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Finding Frankie
An outlaw’s vow for revenge, a widower’s need for justice, and a child’s unshakable faith in God’s forgiveness.
Outlaw Frankie McNeal is used to doing whatever it takes to survive, but she’s tired of robbing banks and dodging the law. She’s convinced there must be more to life. Determined to find a better way for herself and her youngest brother with the money she’s saved, she’s positive one more robbery will give them the fresh start they need. When they are shot and left for dead, she’s bent on revenge for her brother’s death. It makes little difference if the man she’s after is her father.
When Daniel Myers stumbles across the injured woman dressed as a man, he suspects she’s part of the gang that killed his wife. The last thing he wants to do is bring trouble home to his daughter. Torn between leaving the woman to the coyotes and the need for justice, he promises to get her well enough to turn over to the law. But Daniel is a man with his own secrets. He struggles to justify his beliefs and his own sense of forgiveness when faced with his growing attraction. Set against a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, they’ll learn there’s a thin line between revenge and redemption—especially when the path is paved with dark secrets.
When Daniel Myers stumbles across the injured woman dressed as a man, he suspects she’s part of the gang that killed his wife. The last thing he wants to do is bring trouble home to his daughter. Torn between leaving the woman to the coyotes and the need for justice, he promises to get her well enough to turn over to the law. But Daniel is a man with his own secrets. He struggles to justify his beliefs and his own sense of forgiveness when faced with his growing attraction. Set against a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, they’ll learn there’s a thin line between revenge and redemption—especially when the path is paved with dark secrets.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 30, 2024
20 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 15, 2024
Finding Frankie by Michelle Kidd is a bit of a twist on the western romance. Instead of the hero in the role of outlaw, it's the heroine. Frankie never set out to be an outlaw. Fact is, she never really gave much thought to the future, other than her and her younger brother escaping the saloon where they live with her soiled dove mother. But when their mother died, they were sent to live with their father and older brothers, who earn a living robbing banks. Thrust into scouting towns and outrunning the law, and believing she's a hindrance to her father, Frankie has finally had enough and vows after this next job, she and her brother are running off for a better life. To where, she isn't sure, but that dream is quickly foiled when she, her father and brothers are pinned down by the local posse. Gunfire erupts, leaving her younger brother dead, her father and older brothers gone, and Frankie waking up in a foreign bed and unable to see.
Daniel has his hands full raising his 9 year old daughter and trying to make it in Virginia as a farmer. Once a talented and devoted doctor, guilt continues to fester over his wife's death; it's the reason he hasn't let himself move on and love again. While crossing his property, he comes upon a gruesome scene; a boy is dead and a young woman, though alive, most likely won't survive her injuries. After burying the boy, he brings the woman to his home, and with the help of his daughter, cares for her. When she awakens, Daniel Daniel is concerned about her blindness, and intrigued by her feistiness.
Believing she is unlovable, Frankie is a stubborn soul determined to catch up to her father and brothers and make them pay for leaving her to die. That is, as soon as she gains back her sight. And when she does, she's going to live life on her terms. But a spunky 9 year old challenges her to dream for a better future... for the man she's fast giving her heart to. But despite Misty saying otherwise, Daniel grieves for his deceased wife and feels nothing for Frankie... Or, does he?
Ripe with the perils of living on a farm and two souls desperately wanting and needing love, Finding Frankie is raw with heartache and revenge, and secrets that can destroy a body. I found myself cheering for Frankie and Daniel, and when it seemed they couldn't suffer anymore, Ms. Kidd wrenches up the drama (and emotion) with the introduction of characters who each want something from Frankie and Daniel. But it's Misty who's determined to have the final say... and this little girl isn't afraid to trust a female outlaw.
Daniel has his hands full raising his 9 year old daughter and trying to make it in Virginia as a farmer. Once a talented and devoted doctor, guilt continues to fester over his wife's death; it's the reason he hasn't let himself move on and love again. While crossing his property, he comes upon a gruesome scene; a boy is dead and a young woman, though alive, most likely won't survive her injuries. After burying the boy, he brings the woman to his home, and with the help of his daughter, cares for her. When she awakens, Daniel Daniel is concerned about her blindness, and intrigued by her feistiness.
Believing she is unlovable, Frankie is a stubborn soul determined to catch up to her father and brothers and make them pay for leaving her to die. That is, as soon as she gains back her sight. And when she does, she's going to live life on her terms. But a spunky 9 year old challenges her to dream for a better future... for the man she's fast giving her heart to. But despite Misty saying otherwise, Daniel grieves for his deceased wife and feels nothing for Frankie... Or, does he?
Ripe with the perils of living on a farm and two souls desperately wanting and needing love, Finding Frankie is raw with heartache and revenge, and secrets that can destroy a body. I found myself cheering for Frankie and Daniel, and when it seemed they couldn't suffer anymore, Ms. Kidd wrenches up the drama (and emotion) with the introduction of characters who each want something from Frankie and Daniel. But it's Misty who's determined to have the final say... and this little girl isn't afraid to trust a female outlaw.
September 11, 2024
I absolutely loved this incredible historical fiction novel. Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the 1800s, this is the story of a headstrong woman from a family of outlaws whose hopes for a better future are bleak when her brother is killed after a robbery, and she, temporarily blinded, is left badly injured. Found by widower Daniel Myers, father to a daughter, Misty, all of their lives take a turn they never imagined.
The blurb offers a great overview of the plot. What I want to talk about in this review is why I loved this novel. First, author Michelle Kidd is a superb writer. Her writing flows beautifully. There wasn’t one single page where I was not gripped by the characters, the story, or both. There are many tender scenes between the characters, and there are many scenes of intense action. Each scene was so beautifully choreographed that I could see everything happening in my mind’s eye as if I were watching a film.
I especially loved the characterizations. The characters were unique, distinct, believable, and incredibly well crafted. I cared about them. Their respective crises of conscience and faith and their push/pull with each other was heart-rending, genuine, poignant, and powerful.
Overall, the plotting was excellent. The author weaved several threads together in seamless fashion, and I literally carried my Kindle around with me because I wanted to keep reading in every spare moment I had. Highly recommend!
The blurb offers a great overview of the plot. What I want to talk about in this review is why I loved this novel. First, author Michelle Kidd is a superb writer. Her writing flows beautifully. There wasn’t one single page where I was not gripped by the characters, the story, or both. There are many tender scenes between the characters, and there are many scenes of intense action. Each scene was so beautifully choreographed that I could see everything happening in my mind’s eye as if I were watching a film.
I especially loved the characterizations. The characters were unique, distinct, believable, and incredibly well crafted. I cared about them. Their respective crises of conscience and faith and their push/pull with each other was heart-rending, genuine, poignant, and powerful.
Overall, the plotting was excellent. The author weaved several threads together in seamless fashion, and I literally carried my Kindle around with me because I wanted to keep reading in every spare moment I had. Highly recommend!
August 11, 2024
Michelle Kidd is a brilliant author. This is the second novel of hers I've read. It seemed nothing could surpass TIMELESS MOMENTS, but FINDING FRANKIE (Book One in an unrelated new series) does without diminishing it. I now know each of her novels are multifaceted gems with different hues and depths. Her gift of sensory prose once again immersed me in each scene. I experienced each character instead of simply observing the elements in this well-crafted story. Frankie's journey from an outlaw to a young lady shaped by God's purpose is nuanced at the right pace. Tension builds and hope flares. Each character grows and changes. Even Daniel and his young daughter, Misty, who start from a better place in life, transform as they emerge from from the shadows of tragedy.
I try to never re-tell a story within a review. In my opinion, the reader is better rewarded by the journey of discovery. However, I will tease a bit. Frankie and her brother are left for dead in the aftermath of a bank robbery gone wrong. Daniel, a doctor turned farmer, finds them . . .
READ THE NOVEL to find out what happens all the way through to the Epilogue. (The Epilogue is a tour de force in itself.)
There are also snippets of the other upcoming novels in this series included. I await them with great anticipation.
I try to never re-tell a story within a review. In my opinion, the reader is better rewarded by the journey of discovery. However, I will tease a bit. Frankie and her brother are left for dead in the aftermath of a bank robbery gone wrong. Daniel, a doctor turned farmer, finds them . . .
READ THE NOVEL to find out what happens all the way through to the Epilogue. (The Epilogue is a tour de force in itself.)
There are also snippets of the other upcoming novels in this series included. I await them with great anticipation.
August 29, 2024
FYI, this is a Wild West type book with outlaws, guns, violence, and the repeated mention of prostitution. This is a clean read with a strong Christian theme.
Finding Frankie is a historical Christian fiction romance and is sure to please. Passion runs deep in the spirited redhead, Frankie. A liar? Yes. A thief? Yes. An outlaw? Yes. A beautiful and feisty woman? Absolutely!
Spawned from the wrong side of the sheets, she had an atrocious upbringing. Raised in a brothel as the cleaning girl and treated like a boy by her father, Frankie has a slanted view of right and wrong.
Daniel loved his late wife deeply and is raising their daughter alone. Her brutal attack and death left scars in his heart that he doesn’t know exists. Her memory haunts Daniel to the point of dictating his decisions.
Michelle Kidd masterfully weaves biblical truth and love into this story so the characters discover and learn that His love and guidance has been behind everything from the first.
Five stars for the saga of the Sassy Frankie McNeal/ Bowers/Myers and I am looking forward to reading the next three stories of the descendants of Frankie.
Finding Frankie is a historical Christian fiction romance and is sure to please. Passion runs deep in the spirited redhead, Frankie. A liar? Yes. A thief? Yes. An outlaw? Yes. A beautiful and feisty woman? Absolutely!
Spawned from the wrong side of the sheets, she had an atrocious upbringing. Raised in a brothel as the cleaning girl and treated like a boy by her father, Frankie has a slanted view of right and wrong.
Daniel loved his late wife deeply and is raising their daughter alone. Her brutal attack and death left scars in his heart that he doesn’t know exists. Her memory haunts Daniel to the point of dictating his decisions.
Michelle Kidd masterfully weaves biblical truth and love into this story so the characters discover and learn that His love and guidance has been behind everything from the first.
Five stars for the saga of the Sassy Frankie McNeal/ Bowers/Myers and I am looking forward to reading the next three stories of the descendants of Frankie.
July 28, 2025
Finding Frankie is the kind of book that stays with you long after the final page. Michelle Kidd masterfully weaves faith, emotion, and suspense into a story that’s both raw and deeply redemptive. Frankie McNeal is a flawed yet fiercely determined protagonist, and watching her journey from revenge to redemption had me completely hooked.
Set against the beautifully vivid backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the story tackles themes of forgiveness, justice, and second chances with so much heart. Daniel Myers' internal struggles and the tenderness toward his daughter added layers of emotional depth that balanced the high-stakes tension perfectly.
This isn't just a Western with grit, it’s a story about the power of God’s grace and the courage it takes to start over. If you're a fan of redemptive fiction with strong characters and a solid faith thread, don’t miss this one.
Set against the beautifully vivid backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the story tackles themes of forgiveness, justice, and second chances with so much heart. Daniel Myers' internal struggles and the tenderness toward his daughter added layers of emotional depth that balanced the high-stakes tension perfectly.
This isn't just a Western with grit, it’s a story about the power of God’s grace and the courage it takes to start over. If you're a fan of redemptive fiction with strong characters and a solid faith thread, don’t miss this one.
May 5, 2025
Even an outlaw needs understanding.
This book was amazing. My heart yearns for a life such as Frankie's. The adventure, the heartache and happiness the author gave to this character is so poiniant. My heart soars to think that one man finds himself just in time. The growth of both Daniel and Frankie's lives shows us something deep inside ourselves. Read this book for nothing else but to live in the past where what seems hard can be worth it after all.
This book was amazing. My heart yearns for a life such as Frankie's. The adventure, the heartache and happiness the author gave to this character is so poiniant. My heart soars to think that one man finds himself just in time. The growth of both Daniel and Frankie's lives shows us something deep inside ourselves. Read this book for nothing else but to live in the past where what seems hard can be worth it after all.
June 21, 2025
Brings a person to tears
Wow. Kidd has written a great story. Full of the old west, hard work, strong feelings, outlaws, bandits, horses, farming, doctoring, hopes, dreams, fears, laughter, love, and Jesus. Throughout this book, life is woven in a tight tapestry of everything you can feel, see, smell, taste, and loss, heavy on those who don't die in the natural birth order. The love remains, above all, the love and faith in Jesus.
Wow. Kidd has written a great story. Full of the old west, hard work, strong feelings, outlaws, bandits, horses, farming, doctoring, hopes, dreams, fears, laughter, love, and Jesus. Throughout this book, life is woven in a tight tapestry of everything you can feel, see, smell, taste, and loss, heavy on those who don't die in the natural birth order. The love remains, above all, the love and faith in Jesus.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews