Tracie Peterson's "A Treasure Concealed" - Audiobook Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Blurb: Emily Carver wants a home where she can put down roots instead of following her gold-hungry father from one mining camp to another. She also longs for tenderness and love, both of which are missing in her life. Yet when she realizes she's losing her heart to the intriguing new man in camp, she fiercely fights her feelings, afraid that love will only result in disappointment and heartache.

Caeden Thibault, a young geologist, comes to Montana to catalog minerals indigenous to the state. He's a serious and guarded young man trying to escape the pain of his past. He has avoided all romantic entanglements, fearing he might become like his abusive father. But something about Emily Carver has caught his attention, something he never expected. . . .

Will these two broken souls allow God to bring healing and hope to their hurting hearts?

Carrie Fancett Pagels' Audiobook Review

Five Stars *****

A Gem of a Story!

First of all, since I didn't read the blurb closely on the audiobook listing, I didn't know the characters' names. So I found myself wondering at the name Caden Tebow (sounded like football player Tim Tebow's name) and I thought that was a little odd. Now that I see in the blurb that the name is Thibault, that makes sense to me. We have lots of Thibaults where I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but after not hearing that name in decades, but having heard so much about Tim Tebow, I thought that was interesting that Tracie was borrowing his last name -- which she wasn't!!!

This is the first book in a new 1890's series set in Montana, where Tracie lives. Emily is a sweet and very sympathetic heroine. She's known so much hardship in her life and she's losing her mother to a prolonged illness. Caeden hasn't known what family is. While Emily longs for a home (really she longs for a house that is a real house and not a tent or a rickety cabin) Caeden seeks to avoid making the mistakes his parents made and to find a home based on love and respect. Both have a tough spiritual journey and need to get straight with God about their hardened hearts. Tracie masterfully weaves the redemption thread into the story.

With lots of action and bad guys you want to string up yourself, this also has a strong romance. Great narrator, who is perfect for the story.

What are those rocks that Mr. Carver keeps finding? They aren't gold, but are they sapphires?  There are two more books coming in this series -- looking forward to hearing more!

Bibliotherapy elements: Poverty, loss, death of a parent, injuries, and the need to find faith. 

Giveaway: This week on OWG blog we're giving away a copy of A Treasure Concealed, winner's choice of format. Winner's choice of format (OPEN to international readers also, A Treasure Concealed is available through Book Depository!)