A Lady Like Sarah - eBook

New York Times best-selling author Margaret Brownley has penned more than twenty-five historical and contemporary novels. Her books have won numerous awards, including Reader’s Choice.Though successful, Margaret decided to leave behind the secular publishing world to follow God’s will for her: to write inspirational fiction. Since then she has published the Rocky Creek series and A Lady Like Sarah was a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist.Happily married to her real life hero, Margaret and her husband have three grown children and live in Southern California.

In Margaret Brownley’s A Lady Like Sarah, the author explores aspects of expressing love and grace through all circumstances. Rev. Justin Wells is traveling to Texas for a new preaching job when he stumbles upon a stubborn female outlaw, Sarah Prescott. The two experience a vast range of emotions as they travel through wild prairies, deserts, and hostile territories. Their feelings for each other vary from loss and pain to fulfillment and love.

This book is fast-paced and keeps the reader yearning for the next page. Main characters Justin and Sarah are both extremely passionate, and whereas they certainly love each other, each has a different demeanor or way of expressing his or her feelings. Perhaps one of the best scenes to illustrate their love is found midway in the book when Justin finally gets up the nerve to admit his love for Sarah, after which they both are left wondering what this will mean to their futures. It’s an awkward, yet very poignant scene.

The conflict of the overall plot intensifies continually. On the one hand, Justin is on his way to serve as the new pastor of the church at Rocky Creek, Texas, and excited about ministering to the local parishioners. On the other hand, Sarah is a labeled an outlaw on the run, attempting to stay as far away from Rocky Creek as possible. If Sarah returns with Justin to Rocky Creek and clears her name, she and Justin can be married. But if she doesn’t clear her name, she could be hanged.

Justin is gentle, forgiving, and kind-hearted. Sarah is a stubborn, rebellious, and independent-natured, although she secretly yearns to find true love and meaning in her life. Justin has never known life outside the city, whereas Sarah is equipped with many survival skills. Along their way they unexpectedly are forced into caring for an abandoned baby named Elizabeth. Justin cuddles the baby and nurtures it, but roughhewn Sarah is afraid to hold it because she might “break” the child. Interaction with the infant often provides comic relief for the storyline.

This book is an adventure that takes unexpected twists and turns. The author allows the reader to experience what life was like traveling through the Old West and at the same time brings to light many important aspects of the Christian life. Ephesians 4:2-3 says, “Be patient with each other’s faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.” This verse is one of the best at depicting Sarah and Justin’s journey. This book is geared toward all women, teenagers and older. This is one of the best historical novels I have read, and it has many great insights for Christians. – Micah York, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com