I’m glad that I did not miss this journey.  As Musser’s characters end up walking alongside others on this pilgrimage path, the beauty of fellowship with God and others is discovered.  These characters have normal messy lives but by sharing and laying down their burdens, changes begin to take place on the inside and the outside of their lives.  I found this journey well written with a good balance between adventure, hardships, romance and a little mystery.  I appreciated the spiritual aspects of the story and the struggles of faith displayed.  Within these pages, there is encouragement to be found no matter where your own story of faith might be at this moment.  I was given a copy of this book by the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Very encouraging novel! It's all about the journey! Four pilgrims, each with their own problems set out to discover their own walk in life. I've never heard of the French  Camino trail but can picture it well in my mind from the vivid descriptions. The author has an unique way of writing each character's thoughts in first person. The journeys of the four and the people they met along the trail made a powerful story. Highly recommended!

Abbie Jowett’s life feels like it’s falling apart. Her son Bobby wants to take a gap year and explore Europe instead of going to one of the colleges she’s helped him choose. Jason, her youngest son, wants to go away to a boarding school. Her father’s eyesight gets worse every day, and he seems to have problems with his memory. Worst of all, her husband of 20 years seems distant and aloof.

Caroline Lefort, a young multinational photographer has spent two years sober. When the mysterious Bastien invites her back to France with the promise of news about her missing friend Lola, Caroline struggles not to spiral out of control again.  

Bobby Jowett wants to pursue art—a legacy from his beloved grandmother. But he hates to disappoint people. When his mother agrees to let him travel alone to Europe to study art and volunteer at a house of refugees, he breathes a sigh of relief. When he invites a beautiful young refugee to walk the Camino with him, his well-laid plans spin out of control. Before he knows it, his mom has joined their group, and Stephen, his boss, has urged him to take Caroline, his troubled younger sister along, too.

Will such an odd assortment of people discover what they’re looking for along the rugged Camino? And will their discoveries come too late?

Who Will Love This Book

If you’ve ever heard about the Camino—an ancient pilgrim trail from France to Spain, you’ll want to read this book. You don’t have to be Catholic—the Camino transcends religions and opens doors to self-discovery, community, and broadened horizons. 

I picked up this book not knowing anything about the author or the series (this book is part of the Swan House Series). Although the start felt a little slow, the characters and their problems sucked me in. Although I may never get to walk the Camino, I can still learn its lessons and apply them to my everyday life.

Abbie Bartholomew is struggling with a premature empty nest—both her sons flew the coop early—and worse, her husband just announced he "needs a break." With nothing left to lose, she consults a spiritual guide then  follows her eldest son, Bobby, to walk the famed Camino pilgrimage. They meet up with an Iranian refugee and a woman desperately trying to outrun her past. And somehow through the adventure, Abbie sees herself in a true light and not only does she not like what she sees, she sets herself on a path of real change. If you like Sharon Garlough Brown, you might like this book

"Life is beautiful, life is surprising, life hurts. And our job as artists, for as long as we're present in this life, is to use our gift to show the beauty and the surprises and the joy and the pain to others."

I am floored by this book. I have not read any of Elizabeth Musser's books before but she has now gained a faithful follower. This heart-wrenching tale brings back some beloved characters from the author's previous books The Swan House, The Dwelling Place, and The Long Highway Home but it can be read as a stand-alone without having read the others. I was thoroughly engrossed in Abbie, Bobby, and Caro's stories from the first chapter and didn't feel left out or confused because I didn't know them before starting out on this journey.

Told from first person present tense narrative, this book is indeed a compelling and captivating journey of "loss and love, faith and fellowship, pain and perseverance, and a handful of miracles along the way." Abbie, Bobby, and Caro are all deeply-layered and complex souls, each carting a truckload of perceived responsibilities, regrets, pain and all seeking peace. There is a bit of mystery involved in Caro's story as she attempts to reconcile her best friend's disappearance. There is such heartache and hope in the plight of the refugees seen through Bobby's eyes and magnificence of God's creation and God Himself seen through Abbie's heart. Abbie's walk, discovery, and realizations felt like my own; I haven't felt this connected to a fictional character in a very long time. You'll cry tears of heartbreak, frustration, anger, repentance, and acceptance as you travel the Camino with these three unique and unforgettable characters. 

This book is a must-read if you enjoy well-written contemporary women's fiction that makes your heart and soul think. I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

Early in the story I recognized some familiar characters from the authors’ other books. I stopped reading and skipped to author notes hoping she’d explain. Sure, enough she did explain. I loved that the authors listed the characters and the books they came from. It helped me sort things out in the three-story lines interwoven in this novel.

I was fascinated to learn about The Camino de Santiago spiritual journey. I read that it is a Catholic pilgrimage that was Medieval Europe’s answer to the Appalachian Trail. The pictures on the internet were beautiful and made the story even more real. The author talked about her own walk on the Camino a few years back. She says, “Many of the scenes recorded in this novel were inspired by my time on the Camino as well as stories I heard from other pilgrims.” She has a Pinterest board that shows the pictures from her trip. 

I enjoyed Abbie’s journey as she discovered hard realities of her life that had her reeling for years, she was unintentionally choking the life out of those she loved. It was a hard reality to face and then even harder to let her family go into the arms of Jesus. He had her back and theirs. Caro and Bobby had their own lies they believed about God, themselves and others that they had to come to grips with too.

This is a thought-provoking read I enjoyed as Abbie, Caro, Bobby and Rasa walk the Camino. I loved the European setting, the escape and what they learned along the way. This would make a fun book club pick. The author includes sixteen questions to help create a lively discussion with your group.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

What a beautiful story!!! I've had friends from church make this pilgrimage and it has always intrigued me. The Promised Land by author Elizabeth Musser is an incredible page-turning tale of four pilgrims who walk the Camino de Santiago across Europe. A beautiful and life-changing pilgrimage that has been walked for over 1000 years by hundreds of visitors each year. I loved this captivating story that takes Abbie, Bobby, Risa, and Caroline, on their own soul-searching journeys. I could not put this beautiful story down! Having multiple narrators was so interesting and kept me turning pages late into the night. I really did hate to see it end.

Some of my favorite quotes:
"I'm only halfway through the first day, and already the Camino has surprised and blessed me and filled me up with wonder and gratitude."
"Life is beautiful, life is surprising, life hurts. And our job as artists, for as long as we're present in this life, is to use our gift to show the beauty and the surprises and the joy and the pain to others."

The Promised Land can be read as a stand-alone book, but if you want a fuller experience, you may want to read The Swan House, The Dwelling Place, and The Long Highway Home first as they give a glimpse into the background of some of the characters found in The Promised Land. It's a perfect series to binge read!

Thank you to the author and publisher for letting me read an early copy of The Promised Land. I absolutely loved it, I highly recommend it, and all opinions are my own.

Another beautifully written book by Elizabeth Musser. She sure knows how to weave a story with beautiful words that bring out her love for our Lord. I loved these characters. Strong women who need to find themselves and answers while walking the Camino. I see a lot of myself in Abbie. Letting go and not being in In control is hard. I learned it the hard way. I loved how all the characters come together from all the previous books and look forward to more in the future, as Elizabeth’s books always leave me wanting more. I just love Bobby and think he has a bright future ahead. This book can be read as a stand alone, if you haven’t read the previous ones. I am so blessed to have been able to read an ARC.

If you have not already read The Swan House, The Dwelling Place, and The Long Highway Home, I highly recommend that you do so before starting this newest book by Elizabeth Musser.  Those 3 books will introduce you to many of the main characters in The Promised Land and provide their back stories so that you will have a much deeper understanding of the new book.

The story drew me in right away, and it was hard to put down.  Musser’s technique of multiple narrators, each giving his or her own perspective on events, is very effective.  I came to quickly care about the characters and what happens to each of them.  There are powerful insights into dealing with loss and vicarious pain or trauma, handling responsibility, control vs letting go, trust vs. fear.   There are also some great plot twists, and a mystery woven in, the solution of which left me stunned.

I highly recommend that you come and join the journey to The Promised Land.

 I received a complimentary copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Well, Elizabeth Musser, you’ve done it again! This book was outstanding!!
Of course I’ve been a fan ever since reading The Swan House, and the fact that this book tracks with the family we first met in that book, increased my enjoyment all the more!
I was not familiar with Camiño de Santiago and the fact the it’s a place where people go for a spiritual pilgrimage. The characters in this book who traveled on the Camiño were each changed in their relationships with God and others. I was left wondering if there was a boot camp to get ready for this pilgrimage! (parts of the trail were grueling!) 
The way God worked in each life was wonderful to read, especially in Abbie’s case. I think I identified most with her and her struggle and to let go of control in her life.
The conclusion was very satisfying. I look forward to the next book!!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read some books by Musser in the past and enjoyed them. This wasn't my favorite, but it was an average read. I didn't care for or connect with some of the characters. The pace was active and keeps the reader moving along. Everything wasn't neatly tied up, and I was okay with that. The characters were believable.

"The Promised Land" is Christian general fiction. The story was told from several viewpoints, and we switched between these viewpoints. Each character was well-developed, complex, and came across as a real person struggling with real problems. They reacted very realistically to events, and I cared about what happened to them. Abbie was afraid of losing the people she loved to an accident or disease, and she expressed her fear by using her talent for organization to control every aspect of her family's lives. Suddenly, she had to deal with her son going on a pilgrimage in Europe, her husband saying that he needed some space from her for a few months, and worries about her father's health. She ended up inviting herself along on her son's pilgrimage to chaperone his sudden romance. The pilgrimage helped her work through why she was so controlling and to regain healthy relationships.

Bobby had a history of reaching out to hurting people, and he tragically lost a previous girlfriend. His family expressed concerned when he decided to date someone that he just met: an Iranian refugee with a tragic past of her own. He had to deal with this past loss while also helping his girlfriend deal with her past as they walked the pilgrimage road. Finally, Caroline blamed herself for what happened to a close friend, though there was nothing she could actually have done to save her friend. She's spent years trying to discover what happened to her missing friend, only to discover that a fellow pilgrim has the answers.

All of the main characters had to reach out to God to find healing as they could not change themselves or their circumstances on their own. There was no sex or bad language beyond several uses of the word cr*p. Overall, I'd highly recommend this touching, interesting story.

I might have literally jumped a little bit at the prospect of getting an eARC for Elizabeth Musser’s upcoming (11/3/20) release The Promised Land. Musser is one author I will happily read anything by! After reading the novel, I knew I had to see the real life Swan House, and my family and I visited several times over the years. It’s well worth a visit, by the way; I recommend enjoying a meal at the Carriage House while you’re there!

The Promised Land is book 3 in the Swan House series, though Musser notes that each book can be read on its own and not in any order. I’d agree with that; I definitely recognized some familiar names (thrilling, and #geek moment), but didn’t feel like I was “missing” anything by not having read the previous 2 books in some time (okay, years 😀 — ha!).

Musser has written a number of books not in the Swan House series in between each book. While I’ve enjoyed those immensely (and her Two Crosses series itself is fantastic), I was beyond excited to realize the Swan House connections in Promised Land, given my own experience with the house over the years. I truly felt like Musser was “back” with this novel; the characters and settings begun in The Swan House are where I feel she particularly thrives as an author (and I thrive as a reader). 😀

Having studied abroad myself in Spain, I related to Bobby’s story quite a bit. I would love to walk the Camino myself, although I’d probably channel Abbie and do the “ritzy” version! (Oh, who am I kidding … I crave my own space and a comfy en-suite hotel room. I camp at 4-star hotels!) Musser lives in France and works with a missions organization, which lends an added authenticity and depth to the European locations and the subject matter. (She grew up in Atlanta and spent a good deal of time at the original Swan House, too.) Her obvious skill in and passion for research shines here!

Musser kept me guessing with character reveals (who weren’t as expected, a very good thing) and plot points. Not everything was super tied up with a bow; I usually go for that in my reading material, but this is one where open-ended was much more fulfilling and true to life. An excellent book that makes me want to re-read The Swan House and The Dwelling Place.

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

THE PROMISED LAND by ELIZABETH MUSSER tells the story of four people with varying problems who do the Camino pilgrimage together. It is a really inspirational book which brings to mind the words of Jesus in John chapter eight: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.", in that they are set free on two levels - coming to know the truth about themselves as well as the truth that the Lord is always with them.
It is a sensitively written book, and as we go on the journey with Abbie, Bobby, Rasa and Caro, there are things we not only learn about each of them, but also things that could be applicable in our own lives.
Abbie, the control freak who has literally driven her husband away and cannot seem to help interfering in her sons' lives, Bobby, who is too ready to carry everyone's burdens and is getting over a terrible tragedy, Rasa, the refugee who has panic attacks and tends to take on too much as well, and Caro  with her self destructive and tragic past, are an unlikely group of people, and it is interesting to see how the Lord uses them in each others' lives.
It is a really lovely book and one I can highly recommend.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. the opinions in this review are completely my own.

When I saw this book in the list of possible books to read for review, I chose it simply because of the Camino involvement in the plot.  My husband was supposed to hike the Caminio de Santiago this year, because of COVID, Spain closed its borders to tourists.  

Abbie is a woman who has to be in control of all aspects of her life, her sons' lives, and her husband's life. When her older son decides to go to Europe for a "gap year" between high school and college, and her husband goes to Chicago for three months, and her younger son goes off to boarding school; Abbie sees her well-ordered life spiral out of control.  

At the suggestion of her mother, Abbie begins seeing a woman who is not a therapist, but considers herself a spiritual guide.  Abbie's son, Bobby, mentions that he's planning a trek on the Camino in France, and Abbie decides to go along--which defeats Bobby's purpose in taking the trip. However, it does work in his favor in the end.  

Abbie has to face some not very nice truths about herself and in the end return to who she really is.  

I've read several Elizabeth Musser books and I find her work to be compelling and intriguing, just as I found this one.  The one criticism I have is that the people populating the book are extreme in their characterizations.  While it is more rewarding to read books about flawed people (as we all are), it was not as satisfying to read a book about characters I wouldn't like in real life.  Still, the narrative moves at a good pace, and the settings are amazing.  I will still give this book four stars. 

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  The opinions expressed are totally my own.