Beneath a Camperdown Elm

Trails of Reba Cahill #3

by Janet Chester Bly

Reba’s scary stalker is locked up in jail. She finally snatches a rancher fiancé. Her runaway mother returns home. Reba has everything she ever wanted. But Grandma Pearl has disappeared! Is Reba about to lose it all? In August 1991, at Road's End, Idaho, three generations of women travel separate journeys of the heart. Reba Mae Cahill brims with joy. Her life’s perfect. She’s finally bringing her prodigal mother, Hanna Jo, home to Road’s End from a Reno mental institute. With them is Jace McKane, her fiancé, who promises to help fight the unjust lawsuit that threatens the family ranch. He wants a new start, away from his unscrupulous father and all his drama.Just as Reba’s getting Jace trained to become her rancher husband, she discovers Grandma Pearl betrayed her once again, in a way that also harms her mother. Reba believes she’s lost everything—her career, her identity, her lifelong pursuit, and her main reason for marrying Jace. When Jace returns to California to bail out his father and pursue Quigley, a psychotic killer, who escaped from prison, she wonders if he’ll ever return to Road’s End?Then Hanna Jo claims she sees alleged wild horses in the mountain valleys as she learns her son and ex-husband’s fishing boat sank in an Alaskan sea. Can Reba keep her from flipping out for good?As Grandma Pearl struggles with guilt, health issues, and finding purpose for the rest of her life, will the new church building project provide an answer?Meanwhile, twenty-one-year-old Scottish twin tourists, Archie and Wynda MacKenzie, mesmerize the town with their trick biking skills and charming accents. Reba’s not sure they’re all they claim to be. And someone harasses Reba with letters and phone calls. What are they really after?Will any of the answers be found in the mysteries of an old Scottish elm?

314 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2019

About the author

Janet Chester Bly is the widow of Award winning western author Stephen Bly. She is author and co-author of 32 books, and contributing author to five others. Janet's hobbies include decorating her home in “country clutter,” shopping for a touch of bling and dressy denim, making holiday wreaths, reading and reviewing inspirational fiction. She is choir director at her church in Winchester, Idaho--elevation 4,200 feet, population 325--situated on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation and home of Winchester Lake State Park.

Reviews

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to shake my head in amazement and a bit of amusement at the tangled webs in the Cahill and Runcie families. Of course, some of the other families in the story don’t seem to fare much better. I try to avoid repeating myself in book reviews, but this story, even more than the first one in the series, reminded me of the country song, “I’m My Own Grandpa.” I guess when you live in a small remote town like Road’s End, the marriage options are greatly limited. And then other factors play into that as well. As the story opens, Reba Mae and Jace, along with her mother and his half-brother, are just returning to Road’s End after a long trip from California. Reba Mae and Jace are fully expecting to get married, settle down, and work the ranch together. They quickly discover that nothing is what they expected. Well, hang on to those cowboy hats because the wild ride is just getting started. Keep your eyes on Reba Mae since so many characters pop up here and there that it might set your head to spinning. Fortunately, the author included a glossary of all of the characters in the back of the book. At times things get so crazy that it’s downright hilarious and other times, the reader may be on the verge of tears for the pickle someone has gotten into. I thought my hometown was small, but it was a metropolis compared to Road’s End. I found it hard to believe that anyone could have a secret in such a small place but secrets from the past seemed to be revealed on a regular basis. Grandma Pearl is probably the most endearing character although Reba Mae and her mother started developing some rather harsh feelings toward her early in the story because of a decision she made about the ranch. But they simply couldn’t hold a grudge against Grandma Pearl. She was solid as a rock and was ready and willing to share her faith with others. And she would take in any stray that came around, whether four-legged or two-legged. Hard to put this one down. I received an advance copy of this book from the author. This is my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.

[Shannon McNear · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Trails of Reba Cahill, Janet Bly takes the reader on a poignant, sometimes heartwrenching journey to explore just how deep and wide the Lord’s grace can be. Reba finds out her life is not at all what she thought, and yet she is so much more than her past. In Beneath a Camperdown Elm, the third and final installment, she returns home while navigating a tentative new relationship with her mother and a redefined one with her grandmother. Are family ties defined by blood, or by something else entirely? This story wraps up the series in a sweet and most satisfying way.

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest opinion, and was not obligated in any way to post a positive review.

[Leslie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in “A Trails of Reba Cahill” series, and it’s the first book I’ve read by this author. While the book could be read as a standalone, I think it could benefit the reader to start from the beginning of the series to gain a greater appreciation for characters and their charming small town.

Scenes are nicely detailed and grab the reader’s attention, and the character development is strong.

You can read the full review on my blog: https://lmckeeediting.blogspot.com/20...

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[Bonnie Olive · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved the series!
wonderful story of Reba and her mother and grandmother. Full of surprises and drama!!

[Jamie Rutland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the continuing story of Reba, her mother and her grandmother. Reba's life is not at all what she dreamed it would be or hoped it would be. The wonderful thing about these books is that you see the Lord's Grace and guidance in all of the stories. The families are closely entwined together, as are most families in a very small town. Love the characters in these books and the details are wonderful. I highly recommend this book.

[Rachel Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend reading the books in order. It will be harder to connect to the characters without knowledge of the back history. The small town community, the horses, the intricate family relationships, hope of a new beginning, mysteries, and romance. I highly recommend this series!

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reba Cahill series is one to read. Beneath a Camperdown Elm will not disappoint. The twists and turns in the plot will keep you reading. Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for my copy.