After the Shadows

Title: After the Shadows

Series: Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing #1

Author: Amanda Cabot

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction,

Publisher: Revell

Source: Revell

My review:

After the Shadows is the first in a new series by Amanda Cabot. It looks like it will be a trilogy revolving around three stories. 

In After the Shadows, we are introduced to two sisters, Emily, who just returned home, and Louisa, who never left. We hear a little about the third sister, Joanna, who is off in Europe.

This story starts with a LOT of heartaches. There seems to be so much happening, and then it calms down, turning into a very character-driven storyline. There is a hint of a mystery surrounding Emily's father's death, but that part of the story doesn't take off until almost a third of the way through the book. 

In some ways, the story seemed scattered. It all came together in the end, but I was frustrated by several events going on in the story. I can't name them because I don't want to give even a hint of spoilers. The parts of the story with Noah (a toddler) were a bit lighter. Overall, the story was engaging enough to keep my attention, and I was curious to see how things would end.

Thank you to Revell for the opportunity to review this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the new schoolteacher and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.

Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death--and to aid Craig Ferguson, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. Together they must work to unmask a killer and escape the shadows of their own pasts in order to forge a brighter future.

Bestselling author Amanda Cabot transports you to 1880s Texas Hill Country for a brand-new series that will have you flipping pages to solve the mystery and get to the happily-ever-after you long for.