Depending on You

Bryant & Leah Whitsett are the primary characters in this book. This is not a typical romance since they are already married, but we learn from a previous book that they have been separated for several months. Bryant has just returned and he anticipates being able to secure a job in town will be nearly impossible. Therefore, he's hoping that Leah will be willing to move elsewhere where he can find a job. In the meantime, Leah has taken over the town laundry shop and learned to be more independent. She also feels that she is needed with their eldest daughter who has a young child of her own. Therefore, she cannot bring herself to agree with Bryant about moving. But, is she willing to see him leave without her? What follows is more than your typical romance. It's more than your typical feel-good Christmas story. It's an object lesson on forgiveness and faithfulness. Bryant broke everyone's trust, especially Leah's and he has to prove himself again. But, will Leah be willing to forgive him and allow him to show he's trustworthy again? Will she allow selfishness and bitterness to interfere with her decisions? Not often am I determined to keep reading so late into the night, but this story kept me up late! I just have to say that I loved it. Forgiveness is a much needed theme in today's world. Thank you, Melissa Jagears for stepping out and tackling this in a way that connects to people. Romance - PG / kissing Language - Clean Themes - forgiveness, selfishness, bitterness, trust My rating - 5 stars

Well written story of redemption & forgiveness between a husband & wife fighting their way back to each other. ***** Wyoming Territory, 1884 - This story picks up 7 months after the previous book ends. Bryan Whittsett has just been released from jail for his part in duping the town. His wife, Leah, has been struggling to make ends meet and come to terms with her injuries and scars. When he returns, her resentment won't allow her to accept him back. As Christmas draws near, he is desperate to regain her acceptance and her love. The town won't hire a convicted felon and Bryant genuinely wants to turn his life around and surrender to God. Additionally, his daughter, Ava, is having marriage problems of her own; after giving birth to a daughter six months prior her husband, Oliver, has grown distant. ***** "God... She closed her eyes. It's been so long since she prayed. She didn't deserve to be heard, and yet... The problem is I don't want to do this. I don't feel like it at all." ***** "Making no attempt to wipe away the tears dripping down her cheeks, she spent the next hour listening to Bryant's breathing while praying for a new heart, a heart that overflowed with desire for her husband." ***** This story moved right along, with a real struggle and the yearning couples feel to be loved and accepted despite pain and disappointments. There is also a charming Christmas play. ***** Easily read in about 3-4 hours. ***** Book 3 in Frontier Vows series. ***** 4 Stars - I really liked it. ***** I was gifted an eBook in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are mine alone without expectation or compensation.

Depending on You was such a good novella! If you have read the Frontier Vows series, this story will add a beautiful depth to the series and begins with the return home of Bryant Whitsett, who made some big mistakes that had horrific consequences. Things were definitely not good between Bryant and his wife, Leah, upon his return. Leah suffered horribly as a result of his actions and has trouble even imagining that she could ever forgive him or love him again. I really enjoyed that the story was told from both of their perspectives. It helped me to empathize with both Leah and Bryant. I could understand the hurt and pain that they were each experiencing. While there were tough situations in this novella, it was a very hopeful and uplifting story that left me happy to have read it. Even if you have not read the first two books in the series, I believe you could enjoy Depending on You, as the author did a good job of giving just enough information about Bryant’s misdeeds to fill in the details for someone who hasn’t read the other stories.