Book Review for Beside Still Waters by Lynnette Bonner

Travel to the community of Wyldhaven in Beside Still Waters, the final book in Lynnette Bonner’s series!

About Beside Still Waters

Zoe Kastain wants to be happy, but just the sight of Washington Nolan standing beside Kin at his wedding has her choking the life from her gloves. The man who once dazzled her with promises of love and commitment now will hardly look at her. Even through the haze of red clouding her vision, she realizes it is probably better this way. Because after he’d returned, injured, she’d gone and laid her heart at his feet. He’d slammed his door in her face, and she never wanted to feel that incomprehensible rejection again. But as Kin and Cora exchange rings and kisses, Zoe realizes her best efforts to quash her love for Wash Nolan have been hopeless. Not only that but what if his rejection was a test to see if she would stand by him?! And she walked away! She needed to fix this! Make him realize she still loved him. But how? Her gaze settles on Kin and Cora leaving the church to the cheers of their guests. What was the biggest gesture of love, but marriage? No! She couldn’t, could she? It was preposterous madness!

Wash stumbles out of the church, chastising himself for letting Kin talk him into being here today. He ought to have known that seeing Zoe again would bring nothing but heartache. They could have built a life together if not for his injury that rendered him unable to provide for a family. Despite all that, it felt good to have escaped the cabin. He needed to make an effort to get out more. He’d been pretty detached from, well, everything since his return. He just needed to make his escapes to places where Zoe Kastain would not be, because seeing her was temptation itself. The soft light of invitation in her eyes could downright make a man forget his limitations. And this was not the time for that, especially not with all the strange things happening at the farm.

My Thoughts

For me, a three star review means the book was all right. That pretty much describes how I felt about Beside Still Waters. It was a nice story, but there were elements about it that didn’t quite connect with me.

But first, let me share what I liked about the book.

I liked the small town/community feel of the story. There was some humor that made me chuckle, and Lynnette has a writing style that kept me turning pages. The faith content was good, and the story had an over-arching theme of how the Lord is our Shepard who can be trusted to lead us through all circumstances.

The first part that didn’t resonate with me came when Zoe marched to Washington Nolan’s house and proposed to him. I’m not fond of girl’s “pushing the question” in real life–and I’m even less fond of it in fiction.

The next turning off point had to do with the bad guys of the story. I like to feel concerned about what a bad guy is about to do, but in this book, I couldn’t help laughing out loud as I read the scenes where the bad guys appeared. I’ll lay the blame on my brother, who has made me a big fight scene critic.

And the the last reason I couldn’t fully enjoy the story was another personal preference. I counted twelve viewpoints in the story–twelve different characters offering a look into their heads. Lynnette managed the story in a way that made it easy to keep track of who was who, but it wasn’t a style I was particularly fond of. I prefer not knowing what all the characters are thinking and would rather be able to make my own guesses about what a side character’s motives could be.

All that said, if none of the above-mentioned is your pet peeve, then Beside Still Waters is a lovely read that will sweep you back to a simpler time.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book, but my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Grab a copy of Beside Still Waters

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Lynnette Bonner was born in Malawi, Africa, and spent the first years of her life reveling in warm equatorial sunshine and the late evening duets of cicadas and hyenas. The year she turned eight she was off to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya where she spent many joy-filled years and graduated in 1990.

That fall, she traded to a new duet–one of traffic and rain–when she moved to Kirkland, Washington to attend Northwest University. It was there that she met her husband and a few years later they moved to the small town of Pierce, Idaho.

During the time they lived in Idaho while studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin the Shepherd’s Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.

Marty and Lynnette have four children and currently live in Washington where Marty pastors a church.

More From Lynnette

Dear Readers,

History is one of my favorite things. I love opening a book and getting immersed in the sights, sounds, smells, and culture of by-gone eras. Because I love to read these stories, these are also the kinds of stories I write. And here we are at the fourteenth and final historical foray in the Wyldhaven series! This one is the wrap-up, the happy sigh at the end of an intricate set of adventures. If you haven’t yet jumped into the Wyldhaven series, I invite you to start with book one, because while each book can stand alone, you’ll enjoy the characters so much more if you’ve followed them from the beginning. Book one is Not a Sparrow Falls.

However, on tour here today is book fourteen, Beside Still Waters. Two of my favorite characters from the series are about to face their biggest set of challenges yet, and along the way they just might learn a little about leaning on God’s truth, even when bad things happen, and of course find that loving one another makes those bad things so much easier to bear.

I hope you’ll enjoy this story and that it will in some way draw you closer to the One who leads us beside still waters.

Injured by friendly fire. Trapped in the torrent of his own fears.

Washington Nolan wanted to join the cavalry from the time he was a boy. He planned to enlist for a few years, and then return home to marry Zoe Kastain, the girl he’s been sweet on from almost his earliest memory. What he didn’t plan on was a friendly fire incident that would cost him the use of his leg. Now he’s home. But without the means to provide for a family, he can’t in all good conscience marry Zoe. Even harder than losing his leg is letting her go.

Rejected by the man she loves. She’ll brave the deepest waters to convince him that God will see them through.

Zoe Kastain can’t believe that Wash has broken things off. She’s just mad enough to walk away, but then she realizes that Wash needs her love now more than ever. She can’t simply abandon him! But he’s not going to like it when she brings the parson—and her valise—to his porch. She’s prepared for his resistance. But what she’s not prepared for is his acquiescence—nor the storm she’s about to walk through because of it.

Together they must learn to trust the One who leads beside still waters.

Tour Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lynette is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!

One first place winner will receive a paperback copy of the book!

Five winners will receive an eBook copy of the book!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/272f5/beside-still-waters-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Alena Mentink, August 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5

Connie’s History Classroom, August 6

Texas Book-aholic, August 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 9

For Him and My Family, August 10

The Book Club Network, August 11

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 12 (Author Interview)

Karen Baney Reviews, August 12

Holly’s Book Corner, August 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 14

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 15

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, August 16 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 16

Lily’s Book Reviews, August 17