Cherished Mercy by Tracie Peterson - A Book Review

    

     Mercy Flanigan was aptly named. Her ability to show mercy to others amazes those around her, but she realizes that when you embrace bitterness and grudges there isn’t room for the things you’d rather embrace. A lesson we can all benefit from. Mercy is the youngest of the three Flanigan sisters, and the main character in this third and final installment of the Heart of the Frontier series. To truly appreciate her story, the reader would greatly benefit from having read the series in sequence. The sisters’ travels along the Oregon Trail and the presence of two of them at the Whitman Mission Massacre lead up to Mercy’s finding herself in the middle of the Rogue River War as the year 1855 draws to a close. Tracie Peterson’s storytelling skills are backed up by her diligent research when placing her characters in true historical events.

     As part of Mercy’s story, readers will meet seven-year-old Faith Browning whose parents and uncle are missionaries among the Tututni. Faith is a precocious child who learned to read at the age of two.  Unfortunately, the life she knew among a loving family and supportive community spins into chaos with the increased volatility between an army and volunteer militia supported by a government that favored extermination of Oregon’s native population and the Rogue River Indian tribes. Faith proves herself to be a strong young lady, remaining faithful to her Lord and to her family’s instruction. Readers will hope that Faith may make an appearance in a future Peterson series.

     Fans of historical fiction and romantic fiction alike will enjoy Cherished Mercy and the Heart of the Frontier series. I am appreciative of NetGalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I received no monetary compensation for this review.