A Sojourner's Solace by Jennifer Sienes Blog Tour

About the Book

Book: A Sojourner’s Solace

Author: Jennifer Sienes

Genre: Women’s Christian Fiction/ Romance

Release date: July 12, 2022

Is an old love letter the key to her past… and her future?

When Kate Mallory’s mother is killed in a tragic car accident, she’s left with nothing but dead-end jobs, an on-again, off-again boyfriend, and a craving for something… more.

Despondent, she clears out her mom’s apartment and discovers an old love letter from a William Wheaton of Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Could this be the father her mom refused to discuss? With nothing left to lose, she decides to find out.

Noah Wheaton honed the gift of discernment the hard way—through a twenty-year military career and an unfaithful ex-fiancé. So, when gutsy Kate Mallory shows up at the family restaurant and applies for a waitressing job, his internal lie-detector flies off the charts. Why would a native New Yorker seek out a job in small-town Tennessee? Whatever she’s up to, messing with his family is not an option.

Kate could never have imagined that a spontaneous journey to search out an absentee dad was not spontaneous after all. A force bigger than both Kate and Noah is at work, and they may get more than they bargained for. 

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My Review

I enjoyed this novella. It is a good story of Kate pursuing the identity of her father. There is an important theme of acceptance and the challenge of honesty. There is a very clear presentation of the gospel. The possibility of romance runs throughout.

The story is told from the alternating first person points of view of Kate and Noah. While each character is well identified at the beginning of the section, I did find that particular style of writing a bit distracting. Well into a section, as the character was thinking in first person, I would have to pause and remind myself which character it was.

This is an enjoyable novella that can be read of an evening. It offers a satisfying story yet provides potential for a sequel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education, but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing—and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies including several in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

More from Jennifer

I grew up with three sisters and a brother, and although life could be chaotic and a little crowded, I can’t imagine any other childhood. We spent summers camping with my grandparents and great uncles, and holidays with lots of cousins, aunts, and uncles. Being part of a large family was central to my life. I thought about this as I created the Wheaton family for my Bedford County summer novella. Four siblings—two sons and two daughters—who often rub each other the wrong way, but at the same time, would lay down their lives for one another.

Noah is the oldest sibling in the Wheaton clan—retired military who’s been badly burned by a woman in the past. Trust doesn’t come easy, and he’s as loyal to his family as they come. Born and raised in the small Middle Tennessee town of Bell Buckle, he’s not a fan of the big city—or of people from the big city. His family owns and operates a restaurant in a nearby town where everybody knows everybody. He’s suspicious of outsiders, especially those of the female persuasion.

And that’s where our heroine, Kate Mallory, comes in. A native New Yorker, raised by a single mother, she never knew who her father was. She arrives in Bell Buckle on a quest to find what she’s missed all her life—family. What she discovers is far more than she bargained for, and her mother’s words come back to haunt her—“Be careful what you wish for.”

You may wonder why I chose New York City for Kate’s upbringing. My son lived in Tokyo for five years—a city of almost 14 million people. He told me on several occasions that living there, he never felt more alone or isolated. I wanted Kate in A Sojourner’s Solace to experience the same thing. Plopped into Middle Tennessee, she discovers a world as foreign to her as Tokyo was to my son—just in the opposite way.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 24

Christina's Corner, August 24

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, August 25

Texas Book-aholic, August 26

Books, Books, and More Books., August 26

Inklings and notions, August 27

For Him and My Family, August 28

Genesis 5020, August 29

Book Looks by Lisa, August 29

deb's Book Review, August 30

lakesidelivingsite, August 31

Sylvan Musings, August 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 1

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 2

Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting, September 3

Back Porch Reads, September 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 4

Splashes of Joy, September 5

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 6

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novella through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)