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New Contemporary Novel from an Award-Winning Author
Jane Morrow has a dilemma. She's engaged to Seth Ballantine, a member of the National Guard's 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, and he's returned from Iraq severely wounded. Jane hasn't seen him for nearly a year, and with trepidation, she heads to the VA hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, where he is being treated.
Seth isn't happy to see her. He'd asked her not to come. He wants to end the relationship. But Jane loves him, and despite his injury, she's determined to convince him that they can have a life together. Her faith has never been strong, yet she hopes God will answer her prayers and tell her what to do.
Beautifully written, Travelers Rest takes readers on a journey through pain and tragedy to a place of hope and redemption.
Jane Morrow has a dilemma. She's engaged to Seth Ballantine, a member of the National Guard's 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, and he's returned from Iraq severely wounded. Jane hasn't seen him for nearly a year, and with trepidation, she heads to the VA hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, where he is being treated.
Seth isn't happy to see her. He'd asked her not to come. He wants to end the relationship. But Jane loves him, and despite his injury, she's determined to convince him that they can have a life together. Her faith has never been strong, yet she hopes God will answer her prayers and tell her what to do.
Beautifully written, Travelers Rest takes readers on a journey through pain and tragedy to a place of hope and redemption.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
56 people are currently reading
946 people want to read
About the author
Ann Tatlock
37 books298 followersAnn Tatlock is a novelist and children’s book author. Her books have received numerous awards, including the Christy Award, the Midwest Book Award and the Silver Angel Award for Excellence in Media. She also serves as managing editor of Heritage Beacon, the historical fiction imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She lives with her family in Western North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
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May 28, 2012I'll start by saying that Travelers Rest is not my usual type of book. I read the occasional suspense or chick lit novel - but at heart I'm a romance girl through and through. I don't typically opt for women's fiction. I don't want lots of heartache and sadness in a book because I don't want to feel heartachy and sad.
I read Travelers Rest because Ann and I are both Bethany House authors and our books both released in May '12. Travelers Rest is about a woman whose fiance goes off to war and comes home paralyzed from the neck down. It's also about an old doctor who craves forgiveness he doesn't believe he'll ever receive.
Now. While the subject matter of the book IS sad, it's also lovely. It's written thoughtfully... almost gently. The characters are each treated with such compassion. I found the old doctor's story, in particular, very touching and even got teary eyed over it several times.
I can well see why Ann was recently nominated for a Christy Award for Christian fiction. She writes with true skill and depth. I'm glad that I read Travelers Rest. Congratulations, Ann!
I read Travelers Rest because Ann and I are both Bethany House authors and our books both released in May '12. Travelers Rest is about a woman whose fiance goes off to war and comes home paralyzed from the neck down. It's also about an old doctor who craves forgiveness he doesn't believe he'll ever receive.
Now. While the subject matter of the book IS sad, it's also lovely. It's written thoughtfully... almost gently. The characters are each treated with such compassion. I found the old doctor's story, in particular, very touching and even got teary eyed over it several times.
I can well see why Ann was recently nominated for a Christy Award for Christian fiction. She writes with true skill and depth. I'm glad that I read Travelers Rest. Congratulations, Ann!
August 4, 2017
Ann Tatlock tackles several themes in this story about an Army National Guard soldier returned from the Iraq war with a spine injury that leaves him paralyzed from the neck down. Civil rights, faith, suicide and the 'right' to die, war, and loyalty ... all in themselves are not easy subjects to explore, but the author takes them on and carries them through her story set in North Carolina.
Seth has returned from his war disillusioned and embittered. Believing he has nothing to live for or offer any more, he releases his fiance, Jane Morrow, from their engagement. The problem is, she refuses to leave.
Truman is a retired doctor who volunteers his time at the veteran's hospital. Befriending Jane, and a veteran himself, he understands much of her dilemma. Should she honor Seth's request and leave? Truman has his own personal story to share since he grew up in the South during the era of the Jim Crow laws.
The author has chosen some tough situations to write about and although she has a light touch, her characters are real and their struggles seem almost insurmountable. Because there are so many challenges in this book I think it was hard for the author to fully develop each situation but she has done an admirable job on the whole.
Seth has returned from his war disillusioned and embittered. Believing he has nothing to live for or offer any more, he releases his fiance, Jane Morrow, from their engagement. The problem is, she refuses to leave.
Truman is a retired doctor who volunteers his time at the veteran's hospital. Befriending Jane, and a veteran himself, he understands much of her dilemma. Should she honor Seth's request and leave? Truman has his own personal story to share since he grew up in the South during the era of the Jim Crow laws.
The author has chosen some tough situations to write about and although she has a light touch, her characters are real and their struggles seem almost insurmountable. Because there are so many challenges in this book I think it was hard for the author to fully develop each situation but she has done an admirable job on the whole.
June 23, 2019
I enjoyed this very much! Thought provoking, as I’m learning Tatlock’s books often are.
A couple significant plot points were somewhat sudden to me, and I wish there could’ve been a bit more explanation around them. But, still a very good read I would enjoy again.
A couple significant plot points were somewhat sudden to me, and I wish there could’ve been a bit more explanation around them. But, still a very good read I would enjoy again.
June 28, 2012
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, Bethany House.
I have to confess, I often judge a book by its cover. And from the moment I opened the mailer with my most recent book to review for Bethany House, it called to me, and I couldn’t put it down for the next few days. The sepia photo on the cover of Traveler’s Rest by Ann Tatlock bespeaks nostalgia, deep contemplation, and a hint of sorrow, tinged with bittersweet happiness. And so the book itself went.
The novel follows Jane Morrow, a young woman engaged to a National Guardsman who comes back from Iraq a quadriplegic, as she navigates the waters of life post-injury. The soldier, Seth, is predictably angry and can’t see the point of living anymore. His family is stoic and prepared to do all that needs to be done to take care of him. Jane is loyal and ready to face the road of marriage she sees ahead of her. But of course everything changes, or there would be no novel!
I was driven to choose this book for review because not many books have been written yet about this war, and I was intrigued to see how Tatlock would handle it. Honestly, the war is only a bit player in the book at most–a foregone conclusion that’s just part of life as we know it–which I guess is pretty true to how it is in real life for many of us. There were a few mentions of some of the animosity toward the soldiers, but Jane of course is supportive of the troops. That was about the extent of the discussion of the war, which might have disappointed me had other elements not grabbed me.
The characters were what really sucked me in. As she spent time at the hospital with Seth, Jane met some wonderful people, and her burgeoning relationships with them kept bringing me back. The kind-hearted retired doctor, the intelligent young blind man, the scientist friend who we keep up with through emails, all of them brought out bits and pieces of the story in different ways. However, I was disappointed that a few of these characters seemed to disappear by the time we got to the all together pat epilogue.
As with any major life episode, faith came to bear in Jane’s decision. Tatlock never really explained why Jane was not a believer, though she clearly states that Seth was. And through a somewhat unbelievable dream-vision, all of Jane’s uncertainty melted away and brought her into the ranks of the faithful. I was surprised that the faith element was not talked about in more detail, though maybe that is a good move for Christian that will help move it off its niche bookshelf and more into the realm of mainstream fiction. Instead, the focus was on Jane’s decision of whether or not to go ahead with her marriage to Seth. And I think that’s the crux of what fascinated me about Traveler’s Rest: I have NO idea what decision I might make were I in Jane’s shoes, nor did I necessarily have an opinion of what the “right” decision would be, so I was fascinated to see what she would choose. Unfortunately, I found the denouement to be a bit of a cop-out. I would have liked it to be a bit more raw, as it would be in real life. (Though, I must admit, the ending was what I had secretly hoped for from the moment I met the character named John Paul.)
I was surprised at points by the poeticism of Tatlock’s writing. Sentences like, “No one seemed aware at all of the song rolling out of the belfry, though the bells went on stubbornly ringing, their notes drifting down like absolution over the dusk-shrouded city” seemed almost out of place among the rest of the more pedestrian plot-driven pages, but they were a nice addition that would lead me to give others of Tatlock’s books a whirl. Despite a few somewhat unbelievable stretches that were necessary to moving the plot forward, the book flowed nicely from start to finish and left me feeling pretty content.
I have to confess, I often judge a book by its cover. And from the moment I opened the mailer with my most recent book to review for Bethany House, it called to me, and I couldn’t put it down for the next few days. The sepia photo on the cover of Traveler’s Rest by Ann Tatlock bespeaks nostalgia, deep contemplation, and a hint of sorrow, tinged with bittersweet happiness. And so the book itself went.
The novel follows Jane Morrow, a young woman engaged to a National Guardsman who comes back from Iraq a quadriplegic, as she navigates the waters of life post-injury. The soldier, Seth, is predictably angry and can’t see the point of living anymore. His family is stoic and prepared to do all that needs to be done to take care of him. Jane is loyal and ready to face the road of marriage she sees ahead of her. But of course everything changes, or there would be no novel!
I was driven to choose this book for review because not many books have been written yet about this war, and I was intrigued to see how Tatlock would handle it. Honestly, the war is only a bit player in the book at most–a foregone conclusion that’s just part of life as we know it–which I guess is pretty true to how it is in real life for many of us. There were a few mentions of some of the animosity toward the soldiers, but Jane of course is supportive of the troops. That was about the extent of the discussion of the war, which might have disappointed me had other elements not grabbed me.
The characters were what really sucked me in. As she spent time at the hospital with Seth, Jane met some wonderful people, and her burgeoning relationships with them kept bringing me back. The kind-hearted retired doctor, the intelligent young blind man, the scientist friend who we keep up with through emails, all of them brought out bits and pieces of the story in different ways. However, I was disappointed that a few of these characters seemed to disappear by the time we got to the all together pat epilogue.
As with any major life episode, faith came to bear in Jane’s decision. Tatlock never really explained why Jane was not a believer, though she clearly states that Seth was. And through a somewhat unbelievable dream-vision, all of Jane’s uncertainty melted away and brought her into the ranks of the faithful. I was surprised that the faith element was not talked about in more detail, though maybe that is a good move for Christian that will help move it off its niche bookshelf and more into the realm of mainstream fiction. Instead, the focus was on Jane’s decision of whether or not to go ahead with her marriage to Seth. And I think that’s the crux of what fascinated me about Traveler’s Rest: I have NO idea what decision I might make were I in Jane’s shoes, nor did I necessarily have an opinion of what the “right” decision would be, so I was fascinated to see what she would choose. Unfortunately, I found the denouement to be a bit of a cop-out. I would have liked it to be a bit more raw, as it would be in real life. (Though, I must admit, the ending was what I had secretly hoped for from the moment I met the character named John Paul.)
I was surprised at points by the poeticism of Tatlock’s writing. Sentences like, “No one seemed aware at all of the song rolling out of the belfry, though the bells went on stubbornly ringing, their notes drifting down like absolution over the dusk-shrouded city” seemed almost out of place among the rest of the more pedestrian plot-driven pages, but they were a nice addition that would lead me to give others of Tatlock’s books a whirl. Despite a few somewhat unbelievable stretches that were necessary to moving the plot forward, the book flowed nicely from start to finish and left me feeling pretty content.
May 28, 2012
A 'Travelers Rest' is a very fitting title for this novel. This story is about life, hardship, and ultimately forgiveness: from Jane who is struggling to put her dream back together with her best friend and soon-to-be-husband after a sniper's bullet in Iraq shot him through the neck, to Seth who has always lived and loved with his hands and can now hardly do more than speak, to Dr. Rockaway who believes past wrongs are above forgiveness, and finally to Jon-Paul a young lawyer who's bright future was plunged into darkness with the strike of a rare and vicious disease. This novel is about life. Real life - the way most of us live it: struggling, failing, trying again, and at the end of it all, realizing that through life is uncertain, God is with you through it right to the end. Through the mire and muck that can seem impenetrable, there also shines the rays of forgiveness, love, and strength. This novel is about hope.
If you liked this review, please visit: http://cozywritersden.blogspot.ca
If you liked this review, please visit: http://cozywritersden.blogspot.ca
March 7, 2016
I really like how the author intertwined the characters. I liked the fact there was an unexpected ending. It was a easy read and kept me wanting to find out the ending.
June 8, 2019
Jane Morrow and Seth Ballantine live in Troy, NC, and are engaged, planning to be married after his tour of duty in Afghanistan. After nearly a year, though, Seth is hit by a sniper and paralyzed. He’s told Jane to stay away, but when he is shipped to the VA hospital in Asheville, she can’t help but go to see him to assure him of her love.
But Seth is no longer the man she knew. Though the physical issues are daunting, Jane thinks they can overcome them. But the mental and emotional hurdles for Seth are a different story. Gradually, though, he gets used to Jane coming around.
Though Jane still loves Seth and wants to marry him, sometimes she’s overwhelmed by the losses they face and by Seth’s extreme emotions. While taking respite in the common rooms, she meets an older black man, Truman, who once was a doctor but now lives at the VA. He still makes “rounds” to encourage the patients and help where he can. He has seen quite a lot, and he helps Jane understand Seth’s perspective. As they talk, Jane learns more of Truman’s life and sorrows. Truman is from Travelers Rest, where events in his twenties changed his course and relationships forever. He doesn’t think he can ever return there.
Jane’s spiritual background is shaky. She knows Truman and Seth and his family are believers, but she doesn’t know what to believe. But she knows her love alone isn’t enough to heal Seth’s internal wounds.
My only reluctance to reading this book beforehand was that I figured I knew how it would end. But I was wrong! Even if the story had gone the way I thought it would, however, I would have loved the unfolding of it. I enjoyed the characters very much. I also enjoyed the setting, as I’m familiar with many of the places mentioned. I liked the different layers of meaning of “Travelers Rest” employed in the book. I wish Jane’s faith journey would have been just a touch more clear. But overall, I loved the story.
But Seth is no longer the man she knew. Though the physical issues are daunting, Jane thinks they can overcome them. But the mental and emotional hurdles for Seth are a different story. Gradually, though, he gets used to Jane coming around.
Though Jane still loves Seth and wants to marry him, sometimes she’s overwhelmed by the losses they face and by Seth’s extreme emotions. While taking respite in the common rooms, she meets an older black man, Truman, who once was a doctor but now lives at the VA. He still makes “rounds” to encourage the patients and help where he can. He has seen quite a lot, and he helps Jane understand Seth’s perspective. As they talk, Jane learns more of Truman’s life and sorrows. Truman is from Travelers Rest, where events in his twenties changed his course and relationships forever. He doesn’t think he can ever return there.
Jane’s spiritual background is shaky. She knows Truman and Seth and his family are believers, but she doesn’t know what to believe. But she knows her love alone isn’t enough to heal Seth’s internal wounds.
My only reluctance to reading this book beforehand was that I figured I knew how it would end. But I was wrong! Even if the story had gone the way I thought it would, however, I would have loved the unfolding of it. I enjoyed the characters very much. I also enjoyed the setting, as I’m familiar with many of the places mentioned. I liked the different layers of meaning of “Travelers Rest” employed in the book. I wish Jane’s faith journey would have been just a touch more clear. But overall, I loved the story.
November 6, 2018
When I first saw the book description, I was intrigued but at the same time, I couldn’t figure out how you could write a whole story based on this simple plot. Well, have no fear! Ann Tatlock has masterfully woven this story into this amazing narrative with heart and soul.
Jane’s life has taken a horrible turn for the worst when she starts living through the nightmare of her fiancé facing a terrible injury that is leaving him paralyzed. Jane quickly moves close to the veterans hospital to be near him and while she is in the hospital meets new friends that help her walk through this heartache. Anne seamlessly weaves these new friends stories into separate subplots that later all become connected. These subplots are so beautifully told that I held on to every word. The characters in this story are so rich and vivid and made me laugh and love each one of them!
“Promises To Keep” is still my favorite Anne Tatlock book but this one comes in a close second. Anne Tatlock is a very talented writer and one of my favorites! I highly recommend this book!
Jane’s life has taken a horrible turn for the worst when she starts living through the nightmare of her fiancé facing a terrible injury that is leaving him paralyzed. Jane quickly moves close to the veterans hospital to be near him and while she is in the hospital meets new friends that help her walk through this heartache. Anne seamlessly weaves these new friends stories into separate subplots that later all become connected. These subplots are so beautifully told that I held on to every word. The characters in this story are so rich and vivid and made me laugh and love each one of them!
“Promises To Keep” is still my favorite Anne Tatlock book but this one comes in a close second. Anne Tatlock is a very talented writer and one of my favorites! I highly recommend this book!
April 21, 2020
I'm unsure how to rate this book. I didn't dislike it, it was enjoyable and an easy read but somehow, I wasn't captured by it. I can't quite put my finger on it but I just felt like the book was holding me at an arm's length.
Travelers Rest is about Jane Morrow's journey as her fiance returns from war paralyzed from the waist down. He doesn't want her to sacrifice her life to taking care of him, but she is determined to make their relationship work.
I really enjoyed the insight that Ann Tatlock provides into the unique difficulties disabled people face and how they cope (or don't cope) with the changes. The characterizations were quite believable and unique. My favourite was the pianist, Jon-Paul (as long as I looked past his name😅).
It was not a book I would care to reread, but then, not every book needs to be.
Travelers Rest is about Jane Morrow's journey as her fiance returns from war paralyzed from the waist down. He doesn't want her to sacrifice her life to taking care of him, but she is determined to make their relationship work.
I really enjoyed the insight that Ann Tatlock provides into the unique difficulties disabled people face and how they cope (or don't cope) with the changes. The characterizations were quite believable and unique. My favourite was the pianist, Jon-Paul (as long as I looked past his name😅).
It was not a book I would care to reread, but then, not every book needs to be.
February 12, 2022
Interesting story of a young woman navigating her fiancee's return from war in the Middle East as a quadriplegic. She meets an intriguing cast of characters at the VA medical center and the reader gets a glimpse of the emotional toll on a soldier and those who love him when he comes back from the battlefield with a serious injury. Jane Morrow faces the terrible decision of whether to move on with her life and leave her fiancee behind, or honor her commitment to him, knowing he will never be the husband she envisioned when she accepted his marriage proposal.
Although I didn't especially care for some of Jane's final decisions, I thought the author brought it to a satisfying conclusion.
Although I didn't especially care for some of Jane's final decisions, I thought the author brought it to a satisfying conclusion.
August 26, 2018
Searching for Forgiveness and Love
Seth and Jane had already started their wedding plans when he left for Iraq and everything was changed when Seth came home paralyzed from the bullet he received through his neck. This was really the beginning of two beautiful love stories, the forgiveness for one man that came beyond the grave, reunions and many more events. This is one of those books you can not set down. Get it, read it and make some new friends.
Seth and Jane had already started their wedding plans when he left for Iraq and everything was changed when Seth came home paralyzed from the bullet he received through his neck. This was really the beginning of two beautiful love stories, the forgiveness for one man that came beyond the grave, reunions and many more events. This is one of those books you can not set down. Get it, read it and make some new friends.
May 6, 2022
The writing quality is good, but overall this felt like a book where the writer was thinking about the 1960's, instead of the early 2000's. The movies the main character's mother starred in were typical of the 1940's, rather than when the 1980's that the timeline suggested. The racial tropes were also several decades outdated. It seemed like all the characters were set up to help the main character work through her "stuff". I wanted to like it, but I couldn't.
June 11, 2017
This was my 1st book by Ann Tatlock and I enjoyed it. The characters were sweet, compassionate, loving, caring and I enjoyed getting to know them. The story was up to date and could happen to anyone, it carried with it ups, downs, and twists. Ann came up with a believable story and wonderful characters and added in a bit of Faith and Wonder. I enjoyed it and will seek out her books again.
July 4, 2018
Not much to say about this book except I loved it. Ann has a way of writing about real events and turning them into great works of fiction.
Not much to say about this book except I loved it. Ann has a way of writting about real life events and turning them into great works of ficttion!
Not much to say about this book except I loved it. Ann has a way of writting about real life events and turning them into great works of ficttion!
March 7, 2021
Not as enjoyable as some of her other books. This tells the story of a woman engaged to a man who returns from the war as a quadriplegic. He is dealing poorly with all his issues and she isn’t sure about God or him. It took a while to love the characters. I enjoyed the ending, very sweet. But until the end, I struggled to keep reading.
January 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It is not fast paced (it takes place over a summer)-but it kept me interested. The main character, Jane wrestles with many questions revolving around her paralyzed fiancé, her deceased mother and her need to be loved. I do like that everything is wrapped up by the end but not necessarily in the way I expected.
May 21, 2017
2.5 I wanted to love this. I wanted it to be Me Before You, but with the hope Jesus brings. Unfortunately the character development just wasn't there. The predictableness of the story line wouldn't have bothered me if the characters had meant more to me.
January 29, 2019
This story was good, but somewhat predictable. There were a couple of delightful characters in the middle of the book though. This story did not disappoint, I just found it a little less engaging than some of the others by this author.
September 17, 2021
This was a life changing novel for me. I fell in love with literature because of this one. It was so emotional reading this great piece of work. So smooth and clear, I felt I was there when she describes seth and what he was going through in his dying bed . My all time favourite . Must read.
February 24, 2024
This book had a nice, comfortable story line but I didn't find the plot particularly gripping. While it dealt with real issues at the time, I wasn't gripped by it. I also felt the character development was lacking
May 20, 2017
Wonderfully written, poignant with bits of humor. Have tissues handy.
May 26, 2017
excellent read!
September 20, 2017
I loved it!!! Wonderful characters!
February 14, 2018
interesting.
April 9, 2019
A “once over lightly” read. I thought it was going somewhere at some stage but it was too “twee” overall how it all worked out neatly.
July 15, 2019
The one word that keeps you moving forward. "There is no reverse in life's gears...." A heart warming story that I'll read again.
December 3, 2019
3.5 stars. A sweet love story although definitely a bit cheesy in places.
March 14, 2020
Ann is wonderful! Relax and enjoy :)
October 3, 2020
Good story. Just not as engaging at the beginning.
April 29, 2021
This an amazing book! Ann Tatlock is probably my favorite author! It's wonderful the way she weaves the past and present and so many people together. Always at the center is Christ's Love!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews