Skip to main content

Review: You're the Reason - Home to Heritage #1

You're the Reason book cover on blue background

That feeling when one of your favourite book series gets more books added to it—what a lovely surprise to hear the announcement about the Home to Heritage series after completing the Restoring Heritage series a while back! An even lovelier surprise has been seeing additional authors join this series, such as with You're the Reason by Susan May Warren with Tari Faris.

Book Synopsis

She never intended to return to Heritage.

When an injury sidelines her, Grace Howell leaves her life as a ballerina and returns to Heritage, Michigan, to heal. Teaching dance is just a temporary gig, until she finds herself unexpectedly charmed by small-town life and her growing attachment to Seth Warner, a man from her past with a troubled history of his own.

He’s back in Heritage as a changed man.

The last place Seth thought he’d return is Heritage, but a felony record has narrowed his options, compelling him back to a community that hasn’t forgotten his transgressions. Dreams of starting a Ninja Gym give him purpose, yet it’s his entanglement with Grace—the woman he once let slip away—that ignites his desire to stay. Is this his chance at redemption and to live out the love he’s always harbored?

But can they forget the past?

When Grace’s old ballet company offers her a chance to come back, she’s faced with a heart-wrenching decision: pursue the dream she’s always known or stay with the community and man that have captured her heart, even as that love is put to the test.

But has Seth really changed?

Seth’s world is rocked by a confrontation that threatens to pull him back into the world he’s tried so hard to escape. He must fight to clear his name and protect his future with Grace, proving that his commitment to change is more than just talk.

With their happiness hanging by a thread, the decisions they make will define their fates and the heart of Heritage itself.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

After reading the Restoring Heritage series, I admit that I felt a little bereft after it was completed. The characters, the town, and even Otis the town hippo all grow on you, along with the incredible stories of God's redemption. When I saw that Sunrise was releasing a new series based on the beloved town of Heritage, Michigan, I couldn't wait to return. You're the Reason carries on with the same determination and hope as previous books where Seth and Grace experience the love of God from their community.

This book is a little grittier in depicting realistic battles that the characters face, from addictions to criminal justice to toxic parent-child relationships. There is so much to unpack in this book, yet the authors are able to do it in a way that allows the light of Jesus to shine through. I love that the characters pray and turn to God continually as they face each day. Time after time, the messages of God's love overcoming the darkness leaves readers feeling encouraged and uplifted even with heavier themes involved. Those looking for a small-town romance will find Heritage to be an endearing setting, and the story to have a strong emotional pull on the heart.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: πŸ“±
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: πŸ‘

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Christian vs. Clean

This is a theme that isn't new if you've been following some of my musings over the past several months. You could even say this is the natural progression of taking this line of thinking to its conclusion. In evaluating which books to read, the refrain of Christian vs. clean has become so ingrained in my thinking that it's practically been on repeat for me. To be honest, I've never really held a view on Christian vs. clean books until the end of last year. Most of my reading since becoming a Christian has been all over the place, where I believed that acquiring knowledge, almost any knowledge, was worth it for the sake of becoming more learned. Being a voracious reader meant that I would consume most anything—especially if it was free as I didn't have a lot of books growing up (my parents preferred to take me to the library on a weekly basis as I would have cost them too much in books πŸ˜‚). However, God has definitely been impressing upon me the conviction that I ca...

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available or you don't qualify for one 😊 Christian Publishers B&H Publishing Group Previously offered the B&H/Lifeway Blogger program which has since closed Availability: Professors and instructors Link:  B&H Academic Book Requests Baker Publishing Group Availability: U.S. and Canadian residents Genre: Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction Imprints: Bet...

Lord of Our Entertainment

I have to give full credit for the title of this post to Heather Wood who used this phrase in an Instagram story to promote the #ClearlyChristianReadathon . Thank you for using this term as it's been in my head ever since I saw it! In thinking about what it means to have Jesus as the Lord of my life, this clearly and obviously extends to how I fill my time and what content I consume. Although my reasons for being more intentional with my reading were initially pragmatic (as in if I die soon, did I waste a lot of time in my life reading things that weren't even that great?), I also see how it can both reflect my walk with God and shape what it becomes. Though I'm sharing a lot of content about the Clearly Christian Readathon , I'm encouraged to think of all of my entertainment choices in the light of eternity. While I've certainly struggled with this at different times in my life, it's been hitting me in a different way now. I confess that even quite recently, ...