to the edge of the mountain during their drive to the top. 

Jensen is a kind, quiet man, but his desire to protect the ones he loves makes him a man to be reckoned with. This, of course, causes tension between him and Flora. However, his gentle touch will have you swooning. Jensen knows how to love and cherish the woman of his dreams.

One of the most inspirational moments in this book comes when they go head-to-head with their racing nemesis. I cannot say much, as I do not want to give anything away. However, the sacrifice they make reminds of how Jesus left His thrown in Heaven to save us. Readers will not only enjoy but also be inspired by this incredible story of redemption and reconciliation.

 

Here are a few of my favorite lines.

“You can’t keep anything bad from happening to us by will alone. No one can control what happens during a race. And not one of us is invincible.”

 

He nearly lost his composure right there, the longing to pull her into his arms almost more than he could resist.

 

“Who hurt you Flora? Who did something wrong toward you?”

 

And he was impulsively kissing a woman he was coming to care far too much about.

 

He must have read the question on her face because he leaned closer as he walked her to her side of the car. “Yes, I dreamed about that kiss all night. About you. Every night since.”

 

Everything he’d done in his life had revolved around self-preservation. He’d doubted that he could trust God with his life. And where had that gotten him?

 

The sentiment “absence makes the heart grow fonder” was all too true. He’d missed her. He’d thought of her every waking moment and dreamed of her at night. It had been madness.

 

“God is the only one who can control anything, anyway. There’s nothing but freedom in loving a good man like you.”

 

LiteraryScape gives An Uncertain Road 3 out of 3 lassos, as we are sure it will have you hooked and hog-tied from beginning to end!

I gave the following ratings to each of the elements below.

Romance – Espresso to Mocha

Suspense – Mocha

Action – Mocha

Mystery – Espresso

Drama – Espresso

Inspiration – Mocha

(Rating Scale: Espresso = an expression, Mocha = medium amount, Latte = a lot)

 

Abbey is off to the races with her newest book An Uncertain Road. Be sure to pre-order your copy today!