With love and loss tangled together, how was she to know where her life would lead?

Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate

About this book: Allie Kirkland has always heard the call of her father’s unfinished destiny. When she’s offered a production assistant’s job on a docudrama filming in the hills near Moses Lake, Texas, the dream of following in her director-father’s footsteps suddenly seems within reach. The reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement of Wildwood is a first step into the film industry. A summer on set in the wilderness is a small price to pay for a dream.

But in 1861, the real Wildwood held dangerous realities. Town founder Harland Delavan held helpless residents, including young Irish schoolteacher Bonnie Rose, in an iron grip. Mysterious disappearances led to myths and legends still retold in the region’s folk songs. Eventually, the entire site was found abandoned.

When filming begins, strange connections surface between Allie and the teacher who disappeared over a century ago, and everyone in Wildwood–including Blake Fulton, Allie’s handsome neighbor on the film set–seems to be hiding secrets. Allie doesn’t know whom she can trust. If she can’t find the answers in time, history may repeat itself…with the most unthinkable results.

About the author: (from Bethany House) Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Talk of the Town, Blue Moon Bay, andLarkspur Cove, which won the 2011 Carol Award for Women’s Fiction. Lisa and her family live in central Texas.

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary

Would I read this book, judged on its cover alone? Yes. See below.

If this book were a movie, I would rate it: PG

Reminds me of… Francine Rivers’ The Scarlet Thread for its dual narrative juxtapositioning present day with pioneering life.

You’ll want to buy this book if … you enjoy dual-narrative, past/present novels.

Why did I read this book? As a Bethany Blogger for review.

Would I read another by this author? Yes. Though this wasn’t my favorite by Lisa Wingate, I would probably read anything she writes.

My take: I have to start with the cover, which I love for its promise of a sun-drenched setting, a beguiling heroine, and a hint of romance–all of which the story delivers. I also like the interweaving of the two narratives, the introduction of several mysteries, both past and present, and the rising suspense as the two become intertwined.

But unlike the last Lisa Wingate novel I read (The Prayer Box, which I unreservedly enjoyed), I have mixed reactions on this one. For me, the story went off-track when it began to stretch my credibility. I got the sense that the author was playing a game of what-if, with each new plot twist becoming more and more unlikely. Possible? Absolutely. Believable? Um, not really. Not to me, anyway.

That said, if you like romance threaded with suspense, past/present narratives, and if you’re game for an adventure and are prepared to follow where led, you’re likely to enjoy this latest offering from one of the most prolific and winsome inspirational writers around.

Thanks to Bethany House for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

End notes: Have you noticed the number of dual-narrative, past/present novels published in the last year or two? Really, how could you not? Orphan Train, The Girl You Left Behind, The Pieces We Keep, The Firebird and Lighthouse Bay are just a handful that come to mind. What do you think of this publishing trend? Like it? Ready to see it end? 

I have one copy of Wildwood Creek up for grabs today. Leave a comment and your name will be entered in a drawing to win it. Refer a friend, and your name will be entered twice. (Just let me know you referred someone, either in a comment or by dropping me a line at katherine.scott.jones@gmail.com.) Good luck!

On a slightly related note, the ECPA recently announced their finalists for 2014, which includes Lisa Wingate’s The Prayer Box, and Heather Kopp’s Sober Mercies–both of which, you may recall, made it onto my short list of 13 Faves of 2013. Click here to see what other books you may have missed last year that need to make it onto your TBR pile in 2014.