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Having restored Michael Johnson’s ancestors’ house and apothecary shop and begun applying the lessons of family and forgiveness unearthed from the past, Jennifer Rushmore expects to complete her first preservation job with the simple relocation of a log home. But as her crew reconstructs the 1787 cabin, home to the first Dunham doctor, attacks on those involved throw suspicion on neighbors and friends alike. And while Jennifer has trusted God and Michael with the pain of her past, it appears Michael’s been keeping his own secrets. Will she use a dream job offer from Savannah as an escape, or will a haunting tale from a Colonial diary convince her to rely on the faithfulness of his love?

224 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2020

29 people want to read

About the author

Denise Weimer

38 books402 followers
Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A mother of two daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Evangeline.
168 reviews
April 11, 2019
Just finished Witch, Book Three of The Restoration Trilogy, by Denise Weimer. I loved this series and hope she will have more books forthcoming in the near future.
Profile Image for Julia.
3,090 reviews95 followers
April 24, 2017
Witch by Denise Weimer is a fabulous conclusion to the Restoration Trilogy but can be read as a stand-alone. It is a Christian contemporary and historical romance which I really loved.
God is at the very heart. God is a God of restoration. "God's healing triumphed brokenness." God loves to take our broken lives and make them whole again. This love and care is mirrored in the restoring of the old house and buildings. The care and love that Jennifer lavishes on her restoration pales into insignificance when compared with the love and care God pours into us.
This links to the theme of healing. God sees our hurt and He restores us to full spiritual health.
The past and present collide in the novel as the eighteenth century diary mirrors present day. There are hurts that have defined characters but "the ordeal does not give identity, God Himself does." Characters suffering from PTSD need God to heal them at a time when PTSD was not recognised. "The pull of the past is so strong." The past must be faced and dealt with before one can progress into the future. "Let go of the past and let God work in the present."
Life is more than we can see. Life is a spiritual battle. "Those voices told her she was second hand... the pastor... told her to replace those voices with the truth from God's word." We need to listen to the voice of God and "replace the lies with the truth."
Within life there are good and bad people. "People get good at hiding the darkness inside." Being a Christian does not make us immune to the bad in life. God does promise to walk beside us always and we need to keep our eyes fixed on Him.
There is the theme of forgiveness which may be hard to do but God can help us. "I don't deserve forgivin'." Jesus died for us all. We must not exclude ourselves from His love and grace. Sin is sin. There are no degrees of sin. The cross covers them all. No one deserves forgiveness but God's grace means we can all receive it.
There is hope in the novel because of Jesus. Jesus heals and restores as the reader witnesses in the story.
Witch is written in both the first and third person from two different points of view, just over two centuries apart. As such the reader becomes intimately acquainted with the main characters, both of which have similar but different parallel lives that are easy to empathise with.
I have adored this Restoration trilogy. It has been a delight getting to know the past and present characters and sharing their highs and lows. For anyone not yet acquainted with this trilogy, you are missing out. It's a fabulous story with warm characters and a great big loving God.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Lori.
1,892 reviews135 followers
April 11, 2017
What a fascinating tale!!!
I love how Denise weaves past with preset in all of her books!!
This is the 3rd book of White and
Widow. I really really think you should read the 1st two books before you read this one.
I fell in love with the 1st one and decided that I just had to read the last two. For me, book one was just a teaser and it will be for you too!!!
Especially if you love history.
At first I think I probably would be just as skeptical as Michael about his family history
Not me! I would've been delighted because being adopted I have no clue about my real family.
I think I enjoyed this book too because Denise has managed to weave a little bit of mystery to keep you up on the edge of your seat.
I think my favorite scene was when Michael and Jennifer finally woke up and realized what was right in front of them .
I guess the morale of the story is;
People needed to realize that God was there all along and you need to forgive as Jesus did with us.
Love also has a strange way of sneaking in our when we least expect it.
I can't express at how much I enjoyed these stories and I hope that the author will write more in the future.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and in no way required to review this book
Profile Image for Sydney.
1,090 reviews132 followers
April 25, 2017
Witch, book three in the Restoration Trilogy by Denise Weimer is a wonderful story that readers will enjoy. Along with a bit of suspense, readers will love the historical/contemporary intertwining within the story. This adds intriguing value to the story as readers contemplate and compare what is taking place in the past to what is taking place in the future. Weimer smoothly transitions between the past and the present, intensifying the story. Readers of both contemporary and historical fiction will love this much anticipated third book in the series. It is well written with plenty of danger and suspense to keep readers involved in the story and wondering what will happen next.

Series: The Restoration Trilogy
Genre: contemporary, historical, southern
Publisher: Canterbury House
Publication date: April 1, 2017
Number of pages: 215

Content Rating: PG
Book Rating: 5 stars

Other books in the series:
1-White
2-Widow

A review copy of this novel was provided by CelebrateLit.. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Beth.
292 reviews5 followers
May 1, 2017
I received this book from Celebrate Lit Blogging Program and Denise Weimer for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Description:

The Restoration Trilogy: When Jennifer Rushmore accepts a brooding bachelor’s job offer to act as coordinator for the restoration of his family’s historic doctor’s house (WHITE), apothecary (WIDOW) and log cabin (WITCH) in a rural Georgia community, little does she know it’s her own heart that will undergo the greatest renovation. Three stories. Three centuries. Three lessons on the healing of the heart. And one buried mystery that threatens their redemption.

WITCH, Book Three: Having restored Michael Johnson’s ancestors’ house and apothecary shop and begun applying the lessons of family and forgiveness unearthed from the past, Jennifer Rushmore expects to complete her first preservation job with the simple relocation of a log home. But as her crew reconstructs the 1787 cabin, home to the first Dunham doctor, attacks on those involved throw suspicion on neighbors and friends alike. And while Jennifer has trusted God and Michael with the pain of her past, it appears Michael’s been keeping his own secrets. Will she use a dream job offer from Savannah as an escape, or will a haunting tale from a Colonial diary convince her to rely on the faithfulness of his love?

My Thoughts:

Witch is the third book in Denise Weimer's Restoration Trilogy and all I can say is WOW! I have had the pleasure of reading the first two books, White and Widow, and I was hooked from the first book. As a fan of Christian Historical Fiction I was drawn to this story. The covers of these books are different and very interesting, giving me more reason to read these books. I am also a big fan of Denise Weimer's writing, discovered a new to me author from the first book. Each book covered each part of the job of restoring three different structures of Michael Johnson's familial land, The house, the apothecary, and the log cabin. Witch covers the restoration of the log cabin, telling the story of the first Dunham doctor in 1787. Again in this story I learned more about the three generations covering 3 different centuries of this family. Denise Weimer transitions from past to present seamlessly which really isn't easy to do but she has mastered it. As I read this book I felt like I was there in Dunham watching and experiencing everything. There are many themes throughout this book and series but the ones that has stuck with me healing, forgiveness, and learning to trust God. Three generations of healing, forgiveness, and learning to trust God. The characters in this book are very real and complex. I found myself drawn to Jennifer especially in overcoming her past, forgiving, and moving on to her future. As Jennifer grows in her faith in God, she opens herself up to all the possibilities. As someone who is working on overcoming things from the past, Jennifer's journey is one to admire. I learned many things in this book and the others especially about historic preservation, which I had never heard of before. I was excited to learn about something I had no idea about. I recommend reading the first two books in this trilogy to really understand and enjoy this series. I cannot say enough good about this book and the author. I cannot wait to read more from Denise Weimer and I highly recommend reading her books. I absolutely loved this series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction, you will not be disappointed. I give this book and this trilogy 5+ STARS
Profile Image for Tina .
781 reviews
May 18, 2017
Witch #3 The Restoration Trilogy by Denise Weimer

Jennifer Rushmore is excited. She is about to complete her first preservation job with the relocation of the 1787 log cabin home of the first Dunham doctor—by adding the home to the already restored property of Michael Johnson's ancestors' house and apothecary shop (as we read from the first two books, White and Widow). As with restoration of the other buildings, things don't always go smoothly. In fact, someone doesn't want her to finish her job. Why and what lengths will they go to stop her? There were a couple characters that I thought may be the ones trying to put a stop to the restoration but then something would change my mind about one or two of them. As the clues unfolded and things became more dangerous they pointed to a surprising person and why—not saying who.

Through treasures (I like that they found treasure from each part of the restoration project and included it for us readers) from the log cabin we step back in time via the portal of the diary of Verity Dunham as she chronicled her experiences—including a traumatic time that left lifelong affects on her (not giving details as I don't want to spoil it) and may even shed some light on events of present day occurrences. I really felt for this woman, her family and all they went through.

It was good to see Jennifer as she continued to grow in confidence in her abilities as a restoration professional. Her growth in her faith was evident in how she lived in her personal life as well as her professional one—loved seeing that. She still has struggles, that is what makes her character so real. She is so much stronger than she ever thought and when her mother shows up at her door unexpectedly, bringing past hurts and emotions with her, they both are in for some challenges, but surprises as well.

Michael continues to have struggles as well with his past. I like the changes I see in him as he starts to open up a bit to Jennifer and God. However, he still has secrets that he needs to deal with as Jennifer as done with him. He runs the risk of her leaving before he shares his love for her. Can he open his heart fully to God's healing and the love Jennifer offers before it is too late?

I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book because of the title, Witch. However, it doesn't deal with
casting spells, etc, for which I was happy about, as I don't read those kinds of books—there is a reason for the title that I won't explain here...you'll have to read it to find out. Denise Weimer has written a story spanning over two centuries with characters that are true-to-life with challenges and struggles much like we face today, family dynamics, career decisions which impacts life decisions, unexpected surprises, mystery and suspense, body/murder—recent or from the past?, strong community, forgiveness, learning to trust others and God, faith and love. A recurring theme throughout the series is God's healing, forgiveness, restoration and love...which also is a recurring theme in the characters lives. I appreciate the inspirational elements woven throughout the storyline and have enjoyed reading Jennifer and Michael's story.

~I received an e-book from the author, (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~
Profile Image for Debbie.
2,569 reviews4 followers
April 29, 2017
When I first saw the title "Witch" I was a little skeptical but I am glad to say the title is not what the book is about. The book is about healing and forgiveness and learning to trust God. I am going to include this quote from the book about pride because when I read it, it gave me something to ponder because I never thought of pride like this "Stella says either thinking we're too damaged for God to fix or so special He should have kept us from ever being hurt are just two different forms of pride."

I really recommend you read all three books of the "The Restoration Trilogy" in order to get the full story. "Witch" is the third in the trilogy and I feel like if I hadn't read the other two first and in order I wouldn't have gotten the full picture. This trilogy has history ( based on actual history but some of the story is fiction). Some of the story describes house restoration which doesn't interest me at all but I wasn't bored at all while reading this trilogy.

I liked "Witch" the best of the three because it brought to an end the suspense and the restoration of the house and healing for the two main characters in all three novels, which is Micheal and Jennifer. The three books have the same characters except the characters in the diaries that are part of the story. In "Witch" other characters experience healing also.

"The Restoration Trilogy"is also a romance.

"The Restoration Trilogy" is about restoration of a historical house and town but also about the restoration of the character's lives.

This story has me thinking about issues in my own life and really has me rethinking a few deep rooted thoughts. But isn't that what a good book does rather it be fiction or nonfiction?

"Witch" by Denise Weimer is getting five stars from me.

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. The opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Jeanette Fallon.
794 reviews16 followers
July 26, 2017
Witch

Whew! It was wonderful! Great story. A meaningful message.

This book is the third of the series called Restoration. I am so happy that I read book one and two. It gave me the opportunity to see Jennifer and Michael's growth as they were fully restored. They both carried such a heavy load and this created difficulty for their relationship to develop.

GOD brought the two together. He knew their hurts and struggles. But GOD had a plan for them. GOD is a waster of nothing. GOD knew it was a matter of time that when they turned to him that all of their pain, sorrow and loss would vanish.

GOD is the RESTORER. He has the power to cleanse our souls when we give our lives to him. GOD is there to pick us up when we fall, to hold us when we are hurt and to strengthen us when we are weak.

GOD was there for Jennifer. She only had to open her heart to his WORD and she was on the path to recovery. It took Michael a little more time but when they embraced the love of GOD, healing took place and their love could flourish.

I loved this book as well as the whole series. It was thought provoking and made me want to move to that community

On a sidenote, my stepdaughter graduated in April 2016 with her Master's in Historic Preservation. My interest to read this was peaked when I saw that it was based on Jennifer restoring historic properties.

Lovely book. Five stars.
Profile Image for Jasmine.
1,296 reviews43 followers
October 1, 2018
Past and present are a mirror...

I have been following this series from the first book, eagerly devouring each installment. As a history lover and an avid museum supporter, Denise Weimer grabbed me as soon as I saw the words “preservationist” and “restoration.” Through these books not only has fictional history been preserved but the heroine and her hero have been through a process of restoration in their lives.

Witch is the culmination of this wonderful series and I am very sorry to be saying goodbye to all of the characters that I've come to know and love. In this series, and Witch is no exception, Denise Weimer has really taken on some difficult and sometimes dark subjects; from prejudice to forgiveness, fidelity to grief. As Jennifer has grown and changed, Michael, too, for that matter, I've found myself by turns encouraged and convicted in my own life.

I will say that I was quite interested to see the mystery finally solved on just who was causing the strange 'accidents', I had guessed several different people but it wasn't until the last book that I began to get an inkling, and even then it was still a bit of a surprise that I was right.

Denise Weimer has a real winner in Witch and the entire Restoration Trilogy and I hope to read more by this author.

(I received a copy of this book from publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
837 reviews13 followers
July 21, 2017
I read the whole trilogy back-to-back and it really helped getting the whole picture of the series. It almost felt like a television series where the main storyline doesn't conclude at the end of the episode or even the season, but continues on into the next episode/season with the finale being the climax of the whole story. I loved the connection with the historical heroine and her struggles and Michael and Jennifer. I enjoyed watching them grow in their spiritual lives and in their relationship with each other. I had a guess early on who was behind the mishaps that kept happening and it turned out I was right. Before I read them, I was a little confused why the books were titled the way they were, but I quickly understood it had to do with the historical heroine. I liked the church services at Harmony Grove and all the people from Hermon. By the end of the series, they felt like friends and I was sad to leave them. I've always been intrigued by old buildings and things, but after reading this series, I notice them even more! I thought the book was well written and easy to follow.

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received.
Profile Image for Becky Smith.
385 reviews5 followers
June 15, 2017
WOW! I hated to have this series end! This series is a real TREASURE, again with the topics of forgiveness, bitterness, the “inner agonies of worthlessness, shame & fear”, brokenness, healing, and the struggles of dealing with hardship, sickness, & death. The characters are so well developed, that I feel like I personally know them! And I can picture the restoration of the buildings, and wish they were real so that I could visit them! I loved these quotes: “The power of the Holy spirit in us is the only way we can get the victory over our bitter places!” “God can’t heal what’s covered.” And this makes one pause to think about it: “either thinking we’re too damaged for God to fix or so special He should have kept us from ever being hurt are two different forms of pride.” The history, letters, and diary that are woven into these stories are truly fascinating! I definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author! I won this series of books, and couldn’t wait to give my own honest review of them.
Profile Image for Lucy.
1,168 reviews117 followers
April 23, 2017
Witch is book three in the Restoration Trilogy and measures up to the other two. I recommend reading the first two, as it is a continuation and this book weaves in all the loose ends of the past and the present. Denise Weimer has done extensive research and it shines through. The characters are identifiable with their problems from their past defining how they react to the present circumstances, but there is healing in Christ and His word. I loved the old diary and can feel just how torn Verity is. The characters seem real with situations and problems that we all face at some time. You feel like you are part of the community. Great culmination of this series.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Profile Image for Gretchen.
1,461 reviews31 followers
May 11, 2017
This book was an amazing ending to an awesome trilogy by a great author! All loose ends were tied up and the ending left me completely satisfied!
1,099 reviews2 followers
February 11, 2018
This third novel of the Restoration Trilogy was an easy read. It provided a nice conclusion to the centuries old tale. I continued to enjoy the mix of historic and contemporary characters and settings. The story ended as I had expected. The sweetness of the story seemed a little too much in this final book but I’m definitely glad I read this concluding installment.
Profile Image for Cindy Harris.
89 reviews2 followers
January 11, 2022
What a wonderful series! I usually don't read contemporary but these had enough historical to keep my attention. Lessons of faith and God's love throughout.
Profile Image for Anne Rightler.
1,974 reviews35 followers
April 11, 2017
God's Healing Trumps Brokenness

Witch, by Denise Weimer, is the third book in her Restoration Trilogy. It follows present-day historical preservationist, Jennifer, and her employer, Michael, as they complete the restoration of several buildings on his property. Having completed the house and apothecary (those stories are in the first two books, White and Widow), work has begun on the relocation of another log cabin. With the frantic clanging of a 1787 Georgia fort's bell, the author has the reader on the edge of the seat with the Indian attack and ensuing kidnapping. Great historical information is woven into a story that is infused with suspense, mystery, and sweet romance. Why are all the mishaps happening--mishaps that bring confusion and mistrust? Who is behind the string of calamities--who doesn't want this restoration to happen? Jennifer has a career decision to make, stay in the small town with the beloved colorful locals or go to Savannah to a job that would definitely further her career. What will she choose? How will her decision affect her relationship with those she loves? With characters who are strong, evocative and real, and a plot that is full of fast paced action and twists and turns, the author does a great job of bringing this story to life. In the midst of restoring buildings, the story is about relationships that are reconciled, a story about the release from bitterness and past fears and hurts. A story that allows the reader to see God's love in new ways and recognize that He, indeed, can bring beauty from the ashes of our lives.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.
Profile Image for Amy.
134 reviews
April 19, 2017
With two time periods skillfully woven together you will follow the lives of Jennifer and Verity. Both have stories to tell.

This isn't a scary book. It combines small town life, dashes of humor, suspense, and learning to let go and let God take charge. This was a really good story with characters that were strong.(Verity was my personal favorite). You will find yourself trying to guess who is trying to make sure restoration doesn't happen? Will Jennifer choose to leave her small town life and further her career? What happens to Verity and her family? Will there be a restoration?

I would recommend reading books one and two to get the most out of this book. This was a really great read and I enjoyed Denise's books! So pick up your copy today and enter the giveaway down below! Happy Reading!
Profile Image for Jessica Baker (A Baker's Perspective).
1,436 reviews87 followers
April 22, 2017
This was such an interesting book. I think the writings of the past intrigued me the most and I wish there had been more of them. The very first pages had my attention, and my heart went out to Verity and what she endured. But I also liked reading about Jennifer and Michael's relationship as well as the restoration.

I thought the author did a great job in making both the historic moments, and restoration moments authentic. I'm sure it took a lot of time and research in order to bring it all together and I applaud that effort. I have not yet read the first two books in the series, but I plan on doing that now!!

Historic fans will certainly enjoy this book as I did. But I think I would recommend reading the others first! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
2,043 reviews
April 28, 2017
So the title, Witch by author Denise Weimer, seemed ominous and I wasn’t sure what I was getting ready to read. I will tell you that this story surprised in more ways than one. First off this is not a story about witches or curses, it is also a third book in The Restoration Trilogy and I have not read the first two. I do think to get the full wraparound story of the contemporary it would be best to read all in order. However, due to lack of time I did not but this did not stop me from ultimately enjoying this book even more than I thought.

What is unique about this story is that it is mainly a contemporary story, about restoring historical landmarks, but running through it is the story of the ancestors how they lived and believed and ultimately trusted in God. This story started in 1787 in Georgie at the beginning of a Native American raid. And I must say that that beginning hooked and reeled me in. The author wrote with such authentic emotion I felt I was there with the taste of fear in my mouth. When the story suddenly brought me back to this century, I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I wanted to read more and see how the historical story unfolded. This book also does not shy away from the violence of those raids but does describe some of the horrors as honestly and gently as possible.

I will admit it took me awhile to really get involved in the current timeline. Part of it might have been that I was not invested enough with the current relationships and people and I could not wait to get back to the historical timeline. But as the current timeline unfolded it began to take a life of its own to the point that I was getting aggravated for my need to sleep, I wanted to stay up all night if need be to reach the conclusion of both timelines.

This was a great story of forgiveness, letting go, and different kinds of pride. Truths we all need to be reminded of now again were expertly woven into this story. Ms. Weimer is a new to me author and I look forward to her future works.

I received a copy of this book for free. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Virginia Winfield.
2,918 reviews14 followers
April 29, 2017
I enjoyed this third book in the Restoration trilogy. It ties up everything that has happened in the first two books. I love the characters and how they are all trying to get closer to God and grow each day. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Profile Image for Kathy.
587 reviews
April 30, 2017
What a pleasure it was to spend time with Michael and Jennifer in the third book of the Restoration Trilogy, Witch. Once again, the power of story was so important. Reading the story of Michael's ancestors as the property is restored was integral to the restoration that needed to be done in Michael's and Jennifer's hearts.

The author made the characters very real, and you could see the progress each had made from when they met in the first story. At a certain point in the book, I disagreed with a choice Jennifer made, but she plowed forward and had to deal with those consequences. But she also made many great choices based on the Spirit's prompting, and it was awesome to see that evidence of growth in her life. It was rough, but Michael also let God soften his heart and heal.

This was a great conclusion to the series, full of faith, family, and friends. Questions were answered, mysteries solved, and strained relationships were resolved. Fans of historical and contemporary fiction will enjoy this book.

I received an ARC of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. The thought expressed here are my own.
Profile Image for Ashley Dawn.
Author 41 books81 followers
May 3, 2017
I will start this review by saying this is book 3 in the trilogy and I have not read books 1 & 2. I think for the full effect of this book, you really need to read them. That being said, you can read this one by itself, I just think you are missing some of the things the author is tying up. It is dual time period with intriguing characters from both the past and the present.
I really loved the way the author started this book. It was action from the start and had my attention. The contemporary portion was involved as well with Michael and Jennifer. There are parallels and there are questions throughout that you cannot wait to have answered. I liked Jennifer and hoped for a particular outcome for her from the start. The way God and faith are in the story was done really well and the lessons learned are applicable (to my life anyway). I honestly think you can learn several different lessons from this book depending on your life experience and how you view things.
It was a 4/5 for me. I think if I had read the previous ones I might have enjoyed this one more but it was still good.
Thank you to the author for the review copy of this book (via Celebrate Lit). I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.
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