This book wasn't horrible, but it wasn't a page-turner either. I thought the plot was a bit murky, and there was too much mystery surrounding certain events from the past- so much so that when things were revealed, it was kind of a let-down because you expected something really, really bad.

I'm not saying that stealing babies from people isn't really, really bad, but the information was presented in a way that was disappointing, I guess. That's how I can best describe it. The mental state of the mother was also confusing. She was okay with what was going on as long as no one confronted her about it? She lost her mind and her son was blamed...and then nothing really happened to the father? That was super disappointing and weird.

As for the story line in the current time, it also was disappointing. This stranger shows up in town throwing money around, and no one thinks to question him, or actually dig into who he might be? Jillian who has all the tools refuses to do so until the plot demands it. If my friend were getting involved with a man who had no concept of safety or impulse control, I certainly would be finding out all I could about him. It would have saved everyone some heartache.

I don't think I liked the ending of the book either. I don't know that Tucker learned anything. His fiancee is way more forgiving way more quickly than I would have been. Everyone just kinda goes back to life as it was. Which was not exciting or really worth writing about, in my opinion. I'll pass on future books.

This is #2 in the Tree of Life series. I dove into this one after reading the first one. As with the first book the dual time lines help unfold a genealogical mystery. I liked this as much as the first one. I can’t wait for the next book.

A wonderful addition to this series. This dual-timeline story was a bit hard to follow at times, it took a bit to keep the two era's apart. I love the history and the genealogy that make up the core of this fantastic story. The small mountain town is beautifully described and really makes the setting and story come alive. The writing style flows and is almost poetic. I lovely and relaxing weekend read.

This is the second book in a series by Olivia Newport. I was allowed to read it free from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book about as well as the first. The author’s writing style kept me engaged with easy-to-picture characters as well as the glorious setting of the Colorado Rockies. The genealogist in the story, Jillian, again was presented with a mystery to solve to help bring some answers to one of the main characters. A good storyline.,

You don't have to read the first book to know what is going on,it brings you up to date on what the story is about. Adventures,drama surrounds the characters in this story where you think they are real people. Received from Net Galley this wonderful story,series and hoping there will be more soon! Mixing the past with the present is hard to do not to get lost but not in this story! You also have mystery in this story ,it just has a little of everything in it!!

This story takes place in the small Colorado town of Canyon Mines and Maple Turn, Missouri and it covers 4 generations and time lines from the 1930’s to 2018. Jillian and her friend Kris are surprised when a man starts buying them expensive presents and spending a lot of time searching for a hidden dangerous ski trail called Hidden Run that has not been used since the 1930’s.
Tucker Kintzler, the new man in town, has a secret that his Grandfather Matthew kept until his death that started when he was four years old waiting on his father and seeing a man and a nurse run out the door with a baby and drop the baby blanket.
Jillian, a genealogist, will need all of her skills to solve this mystery.....

This one starts up with a man named Tucker buying items for Kristi and Jillian, and expensive ones at that. An avid skier, he wants Kristi to ski with him….his ultimate goal, Hidden Creek, which was closed over 50 years before. This story takes us back to Tucker’s great grandpa and grandpa (1940’s/50’s in Missouri). Jillian starts digging around for public information about Tucker and his company, but Nolan and Kristi are tasked with trying to dissuade Tucker from that old ski run, which was dangerous enough in its day. The backstory (history part) is very intriguing and adds great depth to the here and now we are seeing with Tucker, we just don’t know the full story until near the end. Very engaging story and another great addition to this series! I can’t wait to see what the 3rd book has in store for us!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Totally excellent!! Tightly written and engaging. Great characters. Thoroughly enjoyable look at the present with flashbacks for the back fill. Highly recommend. I received an advance reader copy on net galley. Opinions are my own.

Welcome back to the snowy Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines! Jillian the genealogist and her lawyer dad Nolan, find themselves with another mystery to solve. They have to work quickly to stop a young man from making a fatal mistake.

This story grew more interesting as it went and Tucker's family history was pieced together. The power of shame and how it can influence a person's decisions, plus the need for forgiveness, played an important part of the story. Jillian and her dad have a fun and unique relationship. I enjoyed their interactions. I appreciated the plotline even more after reading the author's notes at the end. Hard to think some of it was based on real events.

Readers looking for a story based partially in truth, with a bit of mystery and just a hint of romance, may enjoy this one.

Jillian and her father, Nolan, once again get to the bottom of a genealogical mystery with the help of their friends. This one involving the grandfather of Tucker, a visitor to their little town in Colorado ski country. Tucker has come to ski and try to grapple with his grandfather's deathbed confession. I love how Olivia Newport weaves the past and present into such an engaging story about how the secrets of the past can affect the lives of multiple generations. I am sad that the story is over and that I have to wait until May for the next book.

I received an advance copy from Barbour Publishing through Netgalley for review.

There is so much to like about this book. I really like this series. The characters are the kind of people I want to know. They are warm and friendly. Jillian and Nolan make a great team. I have family members that are like Tucker. I confess I don't understand taking responsibility for choices made by my ancestors. I talk with my relatives and still don't understand why they would take on that kind of guilt. Yet that is exactly what Tucker is doing. Though his family secrets are more extreme than most and he is left with the cleanup. Or keep the door shut and move on. What an interesting story line. I felt for Kris because she became emotional invested. This story has more to tell. It will be interesting to see if the author goes down that path or takes the series in a new story. Can't wait to read the next one!

In the Cradle Lies by Oliva Newport is full of twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages. It is book two in the “Tree of Life” series but can certainly be read as a standalone. Jillian is a genealogist and lives with her father, Nolan who is a lawyer who specializes in mediation. They live in the small town of Canyon Mines. Her best friend, Kris, owns Ore the Mountain ice cream parlor and loves to ski. Jillian is the rare resident who doesn’t ski but goes with Kris to the slopes where she can relax with a book while Kris skis. Kris has a problem with her boots and they decide to head back to town to the ski shop. Leif informs her she needs to buy new boots and a stranger who is in the store insists on purchasing them. Tucker tells her she can pay it forward. He also buys Jillian an expensive pair of sunglasses. Tucker continues to show up around town throwing out lots of cash and skiing dangerously fast on the local slopes, often taking Kris along with him. It finally becomes known that he wants to find and ski an abandoned trail called Hidden Run. Is there some secret he is trying to avoid or deeper reason he is so careless with his life and money? Nolan, Jillian and Kris form Team Tucker with the intent of talking him out of skiing Hidden Run but will Kris be convinced to join him instead. Jillian begins to do some digging into his family history but will the secrets she uncovers tell the whole story?
I loved this story. There is a lot going on and it keeps the reader engaged every step of the way. The characters are someone you feel you know and you wish for them to be successful and happy. Their faith plays a strong role without coming off as being preachy. I give this book a solid 5 of 5 stars. Will be looking for the next one!
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

# 2 in the Tree of Life series

A father-daughter genealogy team link present to past on family trees.
This is an unforgettable family story set in the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines. This book inspired me to connect with my own family history and unique faith journey.

Great book!
I am reading #1 in the series now.

I received a free ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

In the Cradle Lies is a lot like genealogy. Tucker comes to Canyon Mines, Colorado for some skiing and meets Jillian and her father Nolan. They are a genealogy team and Tucker's family history seems a little to perfect for someone who is throwing around large amounts of cash and being reckless on the slopes. Nolan asks Tucker to teach him how to ski again while trying to figure him out and Jillian begins to work on his family tree.
Tucker has a sealed envelope that his grandfather told him to find when he was dying but Tucker has never opened it. Jillian and Nolan believe what is in the envelope is what is making Tucker live so recklessly. Eventually, they will get him to open the envelope and the family skeletons will start to fall out. Opening the envelope was only the beginning but then he had to go back to the business he inherited and find. the room that had been sealed.
The book is fantastic because it has both genealogy and skiing, skeletons in the closet but the twist and turns and not knowing what is ahead like skiing.
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and this is the first book that I have read by the author, Olivia Newport but I am going to go read book one of this series. You can read this book without reading the first book as I did and I don't think I missed anything by reading it without the first one. I am not a skier and I know very little about genealogy but I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a unique book that just keeps you turning the page.

As a person who has started doing a family genealogy, I enjoyed reading how Newport connected the past with the present in this story. Everyone has a story. It is a story that needs to be told so that we remember who we are and where we come from. Provo for In the Cradle Lies.

Olivia Newport is releasing her second book in the "Family Tree" series. I reviewed the Inn at Hidden Run here. Now the second book tackles a very difficult subject: Black Market Adoptions.

Beginning in the World War II era, Matthew is stolen from his family and adopted by another. As he grows up he finds clues to secrets about himself. He forces his mother to tell him what the secrets are and his mother ends up having a nervous breakdown. As the years go by, he marries and has children, and his children have children, and he tasks his eldest grandson to find all of the secrets and try to bring closure to families affected by the situation.

Coming to present day, Jillian is still doing genealogy for insurance companies, for individuals, and for private investigators. When Matthew's grandson, Tucker, comes to Canyon Mines for a vacation, Jillian is compelled to find out what makes him tick by looking up his family tree. Part of the compelling reason for looking him up is that he's spending money hand over fist--buying her best friend the latest and greatest skis, boots, and other gear; buying her some very expensive sunglasses; buying her father some new skis; making huge donations to the heritage center.

With the things Jillian finds out about Tucker, the more settled he becomes. When his fiancee shows up, the more willing he is to allow Jillian to find his true roots and to take on the mantle his grandfather placed on him.

In the Cradle Lies is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and your favorite ice cream on a snowy day.

I would like to thank Shiloh Run Press and NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read for this review. This book is just too hard to put down.

“In the Cradle Lies” by Olivia Newport
I loved this story. I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley with the request for an honest review. If you have not read a story that is two related stories told simultaneously, it can take a bit of getting used to; but do persevere it is well worth the effort. That said, read the blurb for an inkling of what is in store for your reading appetite. Then dive into this story with the curiosity of a 2-year-old and you will be so well rewarded with all that transpires. Yes I do love this story… and I hope you will like it also. Happy Reading !!

This is a fascinating story involving Jillian and her father Nolan (from the first book in the series, The Inn at Hidden Run), who team up to use their expertise in mediation and genealogy to understand wealthy Tucker, who is on a solo ski vacation in Canyon Mines, Colorado, and his life. Tucker, a businessman supposedly with a good head on his shoulders, appears both generous and reckless, spending his fortunes everywhere, while also planning to conquer the Hidden Run, a dangerous ski run no one has attempted in years. To delve into his life more, Nolan convinces Tucker to give him skiing lessons to get him to talk about his family and his life, especially about his grandfather’s life in St. Louis seventy years ago. Tucker’s life appears perfect, but its secrets may just lie in the sealed envelope he caries with him at all times. Can Jillian and Nolan convince Tucker that thing are not what they seem, even while he tries to conquer the dangerous Hidden Run Ski run?

This is the second book in a series, but you do not have to have read the first book to follow and understand this one, as the author quickly re-introduces Jillian and Nolan as well as other, new characters. As the author deftly weaves stories and events from the past with the present, you get to see a different aspect of Canyon Mines as well as of wealthy businessman Tucker, as the author seamlessly weaves the past and present together. The conclusion does a great job of bringing all the different, somewhat disjointed pieces together, making this a great, interesting read. All in all, I think this is a wonderful addition to the series, and I look forward to the next installment. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

In the Cradle Lies, is a heartbreaking story of babies stolen and sold in the U.S.
Where a manufacturing company is made rich in the dealing of the stolen babies and where one day the great grandson struggles to understand, but tries to make the wrongs right.
Five stars from me.

,This is a gripping story of family secrets that come to light years later. The story starts out in the 1930s, however the author expertly weaves the present and the past together. The setting is a small mountain town in Colorado within commuting distance to Denver Jillian and Kris have been best friends since childhood They meet Tucker, visiting from Missouri in a ski shop. Tucker has an extremely large amount of cash and insists on paying for some expensive items for the two girls Tucker shares he is on a mission to ski down a dangerous mountain that has been abandoned for years. Jillian and Kris are determined to keep Tucker from skiing down the dangerous mountain. There are many twists and turns along with surprises as the pages of this book are turned. Thought provoking story as some of the situations that occurred are also part of real life situations. The book will hold your interest until the last page is turned.
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