Friday Book Pick: THOUGH MY HEART IS TORN by Joanne Bischof

Sometimes the characters in a story bury themselves so deeply in your heart, it hurts to close the cover on them. Joanne Bischof, author of the Cadence of Grace series has accomplished that with her characters, Gideon and Lonnie O’Riley. Back in August of 2012, I recommended the first book of the series, Be Still My Soul, a tender Appalachian romance laced with heart-ache, romance, and redemption. The second installment, Though My Heart Is Torn, releases April 2nd from WaterBrook Multnomah. I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy, and I can assure you, this second story will leave you crying for more. Literally. It’s a heart-rending story, filled with sweet sorrow and sprinkled with hope.

In the first novel, Be Still My Soul, Lonnie and Gideon are thrown into a hasty, unwanted wedding and spend the novel struggling to learn the secrets of love and faith.

Book Two, Though My Heart Is Torn, begins in happiness, but dark secrets from Gideon’s past return to rip away the couple’s joy. Can Lonnie and Gideon trust God’s plan for their lives, even when the future looks bleak?

Here is the back cover copy for Though My Heart Is Torn.

Gideon O’Riley has two wives—but he doesn’t know it. 
 
Settling into a simple life in the majestic Blue Ridge mountains, Lonnie and Gideon O’Riley have finally found happiness after the rocky start to their marriage. The roguish bluegrass musician has fallen in love with his gentle wife and the God she serves, and Lonnie rests secure in his tenderness for her and their young son. A heartless ruse interupts their peace, bringing them back to Rocky Knob—and forces them to face the claims of Cassie Allan, a woman who says she is Gideon’s rightful wife.

As Gideon wades into the depths of his past choices, Lonnie is stunned by the revelations. She has no choice but to navigate this new path, knowing that surviving the devastating blow will take every ounce of strength  she has.

While Gideon’s guilt  and his bitterness towards Cassie threatens to burn up his fledgling faith, Lonnie wrestles to find the courage to trust the God who brought them together in the first place. Will their hard-earned love be able to conquer all? 

Now that I’ve closed the cover on the second book in the Cadence of Grace series, I’m counting the days until Book Three releases. My Hope Is Found should hit bookstores in October. How am I going to wait that long?

You might remember that Joanne Bischof’s Lonnie O’Riley was one of the heroines featured in last November’s Hope Chronicles. Hope Chronicles was a special project done by a group of historical romance authors (including myself), where five fictional heroines inscribed letters of hope into a single bound journal which was then given away to one lucky winner. (You can read Lonnie’s letter HERE.)

If you enjoyed Hope Chronicles, you might be excited to learn there are whisperings about a possible repeat performance this year. …But you didn’t hear that from me. Shhh!

In the mean-time, enjoy Lonnie’s story in the pages of Though My Heart is Torn.

Blessings!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”  

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