Review: The Revealing

The Revealing
By Suzanne Woods Fisher
The Inn at Eagle Hill #3
Revell, 2014


Summary

Naomi King, soft spoken, loyal, and easily overlooked, has a gift. She sees what others can't see. Intuition, she calls it. Others in Stoney Ridge don't know what to make of it and dismiss her hunches and inklings altogether.

When a young woman arrives at the Inn at Eagle Hill with a shocking secret about Tobe Schrock, Naomi fears the worst. She can't ignore the feeling that something sinister is at work--- something more than a threat to the tenuous love begun between her and Tobe.

As signs mount, they begin to point to Jake Hertzler, the elusive mastermind behind Schrock Investments' downfall. Soon, events spiral hopelessly out of control and Naomi must decide whether to listen to her head or her heart.

In this riveting conclusion to The Inn at Eagle Hill series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher pulls out all the stops with a fast-paced tale of deception, revelation, and just the right dose of romance.


My thoughts

Reading a Suzanne Woods Fisher book is pure delight! Rich characterization, multilayered plots, unexpected twists, and humor - all combined with spiritual gems - are just a few ways to describe Suzanne's writing. In The Revealing, third and final book in The Inn at Eagle Hill series, we come back to the King and Schrock families - and one of my favorite characters, Jimmy Fisher - in a story that ties up several loose ends and relationships. While The Revealing could technically stand alone, I strongly recommend reading the series as a whole for a much more rewarding reading experience:  The Letters (reviewed here) and The Calling ( reviewed here).

Characterization is strong:  Naomi King, who always senses things that aren't visible . . . Tobe Schrock, serving out a sentence for withholding evidence about wrongdoings in Schrock Investments . . . the intelligent Mim, a collector of words  . . . Rose & Galen, who struggle with the blending of two families . . . Bethany & Jimmy, whose timing never seems right. For me, one of the greatest strengths is that rather than each book of the series focusing on specific characters, the whole series blends together this great ensemble cast. Suzanne also introduces two English women who contribute to the plot in the most surprising of twists. One character hit the proverbial nail on the head when she said that Eagle Hill was better than a reality TV show.

____________________

"It was impossible, she knew, to allow hatred to grow

in your heart if you prayed for that person. Hatred may visit

your heart, but you needn't invite it to stay."

- Naomi

____________________

Suzanne never fails to weave in spiritual themes that both challenge and inspire. Honesty, the importance of family, and forgiveness are all key here. But something I find most touching about the Amish is how they see a less-than-perfect baby as a special child rather than handicapped.  How true are Mammi Vera's words to Mim: "Every child the Lord sends is a gift, and even when things aren't as they should be, God can make a way out of no way."

And who of us cannot relate to the theme of second chances, of seeing what someone can become in Christ? Rose believed Tobe to be a diamond in the rough, while Galen couldn't get past the lazy and selfish boy he had been as a teen. But it was Naomi who knew firsthand that Tobe was finding God in a federal prison. She "used to love what he could be, now she loved who he was becoming." And when Tobe seemed to be too focused on Naomi for direction, she was quick to remind him:  "No one can ever be another person's center. That position only belongs to God."

The Inn at Eagle Hill is a wonderful series, and The Revealing a strong conclusion. While many threads were wrapped up, I felt that several characters' resolutions were left open, so I'm  hoping Suzanne brings us back to Eagle Hill in the future. Highly recommended!

The Revealing can be purchased online at CBD, DeeperShopping, B&N, and Amazon.

Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.

Meet Suzanne online at suzannewoodsfisher.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Also visit the Litfuse blog tour post to learn more.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.