Forever by Your Side

Willamette Brides #3

by Tracie Peterson

After years of schooling on the East Coast, Constance Browning returns to Oregon and the reservation where she grew up with her missionary parents. She is accompanied by Thomas Lowell, her best friend and colleague, and together they embark on a project to catalogue the native peoples of Oregon for the Bureau of American Ethnology. But Connie and Tom have another purpose--to prove her parents are not involved in a secret conspiracy to goad the oppressed tribes into a doomed war.Connie finds life on the reservation much bleaker than she remembered, and she is glad to have Tom by her side. But she also becomes reacquainted with Clint Singleton, the government agent on whom she had a crush as a girl. Now that she's back, Clint finally seems interested in her, but Connie is no longer sure of her feelings. As tensions on the reservation rise and war looms ever closer, Connie and Tom search for whoever is truly behind the uprising. With danger unfolding amid shocking revelations, Connie will also have a revelation of the heart.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Historical, Audiobook, Historical Romance

309 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2020

About the author

Tracie Peterson is a bestselling author who writes in both historical and contemporary genres. Her novels reveal her love for research as well as her strong desire to develop emotionally meaningful characters and stories for her readers. Tracie and her family live in Montana.

pen name: Janelle Jamison

Reviews

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever By Your Side by Tracie Peterson is the third book in the Willamette Bride series. It can be read on its own but there are shared characters in all three novels, so reading them in order would be suggested.

Connie has returned to the Reservation where she grew up in the Pacific Northwest. She is accompanied by her best friend Tom. They are there to research Native American family histories and stories for the Bureau of Ethnicity. Connie has another purpose for returning. Her parents have been accused of trying to incite a war between the Indians and the government. Connie is determined to prove their innocence.

Forever by your Side is set in the 1880s and, through Connie's eyes, looks at the treatment of Native Americans after the Trail of Tears. While the horrors of the Trail of Tears have been well publicized, they did not end when the Native Americans arrived on the reservations. In this novel, Tracie Peterson takes a clear and honest look at the abuses and crimes that occurred against Native Americans and were often blessed by the government. Peterson also introduces a real life character, Helen Hunt Jackson, a poet who became an activist for the Indian tribes. Jackson wrote a book called A Century of Dishonor in 1881. Peterson refers to this book in Forever By Your Side.

Although this is primarily a historical fiction novel, it also involves romance, mystery, and crime. If you want to learn more about Native American history while reading well-written historical fiction, this book is for you.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Willamette Brides series and while it can be read as a stand alone I do recommend reading the others in the series first I read the other books and they give you the back story of the characters and answer questions leading up to this book.
The series is full of love,mystery and plain excellent story telling that I found intriguing and easy to follow along with.
The author has written another well researched book with well developed characters.
Forever by your Side is vividly descriptive as the authors words bring this book to life and you'll think you are there experiencing all that happens.
There is a mystery that runs through all the books in the series finally getting solved in this last book.
I enjoyed the conclusion to this series and look forward to more by this author.

Pub Date: 06 Oct 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Staci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that this entire series is about the children of the sisters in the prior series (Heart of the Frontier). The details about life for Native Americans were an integral part of the novel. While there were a couple of new characters, the story line is primarily about the same cousins and a few others. Great cast of characters. There is a continuation of a crime thread as well. While I enjoyed the first two in this series, Forever By Your Side didn't fully pull me in.

[Kremena Koleva · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Не е ли тъжно, че хората не могат просто да бъдат себе си, без да се страхуват от възмездие?“

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed it and spent most of the day reading it. I like how the author weaves parts of history into her stories to give you a better awareness of historical context.

One thing that I particularly liked about this series is that the female leads are all daughters of a previous series. That enabled us to visit "old friends". While this can be read as a stand-alone, I do recommend reading previous series as well as it adds nuance to the story.

This is a fitting conclusion to the trilogy. I can't help but hope that we will get a few more books in the series as I would like to see all the adults get their happy endings!

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good history of how the Indians were treated in the US. The family in this story wants to change the laws and help get some peace.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book, it was preachy, dull and boring.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third and final novel wrapping up the Willamette Brides series once again transports readers back in time to Oregon in the 1880s, providing a wonderful tale filled with drama and mystery and intriguing historical details.

"Forever by Your Side" stars the bright and confident Connie, a young woman not afraid to ignore what society says is best for her to embark on an adventure back to Oregon where her family awaits, along with a people with a complicated and complex history. Peterson does an excellent job fleshing out the views of the day between mainstream society and the Native Americans, both those that were positive and those steeped in horrific racism. I couldn't help but feel grief at the way that they had been devalued and taken advantage of, and appreciated how complicated it was for missionaries at the time to share their faith with people who were so injured and afraid to trust. The mystery that comes full circle in this story about who has been stoking the flames of war seems all too plausible! And perhaps because Connie's friend is an atheist, I found that this novel more than any explored the gospel in such a clear way, and I even found myself squirming at some of the excuses Connie had used not to speak more openly of her faith, excuses of the type we can all hide behind in similar circumstances.

I closed the final chapter of this book having found that I'd not only enjoyed this final tale of the series, but that I'd enjoyed getting to know these characters from the very first novel until now, such that they feel like friends. Peterson has woven themes of faith and God's love and mercy in a wonderful way not only into this novel but into each book in the series and the prior series it is connected to (Heart of the Frontier series). As for Forever by Your Side, I award this novel a solid rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was enjoyable. I’m weary of racism themes, though. I’d love to see this author shine a light on a new theme next time.

Connie was easy to root for with her passion for exploring cataloguing and sharing the truth. Beautiful!

The best friends–to–romance trope was wonderfully written. Loved this!

The faith threads were amazing. It was wonderful to see atheism confronted in such a gentle, compassionate way. I especially loved how the theme of strengthening one’s faith in God was portrayed. So good!

Content: POC agenda, racism, alcohol, rape mentioned, Catholicism, atheism, stillbirth

[Karen Troutman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side
by Tracie Peterson
Bethany House
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 06 Oct 2020 | Archive Date 31 Oct 2020

Forever by Your Side is the third book in this series and it is great! I enjoyed the story and characters and will recommend it to our patrons.
Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC.

5 star

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side by Tracie Peterson is the 3rd novel in Willamette Brides series. While this book can be read on its own, I recommend reading the series in order. There is a mystery that runs throughout the trilogy that gets resolved in Forever by Your Side. I thought Forever by Your Side was well-written with developed characters. The author provided word imagery that brings the scenery and people alive. I can tell that Tracie Peterson did her research for this series and I appreciated the Author’s Note at the end. Connie Browning is a smart, independent woman who has been living with her aunt and uncle in Washington, D.C. for the last seven years. Her parents have been missionaries to the Native Americans for many years and now they are being accused of inciting war and providing the natives with weapons and whiskey. Connie is using her new job with the Smithsonian Institute’s Bureau of Ethnology as a cover. Her work partner and friend, Tom Lowell is going to help her prove her parent’s innocence. The characters from the first two novels (Nancy, Faith, Seth, Andrew, the boarding house ladies) are present along with the evil Mr. Smith. We get to finally learn who is the mastermind behind the violence and plan. How the Indians were treated was terrible and the atrocities are highlighted in this book. Christian themes are present throughout. I like how the author incorporated them into the story. Romance is not at the forefront of Forever by Your Side which I appreciate. It plays out softly in the background with a lovely ending. I like how the title was incorporated at the end. I enjoyed the mystery and adventure in the story. Forever by Your Side was a great conclusion to the Willamette Brides trilogy.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part of the book was how well the author portrayed the plight of the Native Americans and the constant mistreatment at the hands of the government, and their varied, natural responses, as well as the wide spectrum of actions and beliefs among white people, and the controversial issue of assimilation. She managed to fit a lot of the various, historical points of view into the book, so I thought that was well done.

But, the story just fell flat for me. There were two main issues. One, she brings in every main character from the previous series and the Heart of the Frontier series. It’s a large, extended family, but it’s just too much to try to fit them all in the book and it really detracts from the story. There are so many characters, none of them are well developed, and sometimes I couldn’t keep the straight, which didn’t matter because they’re pretty darn interchangeable. It’s always a pet peeve of mine when authors bring in lots of random characters from other books that don’t add to the stories. I get that they are trying to entice readers to go back and buy any previous books they skipped, but it reads like too much like an advertisement.

The second issue was that it was perfectly clear who the culprit was within the first 100 pages. If the characters had more depth, it might not have been so obvious, but they are so simple it’s very clear who it is as soon as he is introduced. So, that made for a rather boring book.

[Lori]

I'm sorry I'm a little late with my review.
Tracie Peterson writes the most wonderful books with beautiful Christian themes that are placed just right with whatever the characters may be going through at the time. I really love that.
My favorite part of the book is the mystery. I got a kick out of the whodunit.
The romance was excellent too. Not mushy at all.
The Indians are who I feel sorry for. They were here first. It's terrible in the way they were treated. After all, they are human beings too.
I've really loved this series and I can't wait to see what Peterson comes out next! I know she won't disappoint! Her book are just that awesome!
My favorite thing about the book is the author's note describing how she came up with the idea for her books. It tells me she has done her research well and that she has enjoyed writing this series. I've enjoyed reading it.
5 stars for this well written book.
My thanks to Bethany House publishing.
I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side
by Tracie Peterson
Back of the Book: “After years of schooling on the East Coast, Constance Browning returns to Oregon and the reservation where she grew up with her missionary parents. She is accompanied by Thomas Lowell, her best friend and colleague, and together they embark on a project to catalogue the native peoples of Oregon for the Bureau of American Ethnology. But Connie and Tom have another purpose--to prove her parents are not involved in a secret conspiracy to goad the oppressed tribes into a doomed war.
Connie finds life on the reservation much bleaker than she remembered, and she is glad to have Tom by her side. But she also becomes reacquainted with Clint Singleton, the government agent on whom she had a crush as a girl. Now that she's back, Clint finally seems interested in her, but Connie is no longer sure of her feelings. As tensions on the reservation rise and war looms ever closer, Connie and Tom search for whoever is truly behind the uprising. With danger unfolding amid shocking revelations, Connie will also have a revelation of the heart.”
Impressions: This was a slow start for me as I was trying to remember all the characters and their relationships from the previous books in this series. This is the third installment to the Willamette Brides Series. I would recommend this being read as a series and not a stand-alone novel.
Liked: I really enjoyed this story as well as the series. It had romance, intrigue and a solid spiritual foundation. I loved the historical basis of this series.
Disliked: I wouldn’t go so far as to say I disliked the beginning, but I struggled to set the scene mentally and get established in the story since it has been a bit since I read the previous books.
Learned: Love others. It is that simple.
Quotes: “Just remember, God is in charge. Not you.” – Why is this so simple but such a struggle?
“… I don’t understand why He (God) didn’t keep this from happening. I can’t see anything good in it.” “Perhaps the good will come later. Maybe through this, our faith will increase, and we will become stronger in the Lord.”
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side is the third book in Tracie Peterson's Willamette Bride series. While I have read many historical fiction novels set around this time, this is probably the first I have read about the relationship and tension between the Indian tribes and the white men during this particular period in history. You don't necessarily have to read the first 2 books in the series to enjoy this novel, but I highly recommend reading them to get more of a background on the situation and cast of characters. Plus they are great books!
Forever by Your Side follows the story of Connie Browning and her friend Thomas Lowell as they are given the task of recording the history of the Indian Tribes located in Oregon. Connie's parents, who have spent many years working with these tribes, have been accused of attempting to incite an Indian uprising. Unbeknownst to the Bureau of Ethnology, Connie and Tom's main goal is to clear the Browning's good name. From friendships to betrayals, from romance to family and God's redemption and grace, this book has it all!
I found the friends to lovers storyline in this book to be natural and well done, romantic without being overly cheesy. I also love how Tracie Peterson weaves Biblical truths throughout these novels, while bringing to light the injustices faced by the Indian tribes of our nation. I found myself wanting to research and learn more truths about this dark time in our nation's history. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love historical fiction and good clean love stories! Thank you netgalley and Bethany House publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy!

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side
by Tracie Peterson
Bethany House
Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 06 Oct 2020



I am reviewing a copy of Forever by Your Side through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:


Constance Browning returns to Oregon after years of schooling on the East Coast. She returns the reservation where she grew up with her parents who were missionary. Accompanying her is Thomas Lowell, her best friend and colleague. They are there to on a project to catalogue the native peoples of Oregon for the Bureau of American Ethnology. Connie and Tom have another purpose for going as well to to prove her parents are not involved in a secret conspiracy to goad the oppressed tribes into a doomed war.




Connie finds that life on the reservation is far bleaker than she remembered and is grateful to have Tom by her side. But she has also become reacquainted with Clint Singleton, the government agent on whom she had a crush as a girl. She’s back now and all grown up and now it seems Clint has finally started to show interest in her, but Connie is no longer certain of her feelings




Soon tensions on the reservation are rising and war is looming even closer. Connie and Tom find themselves on the hunt for whoever is truly behind the uprising. With danger unfolding amid shocking revelations, Connie will also have a revelation of the heart.



I give Forever by Your Side five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Judybelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side the last in this series was well-written with developed characters. Peterson has a way with words in describing her characters and scenery that brings the people to life. You can tell that Peterson did her research for this series very well and is informative about the Native Americans. I appreciated the Author’s Note at the end telling of her research. You will read about many characters from the first two books in this series and even beyond from the previous series. I suggest reading previous books to have a better understanding of this one. They are all so interesting….. Connie Browning is a young independent woman who has been living with her aunt and uncle in Washington, D.C. for the last seven years. Her parents have been missionaries to the Native Americans for many years and now they are being accused of inciting war and providing the natives with weapons and whiskey. She is looking forward to returning to the reservation that she knew as a child and seeing old friends and also her beloved parents. Unbeknownst to all, she has a dual purpose, not only to learn and document the Native’s customs for the government, but to learn who the real criminals are and prove her parents not guilty of this horrible crime they are accused of……. I love reading about our Native Americans and their ways. I don’t believe they were treated fairly in the early time of the settling of America…..I was given an E copy of this book and this review is in my own words.

[Joanna Bair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is the third in the series which is a continuing of the three sisters who lived through the massacre of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. This series follows the daughters of those three sisters. I found this one interesting because I haven't read much about what happened when the government was trying to herd Native Americans onto reservations and then was like oops their culture is dying, now let's document it.
Blacks weren't even allowed in the state of Oregon, so it's pretty incredible how far we've come when it comes to racial divisions when you read something like this and compare. It gives hope that people will one day all be treated equally without looking at skin color. Someday. This is an interesting read for just that alone. It's a little preachy at some points since one character is an agnostic who is trying to figure out what he believes. The romance and villain are predictable, but I still kept reading because there was enough suspense.
Overall, I love the first series by far, but I enjoyed seeing what happened to all the characters in this final wrap up. I feel like I learned a lot about history. And if someone has questions about God, a lot basic ones are answered in this book which is not always common.
I was given a copy of this novel by netgalley for my honest review.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Willamette Brides series for Peterson. There were characters that I could tell had stories written about them already, but I did not feel like that took away from my experience with the story. Though the characters mentioned seemed to be lovely people and from what I've read on reviews other readers loved their stories even more than this one.

"Forever By Your Side" is a story full of all the western setting, mystery, love and Christian themes. Connie is a strong heroine who has a job she wants to complete. Her love for her family and love for the Indian community drive her to put forth full effort in solving the problems that are placed before her. And it helps that she has a handsome helper, colleague and best friend, Tom who is there for better or worse. Tom is a reliable, handsome, and caring guy who you can't help falling in love with as you read their story.

What makes Tom an even more interesting character is you get to watch his journey to discovering God. It is a beautiful story and I really enjoyed the Christian themes throughout. Connie's struggle at the beginning of Tom's journey brings to perspective what many people face in their own personal journey and it is a good reminder for all. Peterson is a talented author who does a splendid job at mixing story and religious themes to create an even better story. This was a fun read, quick and action packed to keep you turning the page to see how the mysteries all come together in the end.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publishers/author(s) via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the 3rd novel in the Williamette Brides series by Tracie Peterson. I did enjoy it but not quite as much as the 2 previous books in the series. It felt like there were too many characters to keep track of. The novel tells the story of Constance Browning who has returned to Oregon after being gone for 7 years becoming educated in Washington, D.D. She is accompanied by Tom Lowell, a colleague and her best friend. Tom and Connie have been hired by a department of the Smithsonian to record the Indian tribes in Oregon. That is their official reason for coming but they have other motives which are just as important. Connie's parents have been falsely accused of selling whiskey and firearms to the Indians and she is determined to clear them. Tom has also been sent to continue an investigation into the selling of whiskey and firearms to the Indians.

Once again, I was very appreciative of the information Peterson included on the mistreatment of the Indian tribes in the Northwest---something I had been ignorant of before reading this series. I also applaud her for her forthright Christian message in her books.

However, I personally would like to have a little less romance in the story. I'm sure romance may be a strong factor in why some readers choose her novels but it is not for me.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Willamette Bride series, and it is best read as part the of three book series in order to get the backstory.

Constance Browning and her best friend, Thomas Lowell, return to Oregon and the Indian reservation where she grew up with her missionary parents. They were sent by the Federal Government to take oral histories from the various tribes that are slowly being decimated to protect their history. But trouble is brewing on the reservation, and Connie's parents are being accused of being behind it. Can Connie and Tom discover the truth behind the rumors as well as stop the possible uprising by the native people?

Once again, Tracie's amazing historical research brings this novel to life. I learned so many interesting things. I did not know that there were reservations within the Oregon territory and that they contained many varying tribes some of whom did not get along with one another. I was not shocked by the ill treatment and misunderstanding of the white people regarding the native Americans who had been here long before the whites. The Indians were used and abused in so many instances and Peterson brings this vividly to life in this final book of the series.

Well written historical fiction that documents the ill use of the native Americans during western American expansion.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Constance Browning returns to the reservation where she grew up with her missionary parents in order to record the history of the native people, and clear the names of her parents who have been falsely accused of stirring up the Indians.

An engaging historical read, with likable main characters and familiar faces from previous books as well. I liked how Connie is passionate about helping the Indians record their story, and I liked her friendship with Tom. Tom doesn't share her faith, but he is trying and willing to challenge his own beliefs which I admired. Connie's family is welcoming to him, and I liked the ease with which her father ministers to the people he touches.

Overall, this was a welcomed historical read. I haven't read a Tracie Peterson in a while and this one reminded me about why I loved her so much growing up. I thought that Ms. Peterson did an excellent job of portraying the Native voices, showing how they had been wronged by what the government was doing to them. A well rounded read with excellent characters, strong elements of faith, romance, and mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sorry I'm a little late with my review.
Tracie Peterson writes the most wonderful books with beautiful Christian themes that are placed just right with whatever the characters may be going through at the time. I really love that.
My favorite part of the book is the mystery. I got a kick out of the whodunit.
The romance was excellent too. Not mushy at all.
The Indians are who I feel sorry for. They were here first. It's terrible in the way they were treated. After all, they are human beings too.
I've really loved this series and I can't wait to see what Peterson comes out next! I know she won't disappoint! Her book are just that awesome!
My favorite thing about the book is the author's note describing how she came up with the idea for her books. It tells me she has done her research well and that she has enjoyed writing this series. I've enjoyed reading it.
5 stars for this well written book.
My thanks to Bethany House publishing.
I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Jaquelyn Scroggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a unique story. Being based in a time where there was tension between whites and the native tribes isn’t all that common of a setting. The fact that some of the main characters were a mix of white and native made it even more unusual. Having not read the previous books in this series it was interesting jumping into the third book, but I don’t feel that it was necessary to read the previous two in order to enjoy this one. Peterson painted a interesting and unique world, where the innocent can be assumed guilty, and where looks can be deceiving. I was taken on a roller coaster of emotions from being happy, to worried, and then to sad and back again. I could in no way guess where the story was going and enjoyed to journey. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction. I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing and was in no way forced to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Caitlin (CMAReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Bethany House for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the Willamette Bride series, and these books do need read in order.
This was a wonderful conclusion to this series. I enjoyed getting the wrap up of the mystery behind the smuggling of alcohol and guns onto reservation lands that had been building up in the books before this one. I also liked how Connie's explorations and learning to own her faith was explored. I think that Tom's journey of exploring God was also interesting and a refreshing POV in a book. I did want more of the romance in this book. It felt rushed.

This book also looks at the beginning of reservations and the harm that they have done to Native Americans from the beginning of their creation. It also explored why there is animosity between Natives and the white settlers of this time. I really like how Peterson explores topics like these in her books. They felt timely in that era but also now.

[Caitlin (CMAReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Bethany House for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.
This is the third book in the Willamette Bride series, and these books do need read in order.
This was a wonderful conclusion to this series. I enjoyed getting the wrap up of the mystery behind the smuggling of alcohol and guns onto reservation lands that had been building up in the books before this one. I also liked how Connie's explorations and learning to own her faith was explored. I think that Tom's journey of exploring God was also interesting and a refreshing POV in a book. I did want more of the romance in this book. It felt rushed.
This book also looks at the beginning of reservations and the harm that they have done to Native Americans from the beginning of their creation. It also explored why there is animosity between Natives and the white settlers of this time. I really like how Peterson explores topics like these in her books. They felt timely in that era but also now.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connie is excited to return home to Oregon with her best friend Tom to work on preserving Indian culture. She's also hoping to prove her parents are not trying to start an Indian revolt. It gets a bit confusing for her when her teenage crush is showing interest in her and her best friend starts looking at her funny. Can she keep her focus and accomplish what she started out to do?

This is the first book I've read in this series. I was expecting more romance as it is part of a series with "brides" in the title. The romance is very back seat in this story to the mystery of who is stirring up the Indians. There are a few little twists but it's a bit predictable. It does highlight some of the many atrocities done to the Indians.

Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side is the third book in Peterson's Williamette Brides series, following the next generation from her Hearts of the Frontier series. This series works best when read in sequence, and readers won't want to miss anything in the tale of this family's championing the rights of the Native Americans who have been gathered together on reservations in the Pacific Northwest. This book has romance and adventure as Connie Browning and her best friend, Tom Lowell, brave an uprising in order to find the truth as to who is trying to destroy her parents' reputation. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and have appreciated being able to continue on with the stories of this extended family. I am grateful to have received a copy of Forever by Your Side from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Mardell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of award-winning author Tracie Peterson will relish reading Forever by Your Side. There is a bit of mystery involved in the story and Constance, teaming up with Thomas are determined to solve it. Getting to the bottom of the situation proves dangerous and leads to suspicions that are unfounded. As the truth unfolds, Constance and Thomas learn more about their feelings toward one another in the midst of their peril. Sometimes, that great love of your life is right where you are.

Historical fiction is a genre I enjoy. There are parts of the history of our great country that we are not proud of, yet they did occur. Forever by Your Side is book three in Tracie Peterson's Willamette Brides series. This book is recommended to those who enjoy reading the history of the Pacific Northwest.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forever by Your Side was a culmination of not just these three books but also the three books in the series before this. It brought all of the characters together for a beautiful, exciting, and enjoyable tale. It especially brought to an end the mystery of who was really behind all the trouble that had been swirling since this first book in this series. Because this was such a dangerous and dark plan, the villain in this story was harrowing and real making for quite a few edge-of-your-seat moments. Tom's journey of faith was an excellent witness throughout the book. His understanding of faith preceeding his relationship with Connie was a prime example of how important that is to any relationship. The ending was exciting and satisfying. It left us with a hopeful outlook on the future of all the characters we have gotten to know.