Spring Hope (Seasons of the Heart) [Paperback]

Martha Rogers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2012 | Series: Seasons of the Heart (Book 4)

Can runaway Libby Cantrell finally get a new start?

 

Libby Cantrell’s life has gone from bad to worse since her mother’s death. After working in a brothel to support her abusive father, she sees no hope for her future until one cold winter night when she finds the courage to escape.

 

When she collapses in Portersfield, Texas, exhausted, ill, and hungry, Sheriff Cory Muldoon finds her and takes her to the doctor. Against Cory’s better judgment, Seth and Erin Winston take her in and offer her a job as a nanny for their young son. As a minister, Seth sees it as his duty to take care of her. As a deputy, Cory needs to know the truth about her even as he is attracted to the waif of a young woman.

As Cory’s feelings for her grow and winter becomes spring, will he be able to accept her as she is now and truly forget and forgive her sordid past?

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Allow Martha Rogers’s tender voice to transport you to another time and place.” —Kim Vogel Sawyer, author of Song of My Heart

About the Author

Martha Rogers is the author of Becoming Lucy; Morning for Dove; Finding Becky; Caroline’s Choice; Not on the Menu, a part of a novella collection with DiAnn Mills, Janice Thompson, and Kathleen Y’Barbo; and River Walk Christmas, a novella collection with Beth Goddard, Lynette Sowell, and Kathleen Y’Barbo. A former schoolteacher and English instructor, she has a master’s degree in education and lives with her husband in Houston, Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Realms (May 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616386185
• ISBN-13: 978-1616386184
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #939,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Martha Rogers was born in Texas and lived in Dallas the first 18 years of her life. After graduating from Baylor University she moved to Houston and has been there ever since. Martha is a retired teacher at both secondary and college levels. She and her husband Rex enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and attending football, baseball, and basketball games when one of the grandchildren is playing or performing. Her two great-grandsons are most important right now. Martha loves to cook and experimenting with recipes and enjoys scrapbooking when she has time and isn't on a deadline.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Spring Hope by Martha Rogers June 17, 2012

By i blog 4 books

Format:Paperback

Spring Hope is the conclusion to the four-book Seasons of the Heart series by Martha Rogers. When Deputy Cory Muldoon finds Elizabeth Bradley in an alley, he knows he must do whatever he can to help her. He begins to suspect that Elizabeth has secrets and commits to finding out the truth. What will the truth do to their budding friendship?

While I enjoyed going back to Portersfield to catch up with the Muldoons and others we've met in previous books, Spring Hope didn't capture me like the others did. I had trouble keeping up with who all the characters were. It was difficult to remember who each person was and their relationship to the others. The book really seemed to be more introspective than others in the series--with Elizabeth and Cory each evaluating their own lives--and therefore moved fairly slow at times. The relationship and romance was not really the main focus of the book, but I still enjoyed reading their stories.

If you've read and enjoyed the previous books in the series, I think you'll enjoy this one as well. (I would suggest reading them in order, though.) [3 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Charisma Media and FIRST Wildcard Blog Tours in exchange for my fair and honest review.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Running away is never the answer to your problems as Libby will soon find out! May 30, 2012

By Pirate2240

Format:Paperback

Being a huge fan of western romances, I am always thrilled when I receive a request to review a book in that genre. Today was no exception. I received Spring Hope by Martha Rogers compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and think this one was exceptional. This is book 4, in the Seasons of The Heart series and what's perfect is being able to read this one as a stand alone. I hadn't had the delight to read the previous three but now, I know I will be going back to pick those up as well based on Martha's ability to create a character readers can relate to.

In Spring Hope, we meet Libby Cantrell who is running away from a painful past. After her mother died, her father found that he could profit off of Libby's beauty and sold her into prostitution at the local saloon. When she tried to resist, he beat her into submission. Finally she find that by running away from her father she might be able to start a life over again someplace far away. Unfortunately, God had different plans for her.

Cold, weary and sick, Libby falls quite literally into the town of Portersfield, Texas late one night and Deputy Sheriff Cory Muldoon finds her behind the general store. Taking her to the doctor, she soon finds that every person she encounters in this small town offers her a second chance of acceptance. If she is only willing to share the truth and with that facing the judgement of the town, she falls back into hiding provides them with a false name of sort, Elizabeth Bradley, her real birth name but her mother's maiden name.

Cory Muldoon fears she is running from more than she is willing to let on, and struggles to find out just what that is. Searching wanted posters, he can't seem to locate the reason for the fear in her eyes and why she pulls away from those wanting to help her. He also can't seem to keep his feelings for her in the right place, when he fears that she may very well break his heart if he is honest with himself. Cory prays that God will lead him in the right direction and that He will guide him on his path to finding out the truth.

But when fate comes calling and a man shows up in town that knows Libby's past, will all hell break loose and cause Libby once more to run from a life that she believes God has placed in her path, or will she finally come to believe that God does care enough about her despite her own unwillingness to forgive her past and come to accept the life He has laid out in front of her? Guess, you'll have to pick this one up to find out the answers! I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and was able to finish this one in a matter of hours. I really is a wonderful story set in the late 1800's and has a powerful message about forgiveness and judging people.

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story of forgivness January 12, 2013

By Book Reader

Format:Paperback

At times, this book was hard for me to read because I wanted to reach through the pages of this book and protect Libby and give her a much better life. My heart broke in the beginning because I hated the life she had. However, it turned into such a beautiful story of hope, which is exactly how I believe all of our lives turn out.

At times, I found myself wanting Libby to tell someone but then I remember the time setting in which this book takes place. Women weren't treated well during this time and it wasn't unusual at all for people to pretend that abuse didn't happen to women.

I like Cory from the beginning. I loved how his love blooms for her and how he protects her and feels a need to watch out for her. Libby has a lot of issues to work through, understandably, but I like how Rogers doesn't shy away from the tough emotions that abused women have. Forgiveness isn't easy, but its a beautiful thing to watch the process. That's exactly what you get to see in the pages of this book....someone learning to forgive who doesn't deserve forgiveness.

This book is the fourth book in the Seasons of the Heart series. Having not read the first three books, I didn't feel like I was lost. Rogers did a good job at making sure she gave enough information for her new readers. I still want to read the other books, though!
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I received this book free from Charisma House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.