Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse: Out of the Ashes

By Kelly Bridgewater

After the death of their father, Collette and Jean-Michel Langelier are no longer tied to post-war France. While his sister dreams of adventure, Jean-Michel is hoping to finally escape reminders of the horrors he faced in the war. When Jean-Michel receives an unexpected invitation for them to visit Alaska and the Curry Hotel, it seems an opportunity for a change he needs.

Katherine Demarchis is a young widow who does not grieve the dangerous husband she was forced to marry. Now she just wants to retreat to a quiet life, content to be alone. First, though, she's agreed to accompany her grandmother on a final trip, but never expects to see a man from her past.

Katherine and Jean-Michel once shared a deep love that was torn apart by forces beyond their control. Reunited now, have the years changed them too deeply to rediscover what they had? And when Jean-Michel's nightmares return with terrifying consequences, will faith be enough to heal what's been broken for so long?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I have never read anything by Tracie Peterson or Kimberley Woodhouse, but the idea of Alaska in the early nineteenth century captured my attention. While I know some of these places have been embellished, I really enjoyed learning more about the Alaska Terrority before it became a state. Being a historical romance, I knew the story would feature characters who fell in love, but the story takes place around something historical, but allows the characters to roam around the historical world they live in.

The research was splendid. I enjoy when authors say they have gone to the places their novels take place. Being in a one-income family, I don't have that opportunity at all, so most of my research comes from the internet or books. But I do think being in the place actually makes the story more realistic. Peterson and Woodhouse did a great job at creating a story with clear and concise writing. I could imagine the elaborate Curry Hotel and would love to visit there myself.

The characters of Katherine and Jean-Michel had a love story that started long before this novel. I feel bad for both of them when I learned their love story and why it didn't happen. Katherine was forced into a horrible marriage and figured that was what she was due. Jean-Michel had to learn to move on from the horrors of the war and build strength in his legs as much as in his heart. Their romance was nice and moved in a nice fashion.

The plot didn't rush or drag. I enjoyed the novel the moment I started reading it. Since Alaska was still a terrority and not a state yet. A story set in this time would read different than Jen Turano's stories that take place in the same time period, but in completely different settings. No flapper girls in this stories.

Overall, the plot kept my attention with its unique setting and characters who jumped off the page. Maybe someday, I could add Tracie Peterson's other novels to my to-be read pile, but that is already so big. I think fans of twentieth century historical novels might enjoy Out of the Ashes, a novel set in Alaska in the 1920's.

I received a complimentary copy of Out of the Ashes by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars