MY REVIEW:
The heroine of “Shadowed by Grace” is Rachel Justice, a young woman on a quest. Working in Italy during WWII as a photographer, she is also determined to find the father she has never known. Rachel’s experiences as a woman working in the midst of so many men are true to the time period. Her assignment to work with Lt. Scott Lindstrom introduced her to the work of the Monuments Men whose goal was to find, reclaim and restore priceless art throughout Europe as quickly as possible after the German troops passed through. Their journey across Italy exposed them to danger and close calls, a developing mystery about who was stealing relics right under their noses, and of course a sweet and growing romance between them. The bittersweet ending was somewhat unexpected but rang true to me.
The story is emotionally charged yet quite believable. I believe the author did her very best to achieve accuracy with her facts and to portray authentic characters. The message of faith was strong but not intrusive and I appreciated Rachel’s realization that God had been with her all along, even when she did not notice.
Although I do enjoy a good contemporary novel and have several favorite authors who write them, more and more I find my true preference is for historical stories and books like “Shadowed by Grace” are responsible for that preference. I love learning about history through the experiences of the people who could have experienced it. The combination of a good story and real historical facts is something that really appeals to me.
I enjoyed this novel so much that I fear I could very well be disappointed in the upcoming film about the monument men. Whether I choose to see the film or not, I highly recommend “Shadowed by Grace”.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She found peace in a time of war.
Desperate to save her dying mother, an American woman accepts her newspaper’s assignment to travel to Italy where she takes photographs dangerously close to the front lines during World War II. But Rachel’s real motive in this journey is to find the father she never knew, an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive at such a desperate time.
In her quest, Rachel becomes involved with what will become the Monuments Men effort to save great monuments and works of art from the Third Reich. Soon enough she will find more than she ever imagined—in war, in love, and in God.
Read an excerpt of “Shadowed by Grace” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cara C. Putman graduated high school at 16, college at 20, and completed her law degree at 27. The best-selling author of more than a dozen books, Cara is active in women’s ministry at her church, teaches graduate courses at Purdue University, practices law, and is a homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and 4 children in Indiana.
Cara Putman is celebrating her latest historical suspense novel, Shadowed by Grace with a fun “Past & Present” giveaway!
One winner will receive:
- A Polaroid Instant Camera
- A beautiful antique AFGRA camera (learn more here)
- Movie passes to see The Monuments Men movie (with George Clooney and Matt Damon)
- Shadowed By Grace by Cara Putman
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 8th. Winner will be announced February 10th on Cara’s blog.
