I just loved the stories of Geesje and Anna and I was delighted to see there would be more to their story! This sequel to “Waves of Mercy” did not disappoint! Anna finds herself back in Chicago, engaged to William and desperately searching for the truth about her past. In this book the main question she seeks to answer is: “Who was her father?” Sometimes she finds out information that leads to further questions in her mind, yet she’s tempted to give up her search because continuing may ruin the good name of her family.

Anna seeks comfort in her Grandmother Geesje’s home in Holland, Michigan. Here she learns the truth about where her heart lies but she knows she must make a decision that is best for her family, not just her heart. Anna’s story doesn’t end here… but you’ll have to read the rest for yourself! Lynn Austin does a much better job of telling Anna’s story than I do!

The introduction of new characters, Cornelia and Marinus Den Herder, weaves a second plot in to the story. Cornelia and her grandfather (Marinus) are new Dutch immigrants to America. They find themselves settling in Holland and leaning on the local church to help them find shelter while they build their lives here. Cornelia moves in with Geesje and the young girl’s troubled past is soon revealed.

Again, I finished this book wishing it would never end. This series has earned a prime place in my home library, like many other Lynn Austin books. These are books that I hope to be able to share with my daughters as they grow, books which encourage a strong faith in the face of adversity. Thanks for another great page turner, Lynn!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. The thoughts and opinions expressed in my review belong to me alone.

What a great story. This story had a small group of characters really but they all connected to make such a great tale. The main characters are Geesje and Anna. Geesje lives in Holland MI. Anna is her Granddaughter who lives with her adopted parents in Chicago IL. Anna is trying to find out more about her parents with her wedding getting close. After gossip starts about her background, she is more interested to finding the truth. With the help of her good friend Derk, from Holland, MI, they are able to track down the last place her Mother lived in Chicago, where they find her Mother's diary & once she is able to read it, she knows who her Father is. Meanwhile, in Holland, MI, her Grandmother Geesje has taken in a newly arrived young girl who has a sad history. Her Grandfather is living next door with Derk & his family. Geesje is trying to understand Cornelia so she can help her. With a series of events, she is able to help both Cornelia & her Grandfather. Anna ends up getting very ill & they send for her Grandmother to be with her, Derk goes with her. After learning the seriousness of her condition, everyone's life is about to change. She is unable to do normal socialite duties & can never bear children due to a weakened heart. Once her Groom's family find out about her condition, they invite her to a meeting to end the engagement. She is not sad as she didn't truly love her Groom to be. Once the engagement is broken, both Derk & her can follow through with the confessions of their love for each other. They will have lots of adjustments to make as she will have to have staff to do household chores which her parents will see is provided for. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next. This story held my attention throughout. The characters were great & lots of background on each of them so you feel you know them.

The book follows Chicago socialite  Anna Nicholson's journey to the altar as she balances the search for her birth parents. Anna knows that she will have to confront members of her social circle when the Pinkerton agents unearth unfavourable information that could jeopardize her engagement. She also inwardly battles sharing her renewed faith which leads her refuge with her grandmother Geesje de Jonge. Geesje is also facing her own challenges with  Christina, a Dutch teenager with a haunted past and her grandfather adjusted to life in America.

The well-developed characters made it difficult to know that Legacy of Mercy is the second part of a duology (which I did not know until I finished it). The story is told from multiple perspectives which enriches the storylines and moves the plot forward. Austin addresses issues of parenting and abuse in a sensitive way which would make this book ideal for book club discussions. Overall, Legacy of Mercy is a story of seeking and extending grace to one's community. This would be an ideal read for a cosy reading night.

Reading a Lynn Austin book is always a treat. In Legacy of Mercy Austin seamlessly stitches together two strong story lines, honoring each without detracting from the other. In the late 1800s women of society were not expected to marry for love, but for joining families to the mutual benefit of both. So, Anneke (Anna) Nicholson had resigned herself to the necessity of her marriage to William Wilkinson. The marriage would help her adopted parents both financially and socially. Still her mind, and her heart, could not help but wonder what life as a minster's wife would be like if her and Derk Vander Veen's circumstances were different. While Anna loved her parents and appreciated all that they had provided for her, the simpler, God-focused life of her recently discovered grandmother, Geesje de Jonge, spoke to her. 

     Cornelia Den Herder had known great loss in her seventeen years. She had lost her immediate family to a fire, everyone who loved her. Forced to live with a cold and distant grandfather and his extensive list of rules,Cornelia was bereft. Now she and her grandfather had fled their native Netherlands for an uncertain future in America. While searching for jobs and a place to settle, Cornelia had come to live with Anneke's grandmother, while her grandfather resided next door with Derk Vander Veen and his father. Geesje longed to help the deeply saddened young woman to repair her relationship with her grandfather, but Cornelia held deep secrets and her grandfather resented Geesje's meddling. 

     The need to accept and extend forgiveness and mercy is the theme that runs throughout this story. As always Austin has developed characters whose lives will matter to her readers as they, while set in another time and place, reflect elements of the readers own needs and desires. The need to be truly accepted for oneself is another strong theme in this story, one that resonates in today's society. I thank NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy of Legacy of Mercy in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

With dynamic characters that come to life, this story grabbed a hold of my heart and didn’t let go. I had not previously read the first book, Waves of Mercy, but not once did I feel lost in this story.  I do, however, want to go back and read Waves of Mercy as soon as possible!

Anna is on a personal mission to learn about her biological parents, however, the information that is being uncovered by the Pinkerton agents is getting leaked to her new society friends, and causing problems. Anna is trying to do the right thing by her adoptive parents, but will she lose herself in the process?

William has his eyes on his future goals of taking over the family banking business, he has high aspirations in society, and wants to make a life with Anna. His vision of the future is filled with high society glitz and glamor, but is that what Anna wants also?

I especially appreciated how seamlessly Lynn Austen wove Bible verses into this story. With gentle reminders of how when you think that you can supply your own needs, you fail to see your need for a savior. We are also reminded that we are God’s hands and feet, here to serve others. We are blessed so that we can bless others. If we hold on to what we are given, we are not fulfilling God’s plan in our lives and allowing Him to work through us.

This story is multifaceted, with lots to enjoy. The settings, the history and the characters all blend together, with Lynn Austen’s signature writing style to make the perfect reading enjoyment. I give this story 5-stars and would encourage you to pick up a copy today to enjoy for yourself!

(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)

As I was reading this I realized that this was the second book in this series and I had not read the first one, that being said, I was not lost, enough information was given that I was able to enjoy this read.
Through the author’s pen we are given an insight into the Word of God and how it applies to everyday life, and we soon see how hard it is for the rich to give up and follow.
Yes, this is a different time, but it could apply to today, and as I was reading this story we put faces on those with much and those who readily share all that they have. Opulence in excess, and then poverty that makes you want to turn you head, but not your heart.
I found myself wanting get to the end of this book, for answers, but not wanting to leave, and now wanting to spend more time with these characters,

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

I absolutely loved the prequel to this novel, Waves of Mercy, so I was thrilled to discover that the author responded to the overwhelming encouragement to continue Anna and Geesje’s story.  Anna faces trials that make her a realistic and relatable character and has a depth to her that allows me as a reader to connect with her and feel her struggles and emotions.  Geesje as well is a compassionate soul with godly wisdom that reaches beyond the pages and encourages me as a reader.  There is mystery surrounding Anna’s story that is unpredictable and the romance becomes complicated, leading to twists and turns unexpected.  I loved the history of the Dutch heritage and the incorporation of many spiritual truths.  I most highly recommend this novel!

Such a heartwarming story of restoration and steadfast love! Told from three points of view, Legacy of Mercy shows how God can work all things together for good, despite our mistakes. This fairytale-like  ending will bring joy to the reader’s soul!

Lynn Austin is one of my favorite authors. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the first page to the very last ( I was sad for it to end.) I would recommend this book and have already recommended it to friends unfamiliar with this series.

Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin

 This book is so wonderfully written. It gripped me from the very beginning. I was on the edge of my seat as Anna began to discover the story about her past and how it could cause problems for her in her present day.  Then there was the story of Cornelia that I was anxious to hear about. Anna, Derk, Geesje, and Cornelia are amazing characters! I love them! They feel like wonderful friends. I wanted to sit in Geesje’s kitchen and soak up her wisdom and kindness. I absolutely love this book and how it makes me want to love others better.  I highly recommend Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin. This book is a sequel and I suggest reading Waves of a Mercy before reading Legacy of Mercy.

This is the second book in the Waves to Mercy series. I did not read book one, and I still loved Legacy of Mercy.  I actually went and purchased book one after reading this one!

This is a historical fiction following two characters, Anna and Geesje.  I loved the story for both, but I did prefer the chapters that followed Anna a little more.  I really enjoyed how everything was connected in the end.

I really enjoyed the writing style, the characters, and the plot on this one.  I liked it so much that I looked up other books by the author so I can check out more of her work.

Overall, I loved this and cannot wait to start book 1 in the series!

This story by Lynn Austin has a different feel compared to the many other books I’ve read thus far. The socialite, Anna Nicholson, has learned information about her birth mother and she is determined to find out more. Primarily, who is her birth father. Her fiancé on the other hand, really has no interest in her searching. He would rather she just set it all aside, lest she find out her true history, and that is something that he doesn’t want to deal within his society group.

The story has several stories within the pages here. We have first story, the letter writing between Anna and her birth grandmother, which sets up the rest of the book. At this point they have already met, although to be honest, I’m not particularly certain how they discovered each other. Letter communication like that at the beginning of a book I tend to scan over and skip right to the story itself.

The second story line is Anna’s grandmother brings in a young teenage girl with some issues, Claudia. Her grandfather stays next door with Anna’s grandson.

Then, when Anna finds various people from her mother’s history who knew here, another story line appears. In this, they are relieving the moments when they knew Anna and the time period during that time.

My initial thoughts when reading the book was that I wasn’t certain about it. Anna didn’t really capture my interest. She just seemed so dainty and “good. The story read a lot like a Grace Livingston book. The second half of the book I began to enjoy more, especially when Anna was discovering other pieces to the story of her life.

All in all, I did enjoy the book, however I wasn’t really certain the roll that Claudia and her family had within the pages. Because to be honest, I skimmed those sections and remained focused on Anna, while at the same time wondering when the two stories would tie in together.

*** I now realize that there was a book one to this series. This perhaps would have helped me understand Anna's history up unto this point.

I was able to download this story via NetGalley and was happy that the publisher, Bethany House, gave me the opportunity to read it.

Legacy of Mercy is the sequel to Waves of Mercy, but each is stand alone. I encourage you to read both! Returning to Chicago, socialite Anna Nicholson is unwavering in her quest to uncover the facts about her birth mother and father not fully realizing how many people could get hurt in the process.  She is a determined young woman whose heart is in the right place when she accepts a marriage proposal from wealthy William Wilkinson. It soon becomes apparent to Anna, they do not share the same dreams for their future. Will Anna have the courage to do the right thing?  I found this to be an endearing and engaging story. You will cry and rejoice with Anna as she searches for the truth. Anna’s grandmother, Geesje de Jonge, is very wise. I love this quote from the book when she says, “maybe change is His (God’s) favorite tool to make sure we keep growing closer to Him.” Hope, forgiveness, and integrity combine to make this an inspirational story that is a definite must-read.
I received a free copy of the book from the publisher.

This book took me to another time and place. Lynn Austin’s storytelling is always superb, and she’s able to make you see the details of what’s haooening around the characters in the story.  The themes in the story of God’s mercy, love, grace, and forgiveness are timeless, and fit in the historical setting of this story as well as today.

The thing I loved most about this book was that although the two main characters, Geesje and Anna, faced difficult situations, including physical weakness, their faith in God made them strong.  Even when they could not see the next step ahead, they were trusting God in every way to help them.  They were both women of prayer who desired to do God’s will in their lives.  The author did a great job of having their stories complement each other.  

Although this is the second book in this series, I had no problem catching up and enjoying this book.  I am going to make sure that I read the first book, especially since I loved this one is much,

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Love, Love, Love Lynn Austin, and this latest book does not disappoint! Austin has the ability to immediately draw you in to her storyline, so much so that you forget that the characters are fictional.  As always, Austin has the ability to weave faith into the line of the story, so that the reader comes away being fed spiritually as well as emotionally.  Fantastic read, highly recommend!

Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin, published by Bethany House Publishers, takes place in the late 1800s and parallels the lives of Chicago's elite and modest Dutch immigrants in Holland, Michigan. 

Geesje was introduced in Waves of Mercy, which chronicled her own personal journey through change, adjustment, disappointment, tragedy and disillusionment to a place of total confidence in the love and providence of God.  She is now the instrument through which God ministers to the confused and struggling Anna, broken and mysterious Cornelia, and even the hostile and legalistic Marinus. 

I was so drawn into the lives of the characters, feeling a kinship with their struggles and successes. There were a significant number of "sermons" woven into their experiences, all supported by sound Biblical doctrine and scripture. Legends of Mercy is artfully written, with so many intriguing twists and turns making it difficult to put down.  The only deterrent to my reading this book straight through was the desire to savor the sentences. 

I give this book 5 stars, and wish there was a higher rating!

This is such an interesting book!  Author Lynn Austin has written another fabulous story. Read “Waves of Mercy” first to get the beginning story, then go on to “Legacy of Mercy”.  There are heart-wrenching circumstances taking place in the late 1800’s due to the high elite class and the very poor. The story develops in the settings of  Chicago, Illinois and Hollland, Michigan.  A young woman, Anneke, struggles to live in both worlds.  There are such wonderful characters in this book. Oma Geesje, Anna’s grandmother, is one of my favorite. Through prayers and salvation, lives are changed, but there is always much to overcome.  This is an exciting book from cover to end.

Thank you to Bethany House for the free review copy. All opinions are my own. 

I loved this book. God's grace and forgiveness was some major themes throughout, yet the characters talked about these topics and demonstrated them throughout the novel in ways that made them relatable. 

I loved the characters of Tante Geesje, Anna, and Cornelia and the contrast they provided in the novel. Geesje was strong in her faith, yet showed where she had doubts and how she moves in her faith. I think her character really showed how a lifetime of faith doesn't mean she has it all figured out. I also loved the sass of this character and her enthusiasm about Jesus and the central message in the gospel.

Anna's character shows what it's like to be new in faith. I enjoyed her because I could think about where I was when I first believed, and this caused me to root for her throughout the novel to become all God wanted her to be. I loved seeing her struggle to find out what God was calling her to do. I think a lot of people have been in this place at one time or another during their walk with Jesus.

Corenlia showed what a new believer is like when what she has been taught about religion doesn't necessarily show what having a relationship with Jesus is like. I really liked seeing how she fought against God because it's so realistic. Letting go of hurt and learning to forgive is a process. 

Austin has written a fantastic novel about women in different places in their walks of faith. She has shown what it looks like to truly show God's grace and forgiveness. This book was so fantastic, and I felt convicted and encouraged while reading it.

I hope you'll check it out when it comes out next week on October 2. 

Happy reading!

This book rips your heart out, stomps on it a few times, and then puts it back. Beautiful, heart-felt story! Another amazing work by Lynn Austin. Anna's story couldn't have ended more perfectly. This book combines everything we love and have come to expect from this talented author. Thank you for writing the stories God lays on your heart.

I so enjoyed this delightful sequel to Waves of Mercy. I particularly enjoyed the depth and development of characters, and the spiritual lessons and reminders gleaned from their stories. Another wonderful read by Lynn Austin!