I absolutely love this series! I'm a huge genealogy buff and combine that with the detective work! Wow! This particular story is heartbreaking because it could be so true! I really want to know what happens after the story ends and I would love to see a Book 2b... hahaha! I also can't wait for the next book in the series... When I Meet You!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

If you enjoy sitting and watching ANY of the Hallmark Mystery Movies/Series-- like Mystery 101-- then I think you will really like this story.

The lead characters are fantastic and the story is not quite as predictable as a Hallmark. ;-) Overall, I enjoyed all the characters, the setting was spectacular, the plot was solid and I read it in less than a week. There was always something for me to come back to when I had to put down the book. You know how you can sometimes put down a book because life calls you away but you never quite get back to it because, in the end, you really know how it will end and you're not crazy invested in the characters' lives. This is not one of those books.

I look forward to reading the other two books in the series (and I kinda hope Hallmark buys the option to make this into a series. I think it would do really well.) I did not read book 1 prior to this book -- in fact, I didn't even know it was in a series until I finished reading it. (I had an advance copy and didn't even look at the cover. The description of the story is what sold me.)

**I did receive a free digital copy of this book from the publisher. They do not require a review and I promise to give only honest reviews from the books that I read.

I had to travel through Atlanta quite a bit at the end of last year and audiobooks help calm my nerves when there’s major traffic, so I decided to try a new to me author and I’m glad I did! After listening to the first in her Tree of Life series, I wanted to give the second book, In the Cradle Lies a shot. Olivia Newport took me on a journey in split time fashion and seamlessly tied together the two story lines. Character development was great as we got to know the main characters. I enjoyed this one even though it deals with a tough topic. Suspenseful to the end, this book is a definite winner!

I loved the setting of this book, the chilly mountains. Even though I don’t ski I find it interesting that other people do. I could identify with Jillian wanting to play it safe and not wanting to ski.
I also enjoyed the chapters that went into the past, I wanted to get back to that part of the story. I found that mystery behind what was going on between Nolan and Patrick interesting as well.
With that being said I really didn’t like the book overall. There were a lot of things that didn’t add up. Jillian and Kris’s interest in Tucker happens really fast and how Jillian’s dad gets really friendly with him from the get go and their concern with him and Hidden run and Tucker just starts inviting people to ski with him, all of it seemed contrived to me, not realistic.
Jillian researching the genealogy took a long time to get to as well, even though that is kind of the backbone of this series, at least that is what I thought.
One other thing that made me scratch my head was how Nolan (Jillian’s dad) said “I shall…” often. I don’t know anyone who talks like that. I thought maybe I was missing context and he was being silly, which maybe that was the author intent but wasn’t said with a wink and a bow, which is how I would play that off if I was being silly by saying, “I shall go make dinner,” or something like that. It just felt weird to me.
This was the first book I have read by Olivia so this might be her style. Other people seem to really enjoy the book, I am the odd one, so obviously, it this sounds like something you might enjoy give it try, I am only expressing my opinion.

A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

I loved the first book in this series, The Inn at Hidden Run, and did not think the second could be as good. It definitely was. As a genealogist myself, the genealogy theme in this novel was once again incredibly well done. Along with mystery and a touch of romance, I couldn't put this book down.

The sins of those before us can definitely carry over into present day as Tucker felt the burden of what his grandfather, Matthew, kept hidden and passed on to Tucker. With the help of Jillian and her father, Nolan, Tucker learned the past of his family, found a solution that would be just, and gained peace from the devastating discoveries of his family's past.

I am impatiently waiting for the next book, When I Meet You, that will be released May 2020.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shiloh Run Press through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

In the Cradle Lies is about a family trying to find what happened in the past. Jillian, who is a genealogist, is helping Tucker uncover what happened in his grandfather’s past. The story goes back to the 1930s and then through the years of Matthew’s life. The book goes back and forth between the generations. The book tells about Tucker’s grandfather Matthew from the time he was four till he was grown.

I found the book very interesting. I loved how the past and present came together in the book. This book is 2nd in the series. I did read the first book, but this book can be read as a stand-alone.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. This book review is my own opinion.

I am enjoying this series by Olivia Newport. The storylines have been less about romance and more about Jillian, who is a genealogist, and her efforts to help individuals understand their past so that they can reclaim their future. She is assisted by her dad, Nolan, who easily connects with people and has a deep desire to help them. In this story, Tucker is recklessly running away from a secret that was long held by his beloved grandfather. Jillian and Nolan try to untangle the secrets of Tucker’s family before Tucker’s recklessness on the ski slopes claim his life.

The supporting cast of characters in the community of Canyon Mines, Colorado, help make this a well-rounded storyline. This plot switches smoothly back and forth from past to present, The secrets of Tucker’s family are revealed at a pace that held my attention and made me hope that Jillian’s discovery of the truth would free Tucker from his fear and desperation. This is a well-written and well-paced story.

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

Tucker is hiding from some family secrets. He is angry and upset and his reaction is to throw away his grandfather's money and to become extremely reckless. That recklessness is leading him to take a risk and try to ski Hidden Run, a trail that is overgrown, dangerous and has not been skied in years. He flirts with Chris, Jillian's friend and has her taking chances as well. Both Jillian and Nolan figure out that the recent death of his grandfather has triggered his behaviour. Between Jillian doing a genealogy search to find out more about his family, and Nolan convincing him to give him ski lessons so he can practise his mediation on him, Tucker doesn't stand a chance to keep his secret.

I really enjoy dual-timelines and Olivia Newport does them well in this series. I enjoyed learning about the past (1930s), although it was not a pleasant story. I enjoy the relationship between Jillian and her father. Their dialogue and bantering makes them real and relatable. There are two storylines in this story, Tucker and his family, and an issue between Nolan and his brother Patrick. The story had some emotional and heart-wrenching moments as Tucker learns about his grandfather's past. This book is slower-paced, but needs to be in order to understand and feel the story being told. It is rich in family, as well as family history that is the backbone of the mystery. It is fascinating to see how Jillian does her research and in this case, a cold call brings her answers in a relatively quick time. She explains that it does not usually happen that quickly, which I was glad to see as it would have been too unrealistic otherwise. I am really enjoying this series and look forward to more books in the Tree of Life series. I recommend this story if you enjoy dual-timelines, or Christian fiction.

Enjoyable and thoughtful

I really enjoyed "In the Cradle Lies". It really makes one wonder what they would do if they found out that they weren't who they thought they were... And/or that their parents had done unspeakable things. And/or that the truth is finally emerging, several generations later. The writing is smooth, the story line is interesting and the problems faced by the characters make you want to cry sometimes. Still, a happyish ending and a novel very much worth reading.

I got an e-arc of this novel from Netgalley, however there is no obligation to post a review. I gladly post this review as I am a long time fan of Olivia Newport.

Book 2 in the Tree of Life Series: A Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Faith Journeys on Family Trees



On a solo ski vacation in Canyon Mines, Colorado, Tucker has a love-hate relationship with his wealth, spending indiscriminately while skiing fearlessly and preparing to conquer the overgrown slope of Hidden Run, a dangerous run not attempted in decades. As genealogist Jillian tries to uncover enough of Tucker’s family tree to understand his charming nature but reckless resolve, Jillian’s equally charming father, Nolan, cajoles Tucker into giving him ski lessons to get him talking about the suspicious circumstances surrounding his grandfather’s life in St. Louis in the 1930s.



On the surface, Tucker’s family’s history seems too perfect. The secret may lie in the sealed envelope Tucker carries with him at all times—even on the ski slope. When no one can find Tucker to tell him the fiancée he never mentioned turned up in Canyon Mines, they realize he must be off attempting to ski Hidden Run alone in a snowstorm. And they may be too late.



In the Cradle Lies is the second book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys.



My Thoughts: Readers will enjoy the second book in the " Tree of Life Series'. This was a book that the reader will not be able to put down. It is full of mystery and twists at every turn. I enjoyed this story immensely. Olivia Newport has a way of writing that brings the reader into the story and connects them with the characters. It was wonderful to come back to Canyon Mines to see Jillian, Kris, Nolan and the rest. This is a story that deals with family secrets and how it has affected future generations. It is a story about family and the importance of having good relationships with our family. I truly enjoy the job that Jillian does with the Geneology aspect of the novel. Family history is interesting and I like how the author brings it into her novels. If you love a good mystery this is a good book to read. I look forward to the third book in the series.

Jillian is a genealogist who lives in Canyon Mines, Colorado, with her lawyer father Nolan.  When Tucker comes to turn throwing around cash, he gets there attention.  He wants to find and ski the Hidden Run ski run that no one has even seen for years.  

This is the second book I have read about Jillian and her dad.  They read well.  Newport jumps between today and action taking place decades ago.  Jillian uses her genealogy skills to find out things that no one knows and make sense of things that don't currently.  

Not a bad read.  It was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.   And there were no language issues.

Will past secrets continue to destroy...?

If there's one thing that Jillian Parisi-Duffy and her father, Nolan Duffy, know, it's that family can be both complicated and messy. That fact is never more evident than in In The Cradle Lies. But, they also believe that with work and forgiveness it's never too late to seek reconciliation.

I was the child who read my family's history books, compiled by relatives, cover to cover more than once. The long dead ancestors were as real as the modern distant relatives I had never met. I've never done anything with my interest in genealogy but the fascination is still there so books like this series from Olivia Newport are a perfect fit.

As with the first book, I've found the dual timeline to be fascinating. Olivia Newport gradually reveals each interconnected layer of the story, the past thread and present day thread simultaneously building on each other. This is something that I quite like.

One of my favorite things about this book, and series, is that so far romance has not been a main theme. Family is, in all of it's beauty and messiness. Each person must confront mistakes made in the past and decide what they will do them, let them destroy relationships or to try and restore what has been lost.

In The Cradle Lies was a great read, filled with emotion, and drama from the fallout of a long hidden family secret. Are you ready to dive into the past...and the present...?

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

What I think you should know:
In the Cradle Lies is a contemporary fiction, it is the second book in the Tree of Life series. Although it can be read as a stand alone novel I found that I enjoyed the book more after reading the first book in the series. It continues to follow genealogist Jillian and her father who is a lawyer as they solve mysteries of the past. When Tucker Kintzler arrives in the small town of Canyon Mines, Colorado he brings a new mystery for Jillian and Nolan, but will they be able to save him from himself as he tries to find the dangerous hidden run so they can solve the mystery?

What I think about this book:
Olivia Newport did a wonderful job writing a story that shows how the past can impact our future. I enjoyed the flashbacks to the 1930s and found myself wishing for more of that story-line, it was a beautiful addition to the modern story. Tucker was a harder character for me to understand, but I feel as if that was the author’s intention, he really added to they mystery story. Even though I knew from the synopsis that he had a fiance appear I found myself shocked at her appearance. Newport has created a great series that has left me wanting more, I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

In the Cradle Lies by Olivia Newport is the second book in the Tree of Life Series. In this edition, we meet up Jillian Parisi-Duffy and her father Nolan in Canyon Mines learning about the newest mysterious arrival in town, Tucker.

Tucker is new and is visiting the Canyon Mines area to learn about the lost Hidden Run ski slop. Hidden Run is dangerous, but Tuck believes he can tackle it. Tucker likes to throw a lot of cash around, and always is attached to an old backpack. Additionally, he seems to be showing interest toward Jillian’s best friend, Kristen. Nolan, the mediator as he is, tries to befriend this slightly troubled soul and to talk him out of skiing Hidden Run.

When Tucker disappears and his fiancee arrives in town, things get a little tense in the small town of Canyon Mines. Nolan and the rest of the gang have to go see if they can find Tucker before it’s too late. Will we learn what is inside of the backpack? Is Tucker really who he says he is? Well you will have to grab a copy for yourself.

There are some other happenings in the book, but I decided not to spoil it for you. As always, I really like the writing style Ms. Newport uses. It’s fun to go back and forth from past to present within the chapters. It gives you a different perspective of writing instead of always one time frame. It creates more imagination.

Lastly, I want to thank Barbour Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this great novel series and was under no obligation to post a review. I can’t wait to read the third edition.

If these characters were real, I could sit and talk with them all day.

I love, love, love, the conversations in this book. Olivia Newport has created a dialogue-rich story in a magnificent setting that left me wanting nothing more than to curl up with a warm blanket, a cup of coffee, and In the Cradle Lies.

While I’m more often a romance reader, I don’t mind stepping away from romance when I’m given such a developed and in-depth story like Tucker’s. The split timeline is easy to follow and adds to the mystery of Tucker’s behavior while giving an interesting look into the past history of infant abduction.

Jillian and Nolan crack me up. Their father/daughter relationship is solid and their faith is strong. Nolan’s ability to find the heart of the problem and mediate a desirable outcome made his own estrangement from his brother hit with more grit and clarity while making me wonder if perhaps that fallout is what led to Nolan becoming a mediator in the first place.

If you enjoy Christian Fiction with believable characters and heart-to-heart dialogue, it doesn’t get much better than this series.

This is the second book by Olivia Newport that I've read and I was impressed that it drew me on more quickly than the first book in this series. Perhaps because I knew that she tended to go back and forth from a past storyline to the main modern day storyline, but nevertheless, I felt like the main characters were more believable and less plastic perfect as they had seemed in the first book. I felt more kinship with them and wanted to see how the story played out with the main and secondary characters' crises.
Well written and enjoyable. A solid 4 stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are all mine.

Ah! Book two of this series is here! I love mysteries, but this one has to do with family. Why is this guy in town spending money like water? While we read this mystery, two families are going to have revelations. No, I'm not telling you what it is. What is up with this ski-slope? Aren't they dangerous enough already?

The genealogy theme is a load of fun. I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I think the dual timelines are interesting and plenty of suspense is included even though the book is laid back in some ways. Deal with shame, guilt, forgiveness, and healing are part of the themes of this excellent story.

Thanks to Celebrate Lit for my copy, with this review left of my own free choosing.

This book has been quite a journey. I do enjoy time slip books and this one is a real heart pounding story. I liked having Jillian and Nolan visit us once again in another challenging mystery of genealogy. The story travels from present to 1936 where we get the meat of the story. I did have a hard time keeping up at times because at first I wasn't sure what Tucker was about. I knew he would tie into the story but at times he frustrated me. I think he reminded me of the little boy who cried wolf. He wanted help but then he would back off and be standoffish. The author helps me understand him better as his story unravels. It is easy to understand midway through the story that Tucker had something from his past he was scared of finding out.

I was shocked at what transpired years ago with one man hiding secrets from everyone. This person changed many lives and gained wealth at the cost of others grief . The unthinkable things this person does will make you angry. Money and greed takes over and this becomes a person with no conscience. The story is very intriguing and kept me on my toes. I knew what was going to happen but I was still entertained by the way the author ties the past to the present. Have you wondered who your ancestors are? What secrets would you uncover if you started a search?

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Olivia Newport's book, In The Cradle Lies is a very interesting read which held my attention throughout. The characters were believable and perfect for their roles. Can you picture skiing in Colorado? I enjoy genealogy so this book was of interest to me. There is something for everyone, secrets, danger, clean romance, suspense and unexpected turn of events. I recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

For some reason, I thought this was another novel in Barbour Publishing’s new true crime series. It’s not—although it definitely has a suspense element and echoes of The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma. Instead, In the Cradle Lies is a dual timeline novel that has nothing to do with true crime.

In the present, genealogist Jillian lives in a ski town in Colorado, where she and her best friend, Kris, meet a visitor. Tucker appears to have more money than sense, as he keeps buying expensive ski gear and wants to ski the dangerous Hidden Run ski trail.

In the past, Matthew loves his mother but had a difficult relationship with his father. As the novel progresses, we find that Matthew’s father is hiding a big secret … and that Matthew is Tucker’s grandfather.

I found the first quarter a little hard going. That’s partly my own fault, for thinking I was reading true crime when In the Cradle Lies is actually split time. But it was also because Tucker was odd, and odd men in fiction often turn out to be creepy stalkers … so I was waiting for Tucker to turn creepy and stalkerish. But he didn’t. Instead, the oddball turned out to be Nolan, Jillian’s father (who was merely odd, not stalkerish).

I’ve done my share of family history research, so I enjoyed the genealogical research side of the story. I can’t say I enjoyed the past story—but that’s the point. It’s full of tension, and it was meant to be thought-provoking rather than entertaining.

The writing was strong, and the plot certainly kept me engaged. I realised about halfway through that this isn’t a standalone novel—it’s the second book in a series. Having said that, I haven’t read the first and I don’t think it affected my enjoyment (although if I had read The Inn at Hidden Run, maybe I would have realised this was split time).

As such, I recommend In the Cradle Lies to split time fans, especially those who like a bit of mystery and suspense.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.