A wonderful historical read based on the lives of real Oregon pioneers. The first in a new series, The Women of Cannon Beach, introduces multiple people whose lives intertwined along the northern Oregon coast.

The author's impeccable research comes through as historical figures come to life, and makes it feel like stepping back in time. Mary was like many women--facing the challenges of early married life, motherhood, and difficult times as an early homesteader. It was easy to relate to her struggles, yet inspiring to see how she rose above with the help of family, friendships and faith. This author always highlights the lives of interesting people I have never heard of before and leaves an impression of how a seemingly ordinary person, who chose to do the hard thing, could make an impact for good on generations to come.

Looking forward to more books in the series. Recommend for historical inspirational fiction fans. 4.5 stars

(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)

5 stars, Good Friends and Family Secrets

ACROSS THE CRYING SANDS (WOMEN OF CANNON BEACH SERIES, BOOK ONE)

by Jane Kirkpatrick

This is the story of Mary and John, a young couple in love, who are engaged to be married. They will be homesteading on the rugged coast in the late 1800s, on the Oregon near Astoria.

They are good friends with Herbert (Herbie) who is a younger son from England, who is trying to make his own fortune.

Mary's best friend is Jewell, who is a Clatsop-Nehalem Indian who lives with her beloved grandfather, near Mary.

As I read this book, I felt like every five pages, I was marking qq (quotable quotes) The way with words of this author is quite fascinating. Quotable Quotes: ...stomach trolls and bone sprites...and thought thieves...; ...vowing to be there, no matter how...; ...Holy Jumblies...; ...taking care of a dog is like preparing your heart for loss, same with a horse...; ...sleeper wave...; ...(a baby being born) was more monumental than delivering a stove...

Every book of Jane Kirkpatrick's that I've read, I've liked. I love most of them. She has a unique way of blending fact and fiction together into a compelling story. Her stories all have a strong female protagonist, drawing you into their story, so you wish you could be just like them. Her stories are standalones.

Highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of #AcrosstheCryingSands from #JaneKirkpatrick #NetGalley #Revell I was not obligated to post a review.

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Jane Kirkpatrick carries on her years-long tradition of highlighting and bringing to life brave and amazing women who have done remarkable things in their lives. In this book, she brings to the forefront Mary Edwards Gerritse who lived along the Oregon coast. From Kirkpatrick's words we meet a woman who had a huge passion for life and adventure, also desiring a tradition of serving others. I marveled at all she accomplished, and I liked these words from the book, "We must find the spectacular, as you call it, in the sunrise and sunset, and all the moments in between."

What a marvelous way to live life!!

*The future would take care of itself, Mary decided. They were all writing a new chapter in their lives with its good days and bad. What mattered was not that there were unpleasant chapters, but that they were writing this story together.*

Across The Crying Sands is the first book in a new trilogy titled, The Women of Cannon Beach. Author Jane Kirkpatrick was inspired by the real-life history of one of the first female mail carrriers in Oregon. In the 1890s, Mary Gerritse delivered mail via packhorse in this isolated section of the North Oregon Coast, from Tillamook to Cannon Beach.

This new-to-me author explores the universal themes of loss, grief, and friendship, and then showcases them through the lens of a newly married couple and homesteading in a rugged part of the Western USA.

My sole purpose in reading this book was to learn more about a pioneering woman who chose a career and a family at a time when this wasn*t common. However, I realized that I had more in common with Mary than I initially thought. Don*t pass on this book thinking that because it focuses on homesteading or because the main character is married with children, you won*t be able to identify with the characters. I promise you*ll find this a layered and complex read. Yes, Mary had 4 children in quick succession, and, although I can only imagine what a handful this must have been, it was the lens with which she viewed marriage that I identified with most. There were many instances where either Mary or John could have thrown in the towel and said, *Marriage isn*t what I thought it would be.* But they were two committed people who grew up (Mary was a young bride), matured, changed, and then eased into a life completely different from what they had imagined or planned. Mary could have focused on what she*d lost (her identity, her independence, or her purpose), or her guilt at needing to ask for help, or what her husband thought of her (embarrassed that she sought employment, that he couldn*t trust her alone on the homestead, or that she made poor decisions), but she knew she needed adventure, so she hired a nanny and *went to sea in a sieve.*

I appreciated learning about the origins of Tillamook, remittance men, and the definition of grace.

My takeaway: don*t overlook the power of resilience and fight for whatever you need to keep your sanity.

Mary is someone I admire, so I*ll be watching out for book 2 in this series.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Jane Kirkpatrick is known for her historical fiction books based on real women who helped settle the Pacific Northwest. Her latest novel ACROSS THE CRYING SANDS begins a series of stories about the women of the Cannon Sands area. Like many Mary Edwards Gerritse married young immediately finding herself having to tread a slim line between exerting her strong opinions and honoring her husband's wishes. While she looks forward to settling on his claim near Crying Sands, she soon learns that he has done little to improve the land and that he seems to find other jobs more appealing than actually building a homestead. Soon motherhood comes, but when John again takes work on a ship, leaving her alone for months, Mary is not sure she can survive. While many may see ACROSS THE SANDS as a quiet book, I found a deep story that probably relays the truth of many 1890's western families. I look forward to the next books in the series.