Valley of Shadows Blog Tour: Book Review + Giveaway

 **I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are my own. 

About the Book

Book:  Valley of Shadows

Author: Candace West

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 2020

 

A shattered heart. A wounded spirit. A community in crisis.

Lorena Steen gave up on love years ago. She forgave her long-time estranged husband, but when circumstances bring her to the Ozark town of Valley Creek, she discovers forgiving is far from forgetting.

Haunted by his past acts of betrayal, Earl Steen struggles to grow his reclaimed faith and reinstate himself as an upstanding member of Valley Creek. He soon learns that while God’s grace is amazing, that of the small-town gossips is not.

When disaster strikes, the only logical solution is for Earl and Lorena to combine their musical talents in an effort to save the community. But even if they’re willing to work together, are they able to? Or will the shadows that descend upon Valley Creek reduce it to a ghost town.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Candace West was born in the Mississippi delta to a young minister and his wife. She grew up in small-town Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. At twelve years old, she wrote her first story, “Following Prairie River.” In 2018, she published her debut novel Lane Steen. By weaving entertaining, hope-filled stories, Candace shares the Gospel and encourages her readers. She currently lives in Arkansas with her husband and their son along with two dogs and three bossy cats.

 

More from Candace

Why I Wrote Valley of Shadows

Can a villain become a hero? When I ended my debut novel Lane Steen, I knew someday I had to discover if a kidnapper and alcoholic was worth saving. Could that same person save a town after tragedy strikes while wrestling with his own demons?

Earl Steen had a dark valley to cross.

With a destroyed reputation, Earl must prove in Valley of Shadows that God has not wasted His efforts on him. Also, Lorena, his estranged wife, has her own score to settle. How can she when the villain no longer exists?

Nothing tugs at my heart more than lost, unrequited love. My second book focuses on their lost relationship. Earl and Lorena had haunted one another long enough. Could God mend what Earl had shattered?

Sitting down to write, I returned to Valley Creek and uncovered places within Earl’s heart that I never knew existed. Lorena’s struggles became mine as she grappled with understanding and forgiving. The dark places of their past somehow had to merge with the light of a hopeful future.

Getting Earl and Lorena to rediscover their love was a journey fraught with tension, grief, frustration, and hope. Was it worth every rewrite, every long hour staring at my computer screen waiting for my characters’ next move?

You bet!

My Thoughts

Valley of Shadows is book number two in the Valley Creek Redemption series. I personally had not read the first book, and thought it read just fine as a standalone. That said, I do think perhaps I would have had a deeper understanding of the family dynamics had I also read the previous book first. 

Confession: I have a rather intense phobia of tornadoes and generally try to avoid books in which I know one will take place. I was unaware of that in this particular book, and that definitely made it a tougher read for me, as it does play a significant role in the story. Still, I realize this is my own personal issue and as such I cannot hold it against the author or the story... because that aside, it was truly a beautiful story. 

Forgiveness is such a tough topic for us as Christians, isn't? We know that we are to forgive, but actually putting it into practice is certainly easier said than done. Likewise, we know that God's grace has the power to change people... but it's hard for us to accept that those who have hurt us so deeply truly can change. This story illustrates that beautifully in an emotional and heartwarming story that absolutely must be read. These characters truly drew you in, and gave you something to think about! It was absolutely beautifully done, without sugar coating or glossing over any of the struggles. 

If you enjoy historical romance and a good redemption story, check this one out...with tissues handy as you'll certainly need them for this emotional tale. 

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, June 22

Inklings and notions, June 23

Mary Hake, June 23

deb’s Book Review, June 24

Connie’s History Classroom, June 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 27

For Him and My Family, June 28

Artistic Nobody, June 29 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 29

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 30

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 1

Writing from the Heart Land, July 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 3

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Candace is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, a paperback copy of Lane Steen and Valley of Shadows!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10dba/valley-of-shadows-celebration-tour-giveaway