The Memory Quilt

by Nancy J. Farrier

Tansie Bell never expected a dog to change her life.
Sent by her brother to rescue a fallen soldier’s dog, Tansie finds herself in a heated standoff with the soldier’s embittered father. Just as things spiral, a rugged stranger steps in—offering help she isn’t sure she can trust.

Chase Brandt didn’t plan to play hero.
But when he sees a woman in need, he steps in. Helping animals is his calling, but something about Tansie draws him in—something more than just her empathy for the hurting. But Chase has secrets that haunt him, and a past he’s not proud of.

As Tansie and Chase work together to rehabilitate the dog—and slowly mend the troubled neighbor—a bond grows between them. But Tansie’s family has different a stable future far from California, far from quilting, and far from a dog trainer with a shadowy past.

With everything on the line, they’ll have to trust God’s leading.
When tragedy strikes, Tansie must choose whether to follow her family’s plans—or the calling God has placed on her heart. Chase has to confront the secrets he’s kept hidden, and step out in faith.

Can love survive the weight of expectations? Or will Tansie walk away from the one man who sees her for who she truly is?

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 17, 2025

About the author

Enjoy an introduction to my Driftwood Cove series with a free book. Love's Song is free and can be found here: https://claims.prolificworks.com/gg/j...

Nancy J. Farrier grew up on a small farm in the Midwest amidst a close-knit family and a large extended family. She loved farm life including the animals, cooking, gardening and canning, but not so much the cleaning house part. A little-known fact is that she preferred to help with feeding cattle or mending fence than helping with housework.

In school Nancy often got in trouble in history class for hiding a fiction book in her text book to read during the teacher’s lecture. Or, she daydreamed her way through classes, writing stories in her head instead of paying attention to the teacher. English and Literature were her favorite classes.

Now, a best-selling, award winning author of historical and contemporary Christian fiction, Nancy lives in the Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona and loves to research and include bits of history in her books. She often incorporates her love of the Southwest into her settings as the Southwest has a rich history that lends itself to fiction, and historical characters that come to life on the page.

Reviews

[Trudy Cordle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Chase and Tansie's story!! Chase and Tansie meet when Tansie goes to Elijah's place to see about getting a dog from him. Elijah's son won't be coming home again, and he wants his dog to be taken care of. Tansie and Elijah are in the middle of a standoff when Chase arrives. Chase steps in to help Tansie and the dog. Chase trains dogs and works with the town's animal shelter and the town's veterinarians to rehabilitate dogs. The more time Chase and Tansie spend together, the more they fall for each other. The more they find out about Elijah, the more they want to help him. When Tansie finds out about all that Elijah has lost, she decides to make him a memory quilt. Tansie is a talented quilt maker, and loves working at her friend Cinda's shop. Tansie also displays and sells her quilts through a local shop. Tansie's family sees what she does as being beneath her, and they try to guilt her in to returning home to live the life they've decided she needs to live. When tragedy strikes, Tansie has to decide if she wants the life she feels God is calling her to, or to the life her family tells her she has to live. Chase has to decide if he loved Tansie enough to fight for her. Love how things work out, and that Tansie helps Chase to rekindle his faith, and that both decide that following God is the best decision.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, was not required to leave a review, and the opinion expressed is my own.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, realistic and heartwarming story about 2 young people meeting, liking each other and falling in love; Tansie and Chase. Chase was walking his 2 dogs, Mist and Loki, by to check on the property where the dog was that Tansie was getting for her brother ‘s military deceased friend, Eli.

From this meeting each other grew through family, Cinda owner of quilt shop Tansie worked at was sister to Chase. Chase was a dog trainer and both he and Tansie grew up in unusual families. Chase got out of the strange sect compound along with his sisters and live in this small town in CA. Tansie’s family is in Indiana and strict rules, which Tansie ran away from and only stayed in contact with her brother Isaac. It was her bother Isaac that she drove down a muddy, rutted road to get ‘dog’.

From here there was family brought in on both sides, but Tansie was close to Chase’s sisters and loved her job and family with Chase in CA. After seeing her family about her father’s health she went back with Chase who flew out to IN to bring her back home with him. Isaac is also relocating bin CA with his military and being a doctor to help with veterans in this area of CA. With author’s description felt present throughout the story and really enjoyed the last half of the book.

I received an early copy for free, AR, and am giving my honest, free and voluntary review.

[Felicia S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, I actually finished it from the beginning to the end. Tansie is sweet, yet tough and kindhearted.

Tansie's family career-shamed her, bullied her at every opportunity, even insulted her to her face for not agreeing to follow in their choice of a "prestigious" career. They tried to arm twist her to leave the town where she stayed, leave her quilting job and move to take care of their dad. And she did. She called off her engagement, returned the ring and moved to tend to her father. Even though this would keep her at a close range to the venoms spewing from her sisters. I commend her commitment to family even in the face of strife.

Chase was a gentleman, rough around the edges, but a gentleman all the same. You will love him and his dogs.
I think I've said too much, but it's a lovely book, you should read it.
Though I received this book as an ARC, I wasn't compelled to give a favourable review.

[Christie Pollard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tansie is asked to adopt a dog who had been owned by a deceased soldier. Chase is a dog trainer who takes in the abused dog to calm her before giving her to Tansie. As they spend time together with the dog, will Tansie and Chase discover they have more in common than just the dog?

I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this well-written book. This story has good Christian aspects such as doing what God wants rather than what we want; obey God and leave the consequences to Him; seeking His peace for a decision; obeying the nudge of the Holy Spirit.

I received a copy of this book from the author. My review is entirely voluntary and unbiased.

[Joanne T S · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story with it's complex characters pulled me in on the first page. Tansie and Chase's ethical struggles and dilemmas kept me hooked throughout the story. I found the theme of when we let God help us, everything changes resonating with my own journey. The excellent discussion questions make this a very good book for a book club selection. I definitely would recommend this book if you are looking for a well written thoughtful story with many dimensions.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fifth story in the Driftwood Cove, Tansie Bell is sent by her brother to rescue a fallen soldier’s dog, but she has trouble getting the dog, Chase Brandt comes to her aid. They will have to overcome some things if they are to get their happy ending. The well written story has a very good storyline and great characters. Another outstanding story in this series. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jackie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not read the previous stories in the series, but I feel this could be a stand alone read with the depth of character developement. I didn't want to put this book down. Without spilling details, I laughed, teared up, in this redemptive story. You will not be disappointed in this one!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.