Faithful of Heart (A Minnesota Legacy)
Late 19th century. Judith Stanford has lost her entire family, including her husband, but continues her work as a philanthropist in Philadelphia until she receives a surprising message. Her wealthy, estranged grandfather wants her to come to Minneapolis, where she is to “audition” to become his heir. Judith initially turns him down, but after he sends her thousands of dollars, she decides to go for the summer, accept the money, and donate it to charity. There is one other condition: Her grandfather must accompany her to church while she is there. In Minneapolis, she runs into Dr. Roman Turner, who had caught her interest when they met years ago. However, Roman is shocked to learn that the man who destroyed his family is Judith’s grandfather.
This is a clean Christian romance which portrays themes of giving to others, forgiveness, consequences of the love of money, salvation, and repentance. There are nuggets of Minneapolis history included as well. Judith is a strong woman who has lost her loved ones but will not give up her mission and is not swayed by money. Her grandfather is a man for whom money is everything, even though he is nearing the end of his life. Judith is determined to talk to him about his soul, not his possessions. Roman is an honorable man who struggles to forgive one particular person, and for good reason. Then there is Bert, her grandfather’s lawyer, who sees Judith as a means to an end and will not take no for an answer. I wasn’t expecting a dramatic surprise near the conclusion of the novel, but it was compelling. The romance, history, and message of this book are perfect for fans of Christian historical fiction.
