Legacy of Mercy

by Lynn Austin

Having returned to Chicago, young socialite Anna Nicholson can't seem to focus on her upcoming marriage. The new information she's learned about her birth mother continues to pull at her, and she hires Pinkerton detectives to help her find the truth. But as she meets people who once knew her mother and hears stories about the past, Anna soon discovers that some secrets are better left hidden.

At the same time, unflattering stories about Anna are leaked by someone who would love to see her disgraced and her engagement broken. And as Anna tries to share her faith with her society friends, she understands that her choice to seek God's purpose for her life isn't as simple as she had hoped.

When things are at their darkest, Anna knows she can turn to her grandmother, Geesje de Jonge, back in Holland, Michigan. Geesje's been helping new Dutch immigrants, including a teen with a haunted past, adjust to America. She only hopes that her wisdom can help all these young people through the turmoil they face.

• ISBN10: 0764231723
• ISBN13: 9780764231728
• Publish Date: 2 October 2018
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 4 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Imprint: Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[phyllish]

A story of hope

My rating is 4.5 stars

Anna experienced the painful reality of how inflammatory and painful gossip could be. Ironically, it was shortly after she politely suggested that the women in her social circle were wrong for gossiping about another woman.

Anna, newly introduced to the Bible and living for God, struggled with how to reconcile her life among the wealthy with the teachings of Jesus. Her kindness, compassion, and respect for her adoptive parents were so admirable.

Slowly, the answer to the mystery of her parentage unfolded. As she learned the secrets of her birth, they somehow were being spread among her peers, but in a less than flattering manner. Anna was surprised to learn the source and the reason behind the campaign of slander that was being waged and was hard-pressed to come up with a way of stopping it that wouldn't hurt the people she loved the most.

Geesje, Anna's grandmother, was embroiled in mysteries of her own after opening her home to a troubled young girl with no desire to live. Crossing words with the girl's stoic grandfather, she loved her through the darkness that was choking her and led her into a life of freedom in Christ.

From the drawing rooms of the Chicago elite, to the slums and tenements, and to Holland, Michigan, author Lynn Austin tackled difficult subjects in Legacy of Mercy with grace and aplomb. Grief, guilt, poverty, domestic violence, gossip, and unforgiveness to name just a few. Despite the heavy subject matter, she crafted a story that was full of hope and pointed to Jesus all along the way. The ending was so touching and beautiful.


This review was originally posted on Among the Reads


I was given a free copy of this item. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.