Wow what an encouraging book!
Emotionally rich and captivating, this story just got better and better.
“It’s the hard things that do us the most good in the long run.”
Lena and Preston certainly knew hard, going from prosperity to poverty thanks to the stock market crash in 1930. They head to Lake Toxaway, North Carolina for a job. Lena connects with widow Claire Roth and finds a job as a personal assistant and Preston joins his brother at a mill run by John Bellamy. Things go wrong but Lena learns to believe in herself thanks to mentoring by Claire. Preston finds faith and forgiveness and a new direction. Dreams were shattered but: “Sometimes tears are the only thing that can irrigate the wounds of the heart.”
This was a heartfelt, beautiful story and was very believable with a redemptive thread that made it that much more relevant.
There was a second chance for husband and wife, Lena and Preston, and a later in life romance for Claire and John. A mysterious legend of a treasure that could change lives for better or worse or just fade into memories. “It’s a blessing when memories go soft. As the hard parts fade, the memories shift to feel like an old shirt. A little threadbare maybe, but so familiar against your heart, you can’t let them go.”
A satisfying read.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.”

These Empty Places is only my second book by Sarah Loudin Thomas. She is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me and I have plans to dive into her back list this summer!

Set in NC, one of my favorite states. this story took me on quite the journey. There are so many lessons in this story and wonderful ways in which these lessons are brought to life.

Both Claire and Lena became favorite characters and finishing the story felt like telling friends goodbye.

I appreciated how kind and giving Claire was. Her desire to help others was such a big part of her story.

Lena surprised me, in a good way. I had some ideas of what I thought she was going to end up doing and I am so glad I was wrong. It was amazing see her growth in this story and her confidence build

As both characters were faced with unexpected possibilities and unexpected challenges, I really enjoyed watching them process what it all meant and how they came to trust in one another as friends and sounding boards.

The lessons, reminders, and beauty brought to life in this story touched me in so many ways. We truly can handle the unexpected as long as we refuse to give up and are adaptable. So often challenges in our lives either break us or strengthen us, especially when we have to dig deep within ourselves and also learn to rely on the Lord.

Thank you to the publisher for the copy of this book. All views are my own.

Another wonderful story by this author! I enjoyed it a lot! In this story we get the povs of two women, Claire and Lena. Claire is 47 years old and is a widow, with an adult daughter. Claire also has a new romance with a younger man. Lena is younger and married, she and her husband, Preston, are having a rough go of it and he strives to make more money for them. Lena goes to work for Claire and they become great friends.
I really enjoyed this story! I loved how willing Claire was to help others. I actually really loved her character. I also liked seeing a reverse age gap romance with her character. I haven’t read many of those. Lena was a great character too. She was very supportive of her husband and tried not to hurt his feelings. Preston makes some unwise choices and puts them in a bad way, he made me mad at times haha. There is good Christian content as well. Overall, a great book and I recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this slow paced novel very much.
The lives of Lena and Claire were very realistic and interesting. I couldn't put this novel down!
Preston I didnt care much for but I understood some of what he's trying to do. Most of us want to do it on our own with no help from anyone. But, sometimes you just have to ask. That doesn't mean it's wrong it's prideful not to ask.
I loved the setting. Thomas describes it so well that I feel as if I'm really there. It's a place I've never been.
Well paced and I felt like I learned a little something new along the way.
I loved the faith filled themes throughout this story.
I loved the how the lessons learned in this book is for everyone even in real life.
I took away the real meaning of the word treasure from this beautiful story.
Sometimes you learn to appreciate what or who you have until you don't. They can disappear in the blink of an eye so to speak.
I didn't want this story to end it was so good. I have to wait for a long time for another one of hers. She's among my favorite authors.
The cover of this book is gorgeous!
5 stars for a job well done and for keeping me interested all the way through.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

hese Empty Places by Sarah Loudin Thomas is a slow paced interesting novel.

Claire and Lena have experienced hardship. The story is about the strength and friendship of these two women and how they moved past the hurts. They learn to love and make choices that shape their lives. It's about courage and forgiveness. Beautifully written characters. Ms Thomas describes the time period and places so well. She is a master storyteller as evidenced in this novel. Clean and faith fulled.

I received an e- copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

THESE EMPTY PLACES by SARAH LOUDIN THOMAS is a beautifully written novel that takes place at Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, starting in 1916 and ending with the epilogue in 1961. The characters are great and their emotions and relationships are very well portrayed. There is also a strong Christian message, about love, forgiveness and what is important in life, running through the book. ….
Claire, who has had two great loves in her life and is experiencing romantic love for the third time, is a great help to Lena in her marital problems. The following is a quotation between them at the end of the novel,“Thank you”, Lena whispered (to Claire). “For what?” “For teaching me what real treasure looks like.” The relationship between these two women is inspirational……
I loved every part of These Empty Places and literally could not put the book down. I am not going to tell you amy more for fear of spoiling things for you. It is a lovely story and I cannot recommend the book highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book from NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I've only read a handful of books by Sarah Loudin Thomas, but with each one I read, I find myself more and more impressed with her beautiful storytelling. This one was no exception. I was very quickly drawn into the lives of both Claire and Lena. Their lives were not short on hardships, drawing me in and making me feel for what they had experienced. But their stories were also ones of resilience and strength, of letting go and moving on from past hurts. This was one that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions but will ultimately leave you with a sense of hope. There was some second chance romance, that I did absolutely enjoy, of course, but for me, I think it truly was the friendship between these two women and the sense of healing that took center stage and made this a beautiful read. If you love Christian historical fiction and stories of friendship, this is one you're not going to want to miss.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.