Book Review - Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof

One of the marks of a skilled writer is her ability to show character growth. Be Still My Soul, Book 1 of Joanne Bischof’s Cadence of Grace series, is a brilliant example of this skill. The story begins with Lonnie, a believer who can’t forgive and Gideon, an unlikeable hero. Lonnie’s bitterness is understandable. Her father is an abuser who forces her into marriage.

Gideon is one of the worst bad boys in Christian romance. He’s a vain, selfish slacker when he compromises Lonnie, and her father demands a shotgun marriage. This angers Gideon and he takes Lonnie away from her family on a grueling journey that reveals the depths of his cruelty.

Taking a character from unlikeable to redemption usually goes one of two ways. A come-to-Jesus experience or evolving over time. In Gideon’s case, his come-to-Jesus moment occurs in the form of a crusty old man by the name of Jebediah.

The secondary characters add more than interest to the story. Some help and some hinder Lonnie and Gideon, but all make you want to keep turning the pages to see if they get their reward or comeuppance.

Strong, realistic protagonists, endearing secondary characters, and sweeping descriptions of the Appalachian Mountains, all come together to make Be Still My Soul a memorable story. Even if you read it when it first came out, it's worth a re-read.

 I had an ulterior motive for reading this novel. Since the hero of my western series, Intrigue under Western Skies, was a snarky, arrogant rancher, I wanted to know how seasoned authors treated an unlikeable hero. A friend recommended Be Still My Soul to me. I’m so glad she did because I became a fan of Joanne Bischof and enjoyed the entire Cadence of Grace series.

Pretty Lonnie Sawyer is shy and innocent, used to fading into the background within her family, and among the creeks and hollows of the Appalchian hills. Though her family is poor and her father abusive, she clings to a quiet faith. But when handsome ladies' man and bluegrass musician, Gideon O'Riley steals a kiss, that one action seals her fate.  

***GIVEAWAY ALERT***

To celebrate STT's third Birthday, I'm giving away a copy of my novella, Cloaked in Love, today. Just leave a comment to be entered for either ebook or print copy.

WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED IN MONDAY'S WEEKLY WINDUP.

With Pa off on a cattle drive, Jeannie Baylor is alone on their isolated Wyoming ranch. When she's taken captive by a gang of ruthless outlaws, she realizes her virtue is in imminent danger, and her life is safe only as long as they need her house for a hideout.

Unexpectedly, the youngest outlaw, Zak Collins, a handsome man with bitterness evident in his tone gray-green eyes, proposes a fantastic scheme to save her life. Having no other choice, she has to trust Zak. But God gives her another way, and its success depends on the cloak she's crocheting for a friend.