Lynn Austin kept me in suspense all through this book.  Just as I thought I had it all figured out, there would be another twist and turn.  Fighting for religious freedom is a continuing theme from Book 1, "Waves of Mercy."  As the families struggle with adversities, the author shows how they draw strength and courage from their faith in God.  Some of the characters involved are vividly portrayed as shallow, this-world-only type of people, while others show a great contrast as loving, caring, God-fearing people.  I could hardly wait to see who Anna would choose to marry and how that would come about. You might think it would be an easy decision, but due to circumstances beyond her control, she had a major dilemma!  The book is very appropriately named.  God's love and mercy shines throughout!

I loved this continuation of Geesje and Anna's story. With some answers for her past, Anna returns to the luncheons, teas, literary groups and formal dinners that comprise her life in Chicago. As her faith grows, she begins to realize the shallowness of such a life. There are also many more details about her past that she would like to discover. Life has changed in Holland, Michigan as well. New arrivals from the old country bring new challenges to love people where they are, with Geesje praying she can help as the Lord would. 
Can answers be found for Anna, will love win over necessity and can the past be forgiven? 
I received an advance copy of this book for my enjoyment with no expectation of a positive review.

After reading Waves of Mercy, I was so hopeful that the story would continue! I was delighted to learn that the very talented Lynn Austin was indeed going continue the story of Anna and her grandma, Geesje, Derk and William. As Anna moves forward with her engagement to William (for noble reasons but not for love), she also embarks on a quest to learn more about her birth mother and discover who her birth father is. The story unfolds with a few surprises along the way and will have you running the gamut of emotions from happiness, to sadness, fear to hope, being indignant on Ann’s behalf to compassion. The strong faith of Geesje and the “growing stronger everyday faith” of Anna is a joy to read about. Cornelia and her grandfather are new additions to the cast of familiar characters and their story line is a fascinating one that transcends time, being just as relevant although more openly talked about now. As the storyline of Geesja and Anna concludes in a way that had me smiling, I find myself wondering what will happen next for Cornelia and her grandfather? And, I am cautiously hopeful that this “Mercy” series will continue!

I had trouble putting yet another book of Lynn Austin's, down. The characters became so real as I followed their lives through actual history of Chicago and Holland, Michigan at the turn of the century in the early 1900's. Their growing faith (or lack thereof), life decisions, losses, loves, and emotions were gripping. A few surprise twists & turns came together to make it a book I will eagerly recommend to others.  I'm glad I read it's prequel, "Waves of Mercy", first.  It gave me an even deeper understanding of the history and characters involved.

This is the second book in a series, I guess. They called the first book, Waves of Mercy the prequel, so however that works. Anyway, I do recommend reading the book first. You can read this one as a stand alone, I guess, but you won't get as much out of it. I had read the first book awhile ago and would have found it helpful to read again first to fully get the story again.

But it's a good story. Anna was raised in a wealthy house, but had just found her real grandmother at the end of the first book. She wants to know more about God, to follow Him more faithfully, but her fiance is uninterested. Meanwhile, she has fallen in love with a young man who is studying to be a minister and not the least bit wealthy. And that is all I'm going to say about that so I don't give the story away anymore than I already have.

What I really like about this book is Anna's determination to follow God and to love her adopted parents well. She is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for their sake and that says a lot about a young lady in my opinion. I also love that she is willing to go "beneath her station" to spend time with her grandma and to learn from her.

This book flips back and forth between Anna and her grandma. Her grandma demonstrates God's love in action by taking in a young girl, by caring for the poor, and by being open to what God has for her. There's a great story in that side of the book as well.

So all in all, I really enjoyed this book and I really hope there are more books coming in this series, because it feels like there is much more to tell. I want to know how Anna's life continues, what happens to the young girl and more.

I received this book from Bethany House through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review.

When I received this book from Bethany House for review, I hadn't connected the fact that this was a second in a series. However, I quickly realized the characters were familiar, like close friends, and there were new characters I had yet to get to know.  This installment picked up where "Waves of Mercy" left off, and carried me back into the late 19th century life of high society life. Lynn Austin showcases the differences in the way class systems lived--and still do, she also shares how differently faith plays in poeple's life decisions. 

This book gives us a glimpse into Anna (Anneke) Nicholson craves to know her biological roots and the obstacles she must overcome to learn the truth, including bravery as she chooses whether the truth will indeed set her free or if it will cause more pain for those she loves. I love her fortitude and her determination to remain loyal to everyone she holds dear to her heart.

Mrs. Austin has not only given me a beautiful work of fiction depicting history in Chicago, IL and Holland, MI, she has masterfully woven into the story Scriptural truths as lessons we can all grow from.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who asks. 

*I am grateful to Bethany House for offering a copy of this manuscript for review at no charge for my unbiased thoughts of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Legacy of Mercy!!  Lynn Austin has an almost magical way of drawing the reader into the story. I could hardly put the book down.  Set in the late 1800’s, it is a beautiful story of the Lord’s grace and mercy amidst sadness and tragedy.

Legacy of Mercy was a wonderful book. Lynn Austin is one of my favorite. She answered our questions we had after finishing Waves of Mercy. I would like to see a third book. She has a way of transporting us back in time and giving us a clear picture of the way it was. Anna knew she was in love Derk, but it took many hard days for her to come to the decision she knew God would have her make.

I really loved this book and had a heard time putting it down. This is the second book in the waves of mercy series. I didn’t realize that but the book also can stand alone as I did not read the first one.  This book told one story from different perspectives and I enjoyed that. The story line was fascinating to me and I found myself thinking about the book long after I put it down. I would recommend reading the books in order as I am sure it gives more depth to the story. Legacy of Mercy releases in October so that gives you some time to read Waves of Mercy.

I was blessed to receive an electronic copy via netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

LYNN AUSTIN'S novels are always worth waiting for, and LEGACY OF MERCY is no exception. Although it is the sequel to WAVES OF MERCY, it can stand alone, but I am glad I read the books in sequence.
It is a truly inspirational novel, rich in Christian content, with characters that stay with you long after you have finished reading.
Anna Nicholson is engaged to be married to William Wilkinson, one of the the most eligible bachelors in Chicago. She has recently had an encounter with the Lord, and desperately wants to live a life that is pleasing to Him. William is not interested in what he sees as her religious fanaticism, and in fact he downright forbids her to get involved with helping the poor. It hurts her to realize that he isn't interested in that which really interests her. Although she loves her parents and is fond of William, she feels that the society life they all live is meaningless when there are so many people struggling to make ends meet. She is determined, though, to not compromise her faith, no matter what it costs. Her struggles are very real, especially when she finds out more about her biological parents, and becomes the subject of scandal. In those days even being adopted was frowned upon by society, and now the legitimacy of her birth is the subject of hateful gossip!
Anna's grandmother, Geesje, is a delightful character, strong in the Lord and not giving up, even when she comes up against the most difficult people. Anna feels relieved when she is with Oma Geesje, who is so full of Godly wisdom and lives a simple life of service to her Lord.
This novel is a real classic and a delightful read. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by Bethany House Publishers from NetGalley. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

“Legacy of Mercy” is a satisfying sequel to “ Waves of Mercy” by Lynn Austin. I always enjoy this author’s talent to introduce me to a historical setting and people I am unfamiliar with. This book reveals what it might have been like for Dutch immigrants that came to Holland, Michigan to escape religious persecution.  The characters experience life-altering choices. They face the challenge to see how God is in control even when their world seems to be shaken, and there are no simple answers. This book tells the story of two time periods and life-altering decisions for women of different backgrounds. As with all of Lynn Austins books I enjoyed this story. This book was provided by NetGalley, and no review was required.

Legacy of Mercy is the sequel to Waves of Mercy, by eight-time Christy Award winner, Lynn Austin. I think the cover is stunning and would have caught my eye, even if I hadn't already read many of Lynn Austin's novels.  Legacy of Mercy is written in the first person from the perspective of many of the novel's characters.  I feel like first person is the most difficult point of view to write in and must be expertly crafted in order for the story to pop off the pages.  Legacy of Mercy was missing the "pop" for me.  I enjoyed reading Waves of Mercy and was eager to read the rest of Anneke and Derk's story.  I would have liked more interaction between Anneke, Derk and William and less of Oma Gessje, Cornelia and Marinus.  I loved Anneke's quiet spirit and Derk's devotion to her. I really liked Oma Gessje in the first book but found her a little overbearing in the second, which was kind of sad.  The book has a strong spiritual message.  In the book readers are reminded that God has created us and placed us where we are for a reason.  He has a plan and purpose and when we can't understand the plan or the purpose we can trust Him because His ways are perfect.  


Legacy of Mercy will be available for purchase from your local or online retailer on October 2, 2108.

Thank you Bethany House and Net Galley for the free copy of Legacy of Mercy.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

Legacy of Mercy was a marvelous finish to Waves of Mercy by Lynn Austin. The book is a sequel but both books can be read as a stand alone. All of Austin's books are written in such a way that they draw you in and while you are engrossed in the story they teach.  Her books have a Christian slant but never overwhelm you or the story.  Legacy of Mercy is a wonderful example of allowing God to use pain for transformation.  Austin walks you in to the need for forgiveness in order to transform and shows the freedom that brings.  God's plans are different than ours and yet so much better.  I highly recommend this book to read for entertainment as well as a way to help you interpret your own story.

Lynn Austin is one of my favorite authors and while <i>Legacy of Mercy</i> wasn't my favorite of her books, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

WHAT I LIKED

-Anna/Anneke was a wonderful main character.  I loved her gentle, caring spirit and her determination to discover the truth about her past.  Geesje (how do you pronounce her name?) was also a great character, though I preferred the chapters from Anna's point of view.
-Can I just marry Derk?  Love, love, love him.  I kept imagining him as Michael Huisman (as he appears in the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society movie) so that was definitely a plus.
-I liked Anna's search for the truth about her parents and loved how that whole subplot tied up!
-Love the romance.  For a bit I was worried that Lynn Austin wouldn't wrap it up the way I wanted but she totally did.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

-This book didn't grab my heart the way so many other Lynn Austin books have done.  But it totally might work for you!
-As I kinda mentioned before, Geesje's point of view wasn't my favorite.

Overall, fans of Christian historical romance will probably love this book.

<i>I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.</i>

Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin is the second book in her Waves of Mercy series. Wow, I don’t even know where to start. This book was awesome! I usually don’t care for books written in the first person but I decided to give this one a chance. I’m really glad I did, it was amazing. Anna Nicholson returns to Chicago from Michigan. She is engaged to be married to a very wealthy young man. But she can’t seem to get excited about her socialite lifestyle. Anna hires the Pinkerton’s to try to find her birth father. What she learns may be the thing that brings about ruin for those she loves. The messages through-out the story are so powerful. Forgiveness, loving your enemies, helping those less fortunate, sharing your faith, all this is woven together so well with a sweet love story. Reading about Anna and her courage to share her faith with the society crowd was a very powerful check to me. I started examining my life. Do I have that kind of courage? Would I be able to stand up for My Lord in the face of ridicule and the possibility of losing friends? A great story without being “preachy”. I would highly recommend it!



I received this e-book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

This book does not disappoint!  The writing is superb and the plot is engaging and keeps you entertained the entire time.  I loved picking up where book 1 left off(Waves of Mercy) and catching up with everyone.  This book continues the struggles of Anna finding out who she is and how to live life with her new found faith.  I could relate to her struggle to do the right thing, but not exactly sure how to get there!  I have been struggling with prayer in my own life and I loved this statement from the book:
"Prayer doesn't come with guarantees.  We can't change God's mind by pleading with him.  But praying will bring us closer to Him, so He can comfort us and let us know He loves us no matter what happens."  

I really enjoyed this book.  If you get a chance, read it.  I do recommend reading the first book first.  The background of the characters will help a lot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

What a great read. If you've read Waves of Mercy,  you'll certainly want to read Legacy of Mercy. You will not be disappointed!!
The story contains the main characters from Waves of Mercy, but also introduces news characters, whom you grow to love and cherish.  The book contains many interesting twists and turns so that the reader is kept captivated the whole way through.  
Lynn creates characters that experience, real, everyday problems and who struggle at times, to see how God is working in their lives.   These struggles and questions are ones that we can all experience in our own lives.   Lynn expertly gives advice and answers to some of these struggles through the sound advice of Oma,  who herself has had many questions and doubts throughout her life.
I highly recommend this book.   You won't be able to put it down!

I loved this book so much. I haven’t read many historical books in first person, but this one fit it perfectly. 

The book shares the stories of two characters : Anna and her grandma, Geesje. So much happened for both of them, and I loved seeing how it all fell into place. Anna’s story was probably my favorite, though I also really enjoyed Geesje’s. Cornelia was such a sweet and gentle character, and I loved hearing about her story as well. You can’t help but just love these characters. 

For a good portion of the book, Anna is looking for her birth dad. I loved getting to read about her search and having it leading up to finding her mother’s diary with Derk. There was always something happening, and I never quite knew how it was all going to turn out. The ending was just perfect, and tied everything together wonderfully. 

I really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it. Engagements are broken and truths of the past are revealed. I enjoyed every minute of this book.

Legacy of Mercy is Lynn Austin's sequel to Waves of Mercy, the incredible story of Dutch immigrants to Michigan. If you have not read Waves of Mercy, read it before you read Legacy of Mercy which launches October 2. You have a month to read it before the release of Legacy. Lynn continues the story of several of the characters from Waves of Mercy. Anna has developed a fledgling faith and is engaged to William. While she is fond of him, she does not feel for him what she does for Derk. She is marrying William to keep her adopted father from bankruptcy and to give her adopted mother a "let up" in Chicago society. Anna wants to find the circumstances of her birth, but will that knowledge damage the relationships she already has. Will she find a way to share her faith with the upper crust of Chicago's society?

Anna's grandmother, Geesje, is the person everyone comes to for wisdom and guidance. She is asked to house a new immigrant, Cornelia, while her grandfather, a retired minister, lives next door. They left Holland to escape a tragic past which has left Cornelia's grandfather bitter and unforgiving. As Anna finds her way from her past to her future, Cornelia and her grandfather find a way to mercy and forgiveness. It does get a little "preachy", but all of us could use some lessons in mercy and grace. I highly recommend Legacy of Mercy.

This review has been posted to two book club pages on Facebook, and to www.christianbook.com.  Amazon would not let me post because the book has not been released.

I'm not that familiar with Lynn Austin's writing, but I know a couple of writer friends who believe Austin is the greatest writer out there. The synopsis and the cover for Legacy of Mercy grabbed my attention, and I decided to give her a try. Being a historical romance, I had a pretty good idea what I was in for. A story set in the past filled with characters who tried to solve a conflict and learn to fall in love with a member of the opposite sex. The story kept my attention. 
Austin does a wonderful job at inviting me into the world of the late nineteenth century in Chicago, Illinois. The society and the social clubs sprang from the page as well as my imagination. I enjoyed spending time here and loved following Anneke as she traveled to find out about her real birth parents. I love a story with a good treasure hunt, either from the present or the past. Legacy of Mercy does exactly that. 
The hunt for Anneke's biological's parents kept me riveted to the page. I wanted to find out who her parents were and if her mother was actually married when she gave birth to Anneke. I flew through the pages and couldn't wait to see the end result. The story was nicely woven together, and Austin really tells a wonderful story. The story is told from Anneke's perspective and her grandmother in Holland, Michigan. Austin tells the story but doesn't confuse me. She puts subheadings, which helps makes it easier for me to follow whose perspective I'm in. 
I liked how Anneke wanted more out of her life than attending society clubs and parties to be seen. She wanted to do what God suggested and help the poor, orphaned, and widowed. I liked her character the most. She was a woman after God's own heart. Something we should all strive to be. 
Overall, Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin is an enduring tale of God's love and is populated with interesting characters who are on a treasure hunt for what is true. I believe fans of historical romance like Jen Turano, Judith Miller, and Lorena Seilstad would enjoy this novel. 
I received a complimentary copy of Legacy of Mercy by Lynn Austin from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.