Having returned to Chicago, young socialite Anna Nicholson can’t seem to focus on her upcoming marriage. The new information she’s learned about her birth mother continues to pull at her, and she hires Pinkerton detectives to help her find the truth. But as she meets people who once knew her mother and hears stories about the past, Anna soon discovers that some secrets are better left hidden.
At the same time, unflattering stories about Anna are leaked by someone who would love to see her disgraced and her engagement broken. And as Anna tries to share her faith with her society friends, she understands that her choice to seek God’s purpose for her life isn’t as simple as she had hoped.
When things are at their darkest, Anna knows she can turn to her grandmother, Geesje de Jonge, back in Holland, Michigan. Geesje’s been helping new Dutch immigrants, including a teen with a haunted past, adjust to America. She only hopes that her wisdom can help all these young people through the turmoil they face.
Lynn Austin creates characters you’ll fall in love with, and Anna from Waves of Mercy is no exception. In fact, that’s how this sequel, Legacy of Mercy, came about – so many readers loved it and begged Austin directly for another book that she created this one! I love that!
Anna really is a wonderful character. She’s a product of her home and her time, but there’s a niggling in her spirit that there’s more, and she’s just brave enough to investigate that. She’s curious and interested in the past, specifically her past, but she’s respectful to the people around her who might be hurt by that curiosity. Best of all, she’s strong – stronger than first impressions lead you to believe. She makes the hard choice to do what will help those she cares about, even when it’s not at all what she wants for herself. I love reading about characters who live out sacrificial love!
Austin’s dual-time storyline is pretty awesome, too. Anna continues to learn the story of her parents in snippets throughout this book, and Austin keeps you in suspense as you do so – dribbling out just enough information to keep you hooked, but never sharing enough to spoil the story.
The subplots aren’t cake, either – they’re deep and meaty. There are new immigrants in Holland, and Geesje’s new friends aren’t entirely what they seem. With all three storylines, Austin weaves together the story’s events with spiritual lessons – and ever-present wisdom from Geesje. I didn’t want to leave this family when I turned the last page and found myself pondering their new situations for several days after. Austin writes with a realism that many authors avoid: her characters do not find bright rainbows at the end of their stories, although they do find resolution and contentment. Instead of the fluff, theirs is a more realistic situation that, while still containing joy, contains the twists and turns that real life does. I admire Austin’s ability to write this way.
Legacy of Mercy is a must-read – and if you haven’t read the first book Waves of Mercy, then hurry and read that one first. This is Austin at her best.
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
