Vestige of Courage

Vestige of Time #3

by Sara Blackard

This is her wildest dreams come true …

… until it shatters her long-held illusions.

Beatrice Thomas lives a simple life on an isolated mountain homestead in 1879 Colorado, but she prays for a life of adventure. Unfortunately for her, that requires a miracle.

Chase Bennett’s life is on hold while he searches for his missing brother. When he stumbles upon the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen in the middle of the woods, she provides a distraction he doesn’t need.

As their friendship grows, Beatrice is bewildered by the complicated lives of those in a modern-day world. The adventure she longed for may be more than she can handle.

Torn between the past and the promise of a better future, can Beatrice move forward and grasp the vestige of courage that’s buried deep within her?

Genres: Time Travel, Romance, Christian, Fiction, Inspirational, Historical

260 pages, ebook

Published September 29, 2020

About the author

Sara Blackard writes stories that thrill the imagination and strum heartstrings. When she’s not crafting wild adventures and sweet romances that curl your toes, she’s homeschooling her five children, keeping their off-grid house running, or enjoying the Alaskan lifestyle she and her husband love. Visit her website at www.sarablackard.com.

Reviews

[Janice Dick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, even though I didn't realize it was the fourth in a series.

The most fascinating element is the dual-time aspect: the character who arrived from the past came to the exact place she had lived her life in a previous time, and someone from the present time had been part of her past life. So the characters experienced the same place in different centuries, and letters written from the past connected with them in the present world. Sounds confusing, but it is well-done, as is the romantic angle.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, quick and easy read for a sunny summer day, or any day. In the previous books the time travel twist was going back in time, but for Beatrice and her story she travels to 2019. This is a beautiful story for Beatrice and Chase as they both have to rediscover themselves in circumstances they were not expecting. These experiences are what help them to grow together in a heartwarming way.

Beatrice finds herself in a world that she can hardly imagine, one she's only heard stories of from her brother-in-law. Chase finds himself in a world that will no longer have his brother, for reasons that seem unimaginable, but Beatrice shows up to help heal the broken heart. There were times when my heart truly hurt for the things that they had/were going through. When a certain friend shows up with questions about the past, I was just heartbroken at the thought of Beatrice and Chase not ending up together. But happily ever after stories are definitely a part of this series and the events that lead to theirs are perfect for them.

Sara Blackard did a great job with the characters, with the experience of time travel going forward and including Christian themes that not only touch the hearts of the characters, but also of the readers.

*I received a complimentary copy from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

[Trick Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Vestige of Courage" is the 3rd book in this series by "Sara Blackard. I am on her reading team which I am very fortunate to Be on and it's to give my honest opinion of thus bum. I have been on her team for awhile and I thank her so much for that! I have read her other two books in this series and this is not a disappointment at all as the other two were not! The other books had you going into the past this has you going into the future. He careful for what yoh wish for when your life is boring,you may get it and this is what happens. You are taken from the 1800's to the 1900's and what a shock this is. So much freedom!! Take the adventures that Betty has. You have other characters in this book where you experience love,laughter,headache and so much changing in their lives. Very well researched and the characters become real people in your life. Excellent writing and this story will take you on a adventure you and these characters will not be disappointed on!! Enjoy a very good read!!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book!!! It has an outstanding plot and flows extremely well for the reader! It is packed with adventure, action, drama, mystery, faith, a sweet romance and so much more in a wonderful Time Travel tale! I love how Sara wove the past and the future where Beatrice traveled to with the letters and both her grief of losing her family and museums as well as photos of them in the time she traveled to over 100 years in the future. I could not put this one down and didn't quit reading until I was done with the last page!!! Sara did an outstanding job with this 3rd book in the "Vestige" series, in which each one is an stand alone story, with familiar characters in all 3, but centered on different siblings of the Thomas family. It has a wonderful Happily Ever After ending too!!! Know once you start this though you are not going to want to stop reading until you have read the entire book!!!

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is even better than the first one. When Beatrice is sent forward in time from 1879 to 2019 she is astounded at the change in culture as well as to the Colorado that she remembered. Saddened at first at a lot of the change, she meets Chase and soon realizes that he is well with her unease and discomfort at many of the changes. I am not usually a fan of time travel stories but this story is cute, well written and worth reading.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book in the series. This book is the story about Beatrice Thomas. In the previous books different people had been swept back in history to around the year 1879. In this book the opposite happens with Beatrice, she whirls forward to the year 2019. Beatrice is such a beautiful young woman that has been getting very bored with her life. The restrictions of what is proper for a woman in the late 1800's is very different from the freedom we have today. As badly as Beatrice had wanted more excitement in her life, what happened was a lot more than she bargained for. From what happened to make Beatrice travel through time, to what life is like now. From the beauty of the landscape and people in her life Beatrice finds that she is in way over her head. I found it fascinating, seeing the world from an entirely different perspective. Chase is Hunter's brother and has been living in the mountains searching for him for the last year. These are the two main characters and I really enjoyed their personalities. We also meet Zeke an ex military man that is a true friend to Hunter and Chase. Verner and Eddie work for Chase on his sheep farm. We also meet beautiful Samantha and her delightful daughter Eva. This book has suspense, mystery, action and romance everything I enjoy in a great book including the fact it's a Christian book. Although there is no preaching, it the lifestyle some of the characters live. There are some places in this book so emotional that I found my eyes filling with tears. I think this could possibly be the last book in the series but I hope not as I have enjoyed them all.
I received a free download of this book from the publisher. This review is my own honest opinion.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!
Like the other Vestige books, I can highly recommend this one too!
It was different from the others, in that it was set in a modern setting vs the 1800's.
The whole series is awesome!
I'm looking forward to the next book!

[Esmare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it. There were times I held my breath or wanted to cry with Chase and Beatrice; and the were plenty more times that I laughed so hard my sides almost hurt, whether with the characters or at them and some of the situations.

I'm super excited about Zeke and Samantha's story, it can't really be time travel because then they would probably not end up together. Though, the thought that they may try and get as far as they can from each other and God literally moves them back to each other; almost like what happened in the prequel with Viola, Orlando and Beatrice's dad, does sort of sound interesting.
Just my personal thoughts about it.

[Tandy Oschadleus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC to review: Often, once an idea has been used in a story, it loses it's originality in sequels using the same idea, but somehow, this didn't occur in the 2nd, and now this, 3rd story in the series. In fact, this was the best one yet for me. I enjoyed the chemistry and dance-about between Chase and Bea, and loved their heartwarming and faith-filled tale. I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy love stories with a touch of 'something different' embedded with God's hand and workings in our lives.

No language or sex
Triggers: killing in self defence; psychotic serial killing; guilt & unforgiveness from past sins

[Demi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new twist to the 3rd book in the series. This time Beatrice travels to 2019 from 1879. What a shock that is! The machines, morals, highways. All totally different. Luckily she is found by Chase, Hunters brother. Story is a really fun read. Sad this is the end of the series.

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story

Wow, I loved this story. After I finished Mission Out of Control, which is the prequel to the Stryker Security series, it mentioned reading the first Vestige book to find out what happened to Hunter. That seemed odd since it was in a different series, one that involved time travel. I already owned this book, so I started here with book four.

Beatrice is found by Chase in 2019 after a traumatic event in her life…150 years in the past. Even though it was shocking, it wasn’t completely unbelievable to her, as she had spent a lot of time with another person who had traveled through time. He, however, had traveled 150 years back in time to 1879, which was when she had grown up.

Beatrice is a strong, almost fearless, young woman. Adapting to such a different time and culture was challenging enough without adding a twist to make it harder. Suspense adds to the excitement.

There are a few unresolved things: Who is Jake & why is he mentioned? Did the villain travel through time? Maybe these were already explained in the first three books. There are a few editing & proofreading problems but nothing very major.

It’s a clean book with some passionate kisses. There is Scripture and prayer and Biblical advice. I hope to read the rest of the series to get Hunter’s and Samara’s stories. And I can’t wait to read more of the Stryker Security series which has some more crossover with the Vestige series. I don’t read much time travel, so I’m not sure how this compares in that genre, but I really enjoyed the story.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series, although this one wasn't my favorite of the four.

In this story we have Chase Bennett, Hunter's younger brother, who has been searching for Hunter since he disappeared. We have Beatrice Thomas, Viola's younger sister whom we've met in other stories. Beatrice is being attacked by William, one brother of the family who the family has had trouble with. At some point in the attack, Beatrice stabs William, but he comes after her again and is about to kill her when she disappears - and ends up in the same place but in 2019. To her astonishment the land has been and is still held by her family, but after Vicki dies, her great-great aunt, she gives the property to Chase. He doesn't want to believe that she is from the past but there are proofs in the house that have been handed down through the generations.

In the other stories, Beatrice seems like such a strong person, but in this story she is a wreck, trying to keep herself together and be that strong person she always thought she was. I think that there are times when she overreacts to situations that are new to her (like nearly having a panic attack while being driven on the highway. She loves adventure and yet it terrified her rather than thrilled her - that just didn't seem to work for me.

Very good series, and clean.

[Frode · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if you were suddenly transported more than a century into the future? That is the situation in Vestige of Courage, book #4 in a series by Sarah Blackard. (Goodreads lists it incorrectly as #3.) The series is billed as a Christian time travel romance, and this book lives up to it. Beatrice is miraculously removed from a life threatening situation in 1879 to a new existence in 2019. She is in familiar surroundings, but things are obviously quite different, so she has some serious adjusting to do. The setting is the foothills of Colorado.

This series was new to me, and I had not read any of the earlier books. While that did not detract from book #4, it was apparent over time that reading at least one of the earlier books would have given some background to the present book. The time travel and the interconnection of characters from both ages made for some interesting reading. There were some chuckles, a nice romance, and the solving of a couple of mysteries. It was an entertaining read. The story moved well. The chest full of letters to Beatrice from her sister and others was a nice touch; it kept the two ages connected. Beatrice and Chase both showed some character growth; that was a plus. In short, I liked the book, but I would advise reading the earlier books first.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you read my reviews because you like my taste, then you should know this was not for me. People who are looking for a clean book about romantic angst might enjoy it. It used Christian ethics in a more saturated way than a lot of other indie authors I read, which was a nice change. I wanted to sample "Time-travel romance" and if this is it, then I'll know better next time. It is really just a device to write a fish-out-of-water story.
I love really good plotting and writing. This book crammed elements of historicals, contemporary, romance, Christian fiction, and action into one volume, but it didn't build in a way which satisfied me as a reader. It felt segmented which made it difficult for me to finish. The tone was not consistent, like it was trying to decide what kind of book it wanted to be. For me, that was a turn-off. There was a lot of telling and mental dialogue, which again, is hard for me to read as a writer myself. The writing would have benefitted from some great books on writing craft like Story Trumps Structure or the Intuitive Edit or even Save the Cat, which might help bring some of the widely varied elements together more cohesively.
I don't think you'd have to read the first books in the series to enjoy this one, but if you plan to read them all, definitely start with #1 because this book spoils all that came before.

[Linda Fore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Blackyard is a master storyteller who has woven three remarkable tales of time travel. Beatrice, her sister and their brother lived in the mountains of Colorado in the late 1800’s. In the first book, their somewhat peaceful lives were interrupted by the appearance of a man dressed in strange clothing. In the second book, a beautiful young woman dressed appropriately but carrying a strange case appeared.
In Vestige of Courage, Beatrice was trapped by a filthy, vindictive man who was trying to kill her. Crying out to God for help, Beatrice took off running only to trip and fall, loosing consciousness. When she awoke, she discovered God had helped her, by moving her through time to a place where she would be found and rescued by a man whose name she knew. When she gave her name, he told her he had a trunk that had been waiting for her.
Sara, you have done it again. You have used your God-given talent to create a beautiful story of courage, love, and hope. Your characters were well developed and I could almost imagine myself on the scene. The premise of the story is beautiful and well developed.
This book was supplied to me by the author. This review is my own opinion.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

read the series

I never would seek out a time travel book, but I wanted the backstories to characters in other series. The entire series is very good, but the last one was my favorite as it ties everything together. The characters are well defined and you feel like you actually know them. Books rarely make me cry, but I found myself tearing up a few times. It’s also very thought provoking! What would it be like to find yourself in a different time, what would you have to give up and what would you gain? Without giving anything away, I felt the ending was a little weak. I would have liked a few more ends tied up, who the descendants were connected to? Who was Vicky a descendant of? Would have liked to hear more from or about Orlando and Samara.
On another note, I listened to the first 3, even though I hate virtual voice. By the time I started book 4 I couldn’t take it any more and made the time to read it. A good narrator would have brought these books to amazing life. Plus so many words used wrong and the lack of inflections. For instance when the word tear or tearing (cry) is used it’s pronounced as tear (as in pull something apart). So in other words, to enjoy the stories to the fullest, read and not listen to them.

[Betti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine being attacked and almost killed only to wake up 150 years later with one killer headache! A totally different world is waiting for Beatrice when she wakes up. Fortunately for her, there are some memories left by her loving family. Making new friends, she also brings them closure about Hunter, her brother in law. However, far from a life in the mountains, where there was minimal interaction with the outside world, she now finds herself confronted with external forces that she cannot control.
How could she ever have thought her quiet life could be improved upon?

God is with you. He brought you here, Beatrice. He knows you can handle anything this time and place has to throw at you. - Verne.

From time travel to panic attacks and kidnapping, this third book in the series is not to be missed. It gives you a most satisfying conclusion while introducing you to a whole new set of wonderful characters.

I received this copy via BookFunnel and the author. All comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

[Barbara DeNamur]

Vestige of Courage Sara Blackard

Just finished reading an advanced copy of Vestige of Courage by Sara Blackard. Sara is a gifted author. Courage is the 3rd book of this series. Best to read them in order. Start with Vestige of Hope, then read Vestige of Legacy. I never thought I would like a time travel book, but this series is awesome. God sends people back or forward in time to help people in the new setting and to heal people who have traveled. Very exciting stories with mountain lions, psycho killers, archers, Native Americans, and hunky woodsmen living in the Colorado mountains. Something for every reader. In one story there is also a singer/musician. I learned a lot of history and how to survive in the wilderness, even what herbs were used as medicine. Vestige in Courage is Beatrice's story. She has the most difficult adjustment to the modern, fast paced world. She travels from 1879 to 2019. Lots of changes and frightening speed of travel. She likes the eye-phone, though!

[Barbara Labbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic end to the Time-Travel Trilogy. The first 2 books are set with the characters being transported back to the 1800’s but the last book the character goes into the future. What a beautiful story of love & faith, warning you may want to have tissues as you read!! Sara once again writes a story of love, romance & suspense plus ties all the characters & story plots together. The story shows that sometimes our plans are not God’s plans for our lives and what we wish for may not be what we want. All the characters are believable and I fell in love with each one. You feel Beatrice’s heartache as she realizes that being taken from the 1800’s to the 2000’s her family is gone and her whole world has changed with all the new inventions and changes in clothes and morals. But God has family there to help her adjust to the new contraptions and negotiate the new century with God’s guidance.

[Tamy Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a picture of myself as I was reading an advanced copy of this book. I had just had zoom sessions with seven students back-to-back (mostly editing writing) and I decided to go take a hike to get some fresh air, beauty, and exercise. I checked my email and saw the advanced copy and started listening to my iPhone read it to me on my walk. I have been SO looking forward to seeing how the book would handle Beatrice going to the future and resolving Chase’s loss of Hunter.

Well, I was having this giddy moment as I was hiking on the trail on a beautiful day and listening to this book and smiling this huge smile.... so I decided to take a picture. I wish you could see for yourself how much I love this story! This is a fun series. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

[Judith Barillas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara has done it again with this third book of this series. So far, all have included time travel, but this one combines the past and the present in a very unexpected way. And the detail and imagination required to walk in Beatrice’s shoes as she adapts to another time. Wow! The love story is sweet and beautiful. Sara’s characters are always deep and complex and become like family. I did not want the story to end, especially knowing it’s the last of the series. If you have not read the first two, go for it!

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a Christian Time travel romance, but it was eh. I almost gave up when Chase’s ex suddenly drove into town and said “here’s your kid”. It was completely out of place and that character was only introduced so the author could write a sequel.
Beatrice getting the letters in the future was quite the miracle. The last surviving member of that family happened to die right before she arrived in the future and the likely hood of her sister guessing where she would be transported was all a stretch.

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book to pieces. It so romantic and funny it’s a total delight to read with its mix of wonder, suspense and new beginnings. It’s totally worth reading this series from the beginning as I have, and fell in love with it immediately. The romance and whole book is clean, respect and admiration and trust are written as normal, even in the face of evil and under hard times. A total book of pure enjoyment.

[Jodi Basye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite of the Vestige in Time series! Being thrown forward in time rather than back was a big change of pace and I think Sara Blackard handled it beautifully. Beatrice's observations of things she'd never seen before were hilarious. Her frustration and anxiety were realistic and clutched at my heart. I loved getting to see a glimpse of the past through Viola's letters, it brought the whole thing home for me and made me cry at the end.

[Kelly]

A good read

I read these a bit out of order, as I had already devoured "Falling For Zeke". I read the novella beginning this series and then this book, skipping the two in between. I'm not sure I'll go back to read them as so much was shared in this one. I definitely think they should be read in order. A good book, nonetheless. I truly enjoyed this odd mix of past and future. Bea and Chase are adorable.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was different than the previous two, as in those there were characters traveling to the past. In this one, a character travels to the present time from the late 1800's. This may have been my favorite of the series. It was an emotional read at times, especially as Chase realized his brother was gone for good and had died over a hundred years before...... but it was an awesome read.

Great series. I read all three books in the same day.

[Bonnie E Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've gotten hooked on time travel

I absolutely love this time travel series. They are exciting from beginning to end. Hunter, Samara, then Beatrice are great God fearing people. I thought about getting the first book in the series, but I haven't yet. I may at some point. I am also hooked on learning all about and everything I can about the Thomas and Bennett families. These books are well worth the time to read them.

[Kimberly Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, clean adventure

Loved the way time went from current to past. The descriptions of day-to-day living in the 1800's were fun to think about. Each time in history has some definite advantages over the other. I don't think I would like having to live without the modern conveniences, but with how awful the world is now, it might be wonderful.

[Arlene Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose 5 stars because it had moments of suspense along with what God wants for and from us. I liked the uniqueness of time travel with the

Travel, the trunk waiting for her, differences between the future and past. How one would be at loss at a different time and the values that changed over time. The natural conflict a person would go through raise with God's faith.

[Andrea Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vestige of Courage (Vestige in Time Book 4)

I truly enjoyed this book. I have been waiting 150 ;-) years for Bea's story and it did not disappoint. The culmination of all of their lives was an amazing thing to experience. I really enjoyed the interactions Bea had with our time. I would totally recommend this book to anyone of any age.