The Healer's Touch

by Lori Copeland

A CBA Bestselling Author Lyric Bolton doesn’t ask for much — just friendship and acceptance from her rural Missouri community. But her family is regarded with suspicion and fear because her mother has a sickness of the mind that grows worse by the day. Lyric is resigned to a life of isolation and doesn’t see any way out … until Ian Cawley bolts into her life on a runaway stallion. Lyric opens her heart to Ian‚ and dares to imagine a different life. But what will happen when he discovers her secret?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Historical Romance, Christian, Inspirational, Historical

359 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2014

About the author

Lori Copeland was born on 12 June 1941. She had a relatively late start in writing, breaking into publishing in 1982 when she was already forty years old. Over the next dozen years, her romance novels achieved much success, as was evidenced by her winning the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and Walden Books' Best Seller award. She has been inducted into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame.

Despite her success in more mainstream romantic fiction, in 1995, she decided to switch focus. Her subsequent books have been in the relatively new subgenre of Christian romance. She has also collaborated with authors Angela Elwell Hunt or Virginia Smith on a series of Christian romance novels.

Lori and her husband of over forty years, Lance, live in Springfield, Missouri, surrounded by the beautiful Ozarks. They have three grown sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. She and her husband are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.

Reviews

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lori Copeland in her new book, “The Healer’s Touch” published by Harvest House Publishers takes us into the life of Lyric Bolton.

From the Back Cover: “You conquered my heart without lifting a hand.”

It’s 1887, and Lyric Bolton doesn’t ask for much–just friendship and acceptance from her rural Missouri community. But her family is regarded with suspicion and fear because of her mother’s sickness–a sickness of the mind that grows worse by the day. Lyric is resigned to a life of isolation and doesn’t see any way out…but that’s before Ian Cawley bolts into her life on a runaway stallion.

As she opens her heart to Ian, Lyric dares to imagine a different life. But there’s more to Ian’s story than he’s letting on, and the sheriff is hot on his trail. Can Lyric trust her heart–and the man she can’t live without?

A tender story of God’s love and faithfulness…even when all hope seems lost.

The Bible tells us, “Here abides Faith, Hope and Charity…” Abides means that they are forever even though, at times, it may seem as if all Hope is gone. That is certainly the case for Lyric until Ian knocks himself out and gets amnesia in her barn. Now it is a case of mistaken identity as love blooms between the two. This book is a lot of fun. There is so much going on and Lyric and Ian are such wonderful characters. We really want their romance to succeed. But more importantly this is all about Hope and how God can give it back to us when we do not expect it. Great story, great fum, great romance. I enjoyed this book a lot and am looking forward to the next book from this highly talented author.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Harvest House Publishers for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Cheyenne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book interesting at first but as I kept reading it I found it harder and harder to pay attention and frankly to care about any of the characters. They were all so lackluster and dull, these stories are all the exact same but, I'll be the first to admit I eat them up. However, that being said you can expect all the same stuff from this book. A misunderstood female lead meets a random man with a mysterious background, they know each other for what seems to be a total of two minutes and go from hating one another to falling in "love". The lead female character is the same generic spunky, independent woman in a time where women generally weren't, she's really the only one with interesting traits and even that's a stretch. Other characters are briefly mentioned or introduced only to be mostly forgotten about. I think that's my main issue with this story is that it only surrounds about 3 people the entire time unless one person or thing needs to be thrown in the mix for a short time.

I expected there to be some sort of big climax involving a healer of some sort like the title would lead one to believe but no such thing happens. There is a climax that I found really interesting but it's basically never brought up once it's revealed. There wasn't a lot of interesting stuff in this book, no interesting outside force (minus the one bad guy that shows up at the beginning and end for about 5 minutes each) that the characters have to fight unless you count the spooklight.

Honestly, I didn't realize that this was an actual recorded phenomenon until I read the reviews on this website. While reading the book I thought the whole light thing was weird and out of place and I kept waiting and waiting for a decent explanation and there wasn't one. It just seemed really out of place and seemed to only come up when the author felt like mentioning it.

Overall a very easy read, not much interesting goes on. Heavy religious elements but what do you expect with these novels. I myself am not religious but I just kinda ignore all the religious stuff. No real mystery or climax, nothing to make you want to keep reading.

[Donia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reading these books because I'm out of good reading materials right now. I can't believe there is an adult market for these works. They are written at a 3rd grade reading level. The only good thing about this book is the historical aspect. I live in Missouri and had not heard of the Ozark Spooklight so I googled it of course. Make what you want of it. Personally I think there is a mineral in the air or soil that gets activated for various reasons but I'll leave it there. The story does depict many of the hill country people fairly well I'll admit. Not everyone living in the Ozarks is a bumpkin but I've met my share.

Why Ms. Copeland writes at such an amateurish level is beyond my understanding. The writing could have been elevated to make the story better but then again, there is clearly a market for this fluff. Are they comics? I just don't get it.

[Ashlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an alright read. There is a good deal of mystery around our man's true identity and how Lyric falls for him despite having no idea if he is a criminal or not. Lyric is kind and dedicated and our amnesiac fellow is much the same so it is a good match. This is a Christian novel but not obviously so: the religious parts are clearly from the perspective of a person from this time period, and in this region, so it does make a lot of sense in the writing.
The spooklight parts may be odd to some readers, but I found it interesting.
In summary: I may not recommend for everyone, but if you are looking for an easy and gentle read with some religious aspects, a mild paranormal event here and there, a kind lady and a solid man, go for this book.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I've read a Lori Copeland book. I've always enjoyed her writing. One thing that drew me to this book was the introduction about the spooklight. Lori says she's actually seen this one and she used tales about in the book. I grew up hearing stories about a spooklight where I live, though I've never seen it. I enjoyed the story about a man injured and not able to remember who he is. Lyric uses her knowledge of healing to get him back on his feet. But she believes he is an outlaw and the sheriff says they'll just hang him even if they don't know his name. She can't do that so when the time comes, she devices a plan to rescue him. Several comical scenes unfold along the way. Enjoyable read.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t like a rugged man with amnesia and a lonely spunky gal? It was a great light hearted romance. What I personally didn’t care for was the spooky light stuff. It just didn’t make sense. It almost turned it into a strange sci-fi book. It was woven throughout the fabric of the book, but I think I would have enjoyed the storyline better without it.
The other thing that threw me off, was the title. I kept waiting for her to become this “healer” and it never happened. She didn’t even stitch the poor guy up until 3 days later!!! That was super strange. But with these 2 negatives, I really did enjoy the book, the simple characters, the love story combined w a tiny bit of action at beginning and end

[Marsha R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice, short, and easy read—just what I needed after several longer books. While not my favorite, it still had Lori Copeland’s signature charm, making it an enjoyable story. I rated it 4 stars, though it’s probably more of a 3.5 for me. Her books are always delightful, and this one was no exception!

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting approach to a western story. I can't put my thumb on why I can't give it 5 stars.

[Lorraine Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book down.

[Lori Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am well aware of the spook lights in Joplin, Missouri. This just seemed hokie to me. Not my favorite

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this wasn’t my favorite of all of her books…not sure why…I liked the story line and the characters, but something was missing…

[Preethi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hesitant to start reading this book because I knew that a Christian Fiction was exactly NOT what I was in the mood for, but I had a deadline to make, and so here I was, forcing myself through the book. Despite that however, I'm pretty sure my thoughts on the plot would have been exactly the same even if I'd been in the mood. After all, a good book will never fail to knock your socks off.

As I started reading this, I was surprised that the story was turning out to be better than expected. The first chapter begins with Ian, a U.S. Marshall, chasing after an outlaw, and I don't know how anyone could find that boring, especially when he is the male lead in the novel (an officer, ooh la la). Then out of nowhere came this mysterious light than bounces around and causes the Marshall's horse to throw him through a barn wall. It didn't seem very realistic; the entire time I was thinking that it was someone playing a trick or something caused by nature, and then it turns out that it's more akin to an angel than anything. I'm a devout Christian and all, but I'm pretty sure things like that stopped happening a long time ago, as in waaay before America was founded. I'm certainly not against the whole idea of an angel being in town, but 1) it takes the Christian and Fiction parts of Christian Fiction just a bit too far, and 2) I don't really think an angel would try and scare a newly married couple away from the Bolton's house.

Another problem I had with this book was the romance: it literally came out of nowhere! Lyric spent every moment since she met Ian thinking that he was an outlaw, and wanting to turn him in for bounty. For Pete's sake, the entire time she was "healing" him she was wondering how much bounty she would get for turning him in to the Sheriff, even though she knew that turning Ian in would result in him being hanged. It's like, I know you want to move away, but do you have to kill a man to get what you want? I can definitely say that throughout the whole novel, I preferred Ian's character to Lyric's. But back to the point, so there Lyric was hoping Ian would make her a fortune, and then all of a sudden the two are holding hands and kissing?? Not only that, but there's no doubt, and hesitation, and no talking??! And we, the readers, are just supposed to accept that? I know I'm from a different time period, but I'm pretty sure that even back then love didn't happen that quickly/easily. Considering that Christian Fiction novels are mainly about the romance, and that the romance in this book was completely unrealistic, 'The Healer's Touch' lost a few stars pretty early in the book.

Being a nice person - okay, I may be exaggerating just a bit - I decided to give this book one last try even though the romance, which is my favorite part of any novel, was terrible. I figured that even if the love didn't real me in, the plot around the end should. After all, even though Lyric doesn't want Ian to hang anymore, he has no way to prove his identity, and the Sheriff and the rest of the town are dying to see some dying. Unfortunately, that was a flop too. Ian's plan worked out perfectly, and there were pretty much no hitches, not counting a brief dip in the relationship between Ian and Lyric, though that was fixed in quite a quick jiffy. Honestly this book would have gotten at least half another star if Lyric had taken longer to trust him the second time. I can't really blame her though, considering she's never really been around boys. Yet that begs the question of how Lyric knew she loved Ian (in all of the 2 seconds she thought about it).

To summarize, 'The Healer's Touch' is about a young woman trying to make her life her own after forced into staying home all the time due to nasty gossip, and after meeting Ian, finds out that maybe her future may end up brighter than she had expected. Though the plot seemed solid at first, the story-line seems utterly forgettable, and the main character isn't someone I really understood. The romance was faster than whirlwind, and unlike most Christian Fictions, everyone already seemed to put their faith in God. I don't think I'd ever recommend this to anyone.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Healer's Touch, by Lori Copeland, is a western historical romance involving Lyric Bolton, the aforementioned healer in the title of the book, and Ian Cawley, a U.S. Marshal who becomes a wounded amnesiac after his horse crashes into a barn on the Bolton farm while he is trying to apprehend a criminal. Ian has no identification on his person since he lost his wallet during an earlier scuffle in pursuing his quarry. Unfortunately for him, Lyric and her sister, Lark, suspect that he is a criminal himself, belonging to the Younger Gang and are determined to turn him over to their local sheriff in order to claim the reward for capturing a Younger. Because of the abysmal weather conditions, the sisters must ironically shelter and care for Ian, whom Lyric has renamed as Joseph, until the sheriff can make it to their farm in order arrest Ian and hang him for his supposed crimes. As Lyric and Ian spend more time together while she tends to his wounds, they fall in love. Will Ian regain his memory before he faces the hangman's noose?


Ian is a likeable character. I had to smirk at his thoughts as his body meets up with the barn: "I'm going to sell that miserable horse if it's the last thing I do." I don't mean to be laughing at the injuries that he is about to suffer, but I thought that it was humourous thing that he was thinking of instead. If I were him, I would have probably been fearful that I was going to be taking my last breath instead and my thoughts would have reflected that. Anyways, throughout the story, his thoughts, words, and actions reveal that he is a believing man who is more likely to be a good citizen rather than a hardened criminal.


Lyric is a young woman who had to assume adult responsibilities too early in her youth. She doesn't recall any knowledge of her father, and had to care for both her mother and sister since she was about seven years old. On top of that, because her mother's illness is of the mental kind, the family has been treated as social pariahs. Now that Mrs. Bolton's health is starting to fail, Lyric is waiting for their mother to pass on, and then the two sisters will leave the area and move away to a new place. Lyric hopes to make a new start where they will be accepted instead of shunned.


There is also another significant character in the novel, and that is the Spooklight, which, according to Lori Copeland, is based upon a real phenomenon in Missouri. I haven't done a lot of research into the Spooklight, so I don't want to comment much about the real phenomenon beyond the idea that this seems to touch on a sort of supernatural spiritism that gives me the creeps and heebee jeebies. In the book, many of the characters feel in a similar way, and this Spooklight, which seems to act as an impish and mischievious will o'wisp, appears quite frequently near the Bolton Farm. This has added more social stigma to the sisters who are already shouldering public ostracization in response to their mother's mental health. The Spooklight plays an important part in bringing Lyric and Ian together, because it is the thing that frightens Ian's horse into its mad dash into the barn door. Ms. Copeland doesn't directly confirm what the Spooklight is in this story, but she strongly hints that it could be an angel for this book. Regardless of what it actually is, it seems to be a sentient being in the novel, frightening some, acting as a nuisance to others, and giving comfort to one of the major characters. Because it hasn't been overtly identified as an angel of God, I must confess that the character of the Spooklight is not a comfortable idea for me.


If you are interested in a western historical romance with a touch of the supernatural in it, this might be a book to look into.


Disclaimer: I was provided with an e-copy of The Healer's Touch from Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

This review is also posted on my blog at:
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Combining the legend of the Ozark Spook lights along with a bit of western romance, best-selling author Lori Copeland takes us back in time in The Healer's Touch, her latest novel from Harvest House Publishers. The novel opens with the mystery of the lights seen on a deserted stretch of gravel road, known to the locals as the Spook lights. Some argue that the lights can be explained by headlights from the cars traveling along old Route 66, which would be fine, except that the lights began before the road was constructed and cars were invented. Whatever they are, they are a supporting character found in this novel set in the late 1800's in Missouri, where the majority of the people living just outside of Joplin, fear the Bolton family. They believe that the old woman who lives in the house that is just plain mad is responsible for those mysterious lights that no one can explain and the reason why no one ventures up to the Bolton home.

Good thing for Lyric and Lake, who care for their aging and ill mother, that the town has for the most part left them alone in Bolton Holler. Believing that she is moments from dying, Lyric is buying her time to save as much money as she can so they can leave this place and move to where people stop judging others based on what they think they know. .What she doesn't expect is to find her barn door destroyed late one night, and an injured man laying beneath the shattered remnants of her door. Believing he is one of the Younger brothers, a notorious gang of outlaws living in Missouri, she believes she is in for a reward if she can convince the sheriff to come and get him. She didn't count on the sheriff being so afraid that he refuses to venture up to her property to identify him. Now she will have to find a way to get the man to town in order to collect her reward and hopefully get out of town a whole lot sooner than she expected.

Now if she can figure out who this man is, but unfortunately not even he can help. Seems that running into her barn door that night has caused him to lose whatever memory he had and he isn't able to provide any identification, since he isn't carrying any. How can Lyric be sure that by turning over this man to the sheriff that she won't be sentencing an innocent man to hanging if he isn't guilty? How will they ever figure out just who this man really is? If he isn't wanted, then she will be living here a whole lot longer than she wanted since she doesn't have enough money for them to leave right now.

I received A Healer's Touch by Lori Copeland compliments of Harvest House Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I love the combination of the mysterious lights along with the western romantic flair. It's like Ghost Hunters meets Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The beginning of this one was a bit slow and took me a bit to get into the story, but about 1/3 of the way through, I was engaged in the dilemma that Lyric faces in how to determine the outcome of a man's fate when she didn't know if he was a wanted man or not. In a time when information was slow coming and justice was doled out swiftly, it would be easy to wonder how many innocent men might have been hanged based on hearsay instead of known facts. For those that love a bit of western romance along with the mysterious spook lights, you will definitely want to pick this one up. I even found myself researching them on YouTube. You just might be surprised at what you will find! I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and it includes a discussion guide at the conclusion of this novel.

[Nicki Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Book Description*

Lyric Bolton has been caring for her ailing mother and tiring but sweet younger sister, Lark, for so long she almost feels as if she's the mother of the house. She's not bitter or upset...at least not with her family. The town she's lived in as long as she could remember has pretty much shunned her and her family just as long. All due to her mothers illness. Actually, the spooklight floating and bouncing around windows and people doesn't help either but Lyric's used to it...and she wants out. Biding her time until her poor mother passes on, Lyric plans their escape route out of their friendless town. Stepping out to investigate a loud noise in the night she's surprised, and horrified, to find a dying outlaw, at least she assumes he's an outlaw, inside her bashed in barn. Lyric quickly assesses the situation and calls the sheriff on the half-dead handsome man claiming memory loss. When the sheriff takes days and days to show up due to her family's 'reputation', Lyric feels herself drawn to the man she endearingly calls, Joseph. Can they find the truth-and love-together no matter the cost? And when a surprising, gripping secret threatens to bring Lyric down, will she remember to stand tall no matter what she believed to be true?

Ian Cawley is hot on someone's tail. Or at least he was until an unexpected turn of events leads him straight through a beautiful girl's barn door. Now, with memory loss, a suspecting sister, and too giggly unabashed girls, he struggles to learn the truth of his identity. When unexpected changes of heart changes his mind, does Ian really want to know his name? Or would he rather live off the grid with a woman of a tender heart? Will he even be given the chance?


*What I liked*

I loved this book...it was different, special and the names were so unique! I have a special friend named Ian and that just made it better. The cover is one of my new favorites and my grandfather loved this as well. Add in some humor and you have pretty closed to perfect!


*What I didn't like*
The only reason I didn't like some of the action in this book is because I am one big chicken. In all honesty though, you may do some skimming towards the end because there is some pretty stomach turning stuff in there.

*My Rating*
I give The Healers Touch... 4 stars!




*Why my rating is what it is*

My rating is 4 stars because, while it may not be at the very top of your tbr list if your looking for a high amount of romance, it's still a wonderful book and I'm so glad I had the pleasure of reading it!



http://bookreviewsforchristianmenandw...

[Carolyn Injoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Healer's Touch by Lori Copeland from Harvest House Publishing is a four star page turner. I received a free kindle copy from NetGalley for fair review.

Lyric Bolton lives in an isolated rural Missouri area. It's called Bolton Holler, because of one of her ancestor's influence in the community. Now she's shunned by the community because her mother is deemed 'crazy' because of the 'fits' she throws. She lives with her younger sister, Lark. Lark's best friend & instigator of trouble-making is Boots.

Bolton Holler has unexplained 'spook lights'. They are similar to the Ghost Lights of Marfa, Texas. They seem to bounce & divide & are generally playful, but they can terrify newcomers. A recently wed couple who had built a house near Lyric moved away because of them.

Ian Crawley is a sheriff & is chasing a criminal named Cummings to get the bounty on his head. The 'spook' lights appear. The horses react in terror & run unbridled until they can be stopped. Cummings gets away. Norman, Ian's horse runs through Lyric's barn door. Ian's injured & loses his memory. Norman wanders off to appear later with his expensive saddle with the initials 'JJ'.

For a period of time, they actually thought he was dead. Lyric goes to the local sheriff for someone to come claim his body because she thinks he's a local criminal, one of the Younger brothers. The young incompetent sheriff tells her he won't go near her house & she has to bring him to town. She returns home to find that Ian, who she decides to call Joseph has recovered.

They have a tender budding relationship that is hampered because she thinks he might be a criminal, even though all his actions are honorable.

His wallet & Sheriff's star had been lost & coincidentally enough, Lark finds it & without telling anyone, puts it in her top drawer. She doesn't realize it could belong to their unwelcome house guest who had destroyed the barn. It is an important part of the story.

I had not read Lori Copeland's writing before but will start now. I found this a endearing story, in spite of the paranormal 'spook' lights & ignorant people's response to illness beyond their understanding.

It's a fast & enjoyable book to read.

Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K...

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publication Date: Aug 2014
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
ARC Copy from NetGalley.com and Harvest House Publishers

“As she approached the dwelling, moonlight emphasized a gaping hole where the barn door had once been. Gasping, she picked up speed, her eyes searching for the source of such destruction. Her barn door! What in the world. . .?”


The mystery of the barn door begins late one evening with a large noise and the finding of a deathly still man’s body lying inside the barn by Lyric Bolton. Lyric is a young woman of 19 who resides in Bolton Holler with her ailing, mentally ill mother, Edwina, and younger sister, Lark. The entrance of Ian Cawley, the man found on her barn floor, subtly begins to change Lyric’s lonely life.

The town has ostracized the entire family due to her mother’s mental illness and a mysterious light. Lyric leads a life lacking in friendship and human interaction. After finding Ian Cawley almost dead on her barn floor, she works to find out who he is and what he was doing in her barn. She assumes he is one of the local Younger outlaws who live in abundance in the area. After reporting him to the sheriff as an outlaw, she waits for him to get better so that he can be hanged. Ian has lost his memory and has no idea who he is or what he is doing in Bolton Holler. Lyric uses her healing touch to help Ian recover.

An ice storm and many extenuating circumstances give Lyric and Ian an opportunity to get to know each other. Initially Lyric assumes the worst, but eventually finds that Ian’s personality and actions are not that of a bad guy. As their relationship deepens, Lyric begins to have hopes of a life after caring for Edwina. The mystery of Ian’s identity must first be resolved before any further hopes or plans can develop.

The book offers mystery and some romance. The plot does not have any great strength. The characters are not very dynamic and do not add a great deal of depth to the story. It is a clean, light read! I had no trouble finishing the book, but I would not read it again and would only recommend it to someone interested in an easy read. I have read several of Lori Copeland’s other novels and enjoyed them very much.

I received this copy from NetGalley.com and Harvest House Publishers in exchange for a fair review. The opinions and statements above are my own.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joplin Missouri, 1887

The Healer's Touch is about Lyric Bolton, a young lady that lives a secluded life at her home called Bolton Holler. Because her mother has "strange fits", the entire town thinks it's because of her mother that the infamous "spooklight" even exists. This strange light seems to target and terrorize the citizens by hovering over them. It's an unexplained event that no one seems to have a solid answer for but it's the "spooklight" that brings Lyric and Marshal Ian "Joseph" Cawley together when he crashes through her barn door in order to escape it.

I have been a fan of Lori Copeland's writing for years and The Healer's Touch is a great example of why I love her so much. Her characters are always so true to the time period in which the story is set. They have just the right degree of seriousness in grave situations but they are also very light-hearted, even to the point of being humorous. The characters draw me in as much as the storyline and this book is one of Lori's supreme efforts at turning out a story you'll both love and praise to friends and family.

Set in the beautiful state of Missouri, the attention to detail in the story's surrounding landscape make you feel as if you're there and living out the story yourself. I had never heard of the "spooklight" and it made for a very interesting twist on an already enjoyable story. Lori brought it to light (no pun intended) in a very enjoyable and unique way. The opening scene with Marshal Ian Cawley drew me right in and, from there, I was so intrigued that I didn't want to put the book down. I also loved Lyric's sister, Lark, and I smell a follow up story between Lark and Murphy Hake that I can't wait to dive into. Lori Copeland is a favorite among many readers, me included, and if you haven't read any of her books this is a great place to start. I guarantee you will love it so much that you add her to your "favorite authors" list! Tried and true, Lori is a seasoned writer whose words flow with ease and entertain even the pickiest readers. I highly recommend this book to all historical romance lovers!

Disclaimer: I received of copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest review and no monetary compensation was received.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Healer's Touch by Lori Copeland is based around the mysterious Spooklight found in Missouri. No one knows why or how this light appears but it has been said to have been seen since the 1800s. The author crafted an easy, fun read around this light, and I'm hoping there will be another book about the sister coming up since she grabbed my interest more than the main characters. I liked the lightheartedness of the story, but I found the plot to be too unrealistic for my tastes.

Lyric Bolton and her sister have been estranged from people for as long as she can remember. Ever since her mother started having spells, the townspeople have become scared of them leaving them isolated. Lyric has raised her younger sister and taken care of her sick mother for years. Resigned to never getting married or having friends, she dreams of the day she can pack up and leave. Then maybe, just maybe, she can have a normal life.

Ian Cowley, a bounty hunter, almost caught a criminal when a crazy light suddenly appeared and spooked him and the horse so bad that the horse became uncontrollable. Running wild, the horse ran right through a barn door. Ian fell and woke up in Lyric's house with no memory of who he is. Growing up so close to all the Youngers (gang of robbers), Lyric assumes Ian is one of them. Hoping for some reward money, she saddles up and heads to the sheriff's office to look at the wanted posters.

As she helps Ian heal up, she regrets ever mentioning she had a robber on death's door to the acting sheriff. Could Ian really be a good guy or was his nice ways all an act so Lyric would release him?

I think this would be the perfect beach book. There isn't that much depth in this story, but I did like how Lyric still kept trusting in God even though she had no friends and a hard to please mama.

I was given this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lis K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read numerous books by Lori Copeland and while this is not one of my favorites, I thought it was a light, humorous read. The action begins because of the famous Spooklight. I had never heard of this legend so I had to look it up and discovered it is a phenomenon that people have encountered for many years. In this book, the Spooklight is almost a supporting character; it makes several appearances throughout the book. It's because of the light that U.S. Marshall, Ian Cawley, crashes into Lyric Bolton's barn door. Lyric assumes he is an outlaw (because what normal self-respecting man would just crash into someone's barn door?). As she nurses him back to health and spends more time with him, she begins to wonder whether he is an outlaw...and why she is starting to fall for him. Ian lost his memory in the crash (therefore Lyric names him Joseph) but he figures if he is an outlaw, he deserves to be treated accordingly (aka hanged). The sheriff believes Lyric and her sister, Lark, are harboring an outlaw and plans to hang him once the weather cooperates so he can retrieve him from Lyric's home. As I've come to expect from Ms. Copeland's books, there are moments of humor laced throughout the story, especially with Lark and her best friend, Boots. Lyric and Ian's relationship development was sweet, especially since he seems to understand her loneliness and sacrifice in caring for her mentally ill mother. Once the sheriff takes Ian to jail, both Ian and Lyric have to trust God to work the whole situation out (with a little help from some guinea fowls). I thought it was strange that an innocent person would be hanged just based on assumptions but I suppose that is how the West was many years ago. I consider this a simple, easy read to pass the time. I wouldn't mind a sequel about Lark and her determination to win rancher Murphy's heart.
* I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate (The Shelf Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lori Copeland is an author who I have followed for quite a long while. I started reading her books in high school and haven't stopped. She is an author I always keep an eye out for. She has a wonderful knack for telling a sweet story with a little bit of adventure mixed in...with a fun setting in a western town.

The synopsis of the story sounded interesting. So, I was ready to dive in to it. The introduction threw me off a little bit however. It was interesting to read about the spooklight and the the local folklore behind it, but I didn't know how it would play into the story. Thankfully, it was answered very quickly in the story. The spooklight was the reason our two main characters met.

Ian is your strong, tough, male lead....however, he doesn't know it, since he was a little rattled after an accident that left him asking more questions then answering. Lyric was a little harder to get a handle on. She was a girl who jumped to a conclusion very quickly to who Ian was and was content to stick to it, until she had a turn around and then wanted to protect him. The life Lyric has led to this point was sad. I could easily see why she wanted push forward with her idea so she could finally make a better life.

Lyric's sister, Lark and her best friend Boots, I thought offered the adventure in the story, in typical kid fashion. Their wild ideas and schemes were about as far out there as they came, but their friendship was a sweet one, since they relied so heavily on each other.

This wasn't my favorite of Lori Copeland's books, but it was a cute story over all. A light and sweet story.


Thank you to Harvest House, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.



This review was originally posted @ http://wordsfromabookaholic.blogspot....

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

DESCRIPTION-Lyric Bolton doesn't ask for much--just friendship and acceptance from her rural Missouri community. But her family is regarded with suspicion and fear because of her mother's sickness--a sickness of the mind that grows worse by the day. Lyric is resigned to a life of isolation and doesn't see any way out...but that's before Ian Cawley bolts into her life on a runaway stallion.

As she opens her heart to Ian, Lyric dares to imagine a different life. But what will happen when he discovers the secret she holds closest of all?

My Review- Lyric is lonely and an outcast because of the rumors around town about her mother. She strives hard to take care of her sister and be content, but she has every desire to leave.

Her life changes when a couple moves in and builds a house, she gains a friend. About the same time a man with amnesia shows up on their property. Lyric first suspects he is an outlaw, but the more she gets to know him, the more she doubts her own mind. Then due to the spook light ( The mysterious Spooklight is found in Missouri. No one knows why or how this light appears but it has been said to have been seen since the 1800s), her friend and husband move away. Lyric is deeply saddened at the lost of her only friend, but does she have a chance at love?

I have to admit at times I almost didn't finish the book. The supernatural story of the spook light didn't appeal to me at all. The characters fell flat at times, and it was pretty predictable. Except for the message Lyric gets at the end. I never saw that coming.The romance is sweet, and I loved the relationship Lyric and her sister portray. All in all, it was an okay read for me, but read some other reviews. Some totally loved this read. If you like western romance or stories with a supernatural feel, this read may be for you.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

The Healer's Touch is a good clean story that has a main character is spooklight that is seen in Missouri. I had never heard of it but it would probably freak me out after awhile. It does scare a lot of the people in this book.

The setting is 4 miles south of Joplin, Missouri 1887. Their are a lot of outlaws that live close by.

I like Lyric Bolton and her sister Lark. They live with their mother alone on a small farm. Their mother is sick and has fits. Because of their mom's sickness people are scared of them and will not go to their place and don't welcome the girls either.

One night the Bolton's barn door is broken and she finds a injured man inside that looks close to death. Lyric thinks he is a outlaw. She rides into town to talk to sheriff about the outlaw. The sheriff wants her to bring him in because he does not want to go to her place. He also plans to hang him the next day.

Ian Cawley does not remember who he is or anything. He knows that he hill hang when she takes him in. He saw the light and it scared him and his horse and his horse threw him into the barn that night. He has no id on him and his horse bolted.

Lark is 14 and she plans to marry a farmer close by who is 17 and wants nothing to do with her. She has a real close friend that is not afraid to come visit. She also loves to read.

Lyric plans to take her sister and leave the area after their mother dies so she can have a normal life with friends and church. Lark does not want to move. Lyric wants to take the bounty she will get off of Ian to go away.

I liked the story and am glad that Lyric finally got a friend. Has some funny scenes in it. Also talks about scriptures and prayers.

I was given this ebook to read by Net Galley and agreed in return to give honest review of it.

[Gina Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great study of how prejudice infiltrates and spreads through gossip and intolerant bull-headedness. You also get good insight to how prejudicially a town can treat a family for a very stupid reason.

Normally I can really get into a Lori Copeland novel. She is such a great writer, and does fantastic research. You get a good feel for the era of the novel, and her characters are very well developed.

This novel is no exception. Except... I had a lot of trouble with the characters. I really have no patience for stupidity. Not that the characters were stupid, but the way the two sisters were developed made me want to scream with frustration. It was giving me so much stress, I had to quit reading the book.

I did love Ian a.k.a. Joseph. The patience he exhibited is extraordinary. I would not have had such patience... did not have it because I had to quit reading it.

Giving Copeland credit, she absolutely did give excellent reasons for the silly thought processes of her characters. The build up to a confrontation is quite humorous, too. However, a 14-year-old surely has more sense that Lark did. She acted more like a ten year old or younger. Perhaps the lack of social interaction had something to do with it. That part was not clear.

The book is well-written, with a good quality premise, and believable (to a degree) characters. Just because I had no patience for Lyric and Lark, doesn't mean you won't enjoy the story.

I give it 3 of 5 stars. I liked the premise very much, and I liked one character very much. I had great sympathy for the loneliness that Lyric felt. The plot unfolded at a good pace. It was just the tactics for character development that I had no patience for.

[Vera Godley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy Lori Copeland’s books and she has written a lot of them. The Healer’s Touch was not a favorite of mine, though. I felt the title somewhat misleading as I anticipated a character who truly had a healer’s touch in that they were helpful with people’s injuries and sicknesses. That was not the case in the story.

Secondly, while folklore is replete with a variety of “lights” and things that go-bump-in-the-night, this story capitalized on a “spooklight” legend from the mountains. I felt it was a bit overplayed and overdone as far as its inclusion into the story.

The characters were nicely fleshed out and seemed to fill the bill of “hillbilly” mountain folks. Lyric was the female lead and a devoted daughter. She was hard working and fell in love with the stranger, Ian, who literally came bolting into her life. My favorite characters were Lark (sister to Lyric) and Boots (friend of Lark’s). There two were into everything, totally preteen-mountain-kids, and so very funny. You’ll literally chuckle at some of their conversations and actions.

So what do I think about The Healer’s Touch? I think it is a good book to read. Clean. Funny. Characters that put God first and who have compassionate hearts. I can easily recommend it for a light, easy read. It just wasn’t one of my favorite Lori Copeland books.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Harvest House Publishing in exchange for this review. Opinions are those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Healer’s Touch
Lori Copeland

Book Summary: Lyric Bolton doesn't ask for much--just friendship and acceptance from her rural Missouri community. But her family is regarded with suspicion and fear because of her mother's sickness--a sickness of the mind that grows worse by the day. Lyric is resigned to a life of isolation and doesn't see any way out...but that's before Ian Cawley bolts into her life on a runaway stallion. As she opens her heart to Ian, Lyric dares to imagine a different life. But what will happen when he discovers the secret she holds closest of all?

Review: I forgot how much I love reading Lori Copeland’s books until I started this one. I was hooked right away and read 75% of the book in one day. I will not wait this long to read another book of hers. I loved her vivid description and could picture the mountains of Missouri and the Bolton Holler easily. The characters were well written and likable. Lyric and Ian were easy to like and root for. I found Lyric to loosen up a bit after tending to Ian. The only thing I was not enthralled with was the light. It did not add to the story and seemed to weigh it down at times - with Katherine and Levi. Overall a fast paced story that kept me interested all the way to the end.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Harvest House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyric Bolton had always longed for acceptance in her community of Bolton Holler, but with her mother having an unnamed illness the community dubbed her as a mad woman, thus leaving Lyric and her younger sister to live in isolation.
Because of the mysterious appearance of a light, the locals call the “spooklight”; Ian Cawley literally bolts into Lyric’s life. She finds him in her barn near death. She thinks he might be an outlaw of the Younger gang and wonders if it is worth her while to nurse him back to health, knowing he will just be hung in the end. As he continues to improve, she begins to doubt he is a wanted man. However since he has amnesia he cannot tell her who he is.

“The Healer’s Touch” captured my interest from the first page. What is not to love when you are mixing Historical romance with legend/folklore and mystery? The characters were well developed. Lyric had such a kind loving heart along with just enough resentment to make her character believable.

If you want an afternoon of easy entertainment…this book has it. It will make you laugh and make you want to cry.


Disclosure: I was given a copy of this eBook by the publisher, Harvest House Publishers, through NetGalley blogger program for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pesky light plays a prominent role in this historical fiction novel. The light is notorious in the small town that Lyric lies in. Many blame her mentally ill mother for it's presence. The light has a sense of humor and is a fun part of the book.

Lyric finds a stranger in her barn. Something big has made a hole in the barn door and the stranger is near death. Lyric knows that he must be an outlaw. He has no memory of his past or how he came to be injured in her barn. This book looks at two strangers who learn to trust each other and their instincts.

This book was fun to read. I enjoyed the growing friendship between Lyric and the Stranger (Joseph/Ian). Both jump to many conclusions about each other that are not accurate. They become friends and then realize that their feelings are stronger than friendship. There are too many unanswered questions about their past for either to feel comfortable developing a relationship other than friends.

I liked the secondary characters in this book. Lyrics sister, Lark, and her best friend Boots are quite the pair. They get into many scrapes and adventures that keep the story light and fun. Then there is the the character of the light. The light seems to mock it's victims. It keeps the townsfolk on their toes and adds a mysterious dimension to the story.

This is a clean story with Christian themes.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lyric and her sister live issolated on a farm out in the middle of nowhere because of her crazy mother and also some unexplained lights that appear near the farm and cause people to freek out. Ian is a law man chasing after a bad guy when the lights cause him and his horse to bolt. He looses his memory when he is slammed into the door of Lyric's barn door. She assumes he is the bandit buy still takes him inside her house to fix his wounds. He can't remember who he is but heals up quickly and begins to help out around the farm. A big Ice storm keeps him at the farm and the Sherrif in town so Ian gets to stay long enough for there to be some budding romance. The plot is predictable. The characters are predictable. The romance is lack luster and predictable. I didn't hate the book, the plot of the people they just were sort of boring. I felt like it was a well worn path traveled yet again. Nothing to stand out or make we want to dig in deaper. I guess you could say there is a "reveal" at the end but even that was anticlimatic. This was a sweet and clean read but not something I will want to reread or even be excited to recommend to others.

[Charity Andrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a fan of Lori Copeland, I was surprised to find that this book was difficult to read. First of all, the appearance of the "Spooklights" throughout the book seemed odd and a bit far fetched. Apparently, there are some "spooklights" that mysteriously appear in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. Nobody can explain their existence, or where they come from. They "respond best to love and children". While, it is an interesting concept and tale, it just seemed very out of place in this story.

At the start of the book, we find Ian Cawley, a U.S. Marshal, spooked by the "spooklights". He ends up riding his horse through the barn door of a local home and wakes up not remembering a thing. Lyric Bolton finds him in her barn and the rest is history.

While I do enjoy a good, historical romance, I found this to drag and feel a bit far fetched. It was hard to connect with the characters and really care about them. As much as I wanted to enjoy this book, I have to give it two stars because it was very difficult to get through. However, I do want to thank worthypublishing.com and Netgalley.com for giving me this book to read and review! Here's to many more!!