Tree of Life: What You Said to Me (Series #4) (Paperback)

What You Said to Me is another intriguing story featuring genealogist Jillian Parisi-Duffy and her attorney father Nolen Duffy and this time they find themselves involved with a troubled teenager who may have unknown ties to a family who lived in Denver in 1893. Author Olivia Newport seamlessly transports us back and forth in this split-time story of present day Tisha Crowder and the Brandt family who endured trials and losses in 1893. As I read about the many families who were affected by the collapse of silver mining in Colorado, it was easy to compare their job loss and poverty to the problems that we are seeing in our country today. When Clifford Brandt was forced to make decisions that would forever alter his family's future, I was reminded that the decisions we make often alter the lives of those who follow us. Will our actions cause hurts and bitterness that will carry from generation to generation? The Tree of Life series has been such an enjoyable series and this fourth book is certainly no exception. Jillian's love of genealogy and Nolan's sense of fairness help Tisha find a new purpose for her future, but the journals kept by the Brandts supply the key to understanding her past. They also emphasize the powerful influence of words! If you enjoy faith-filled stories with mystery and suspense, you will want to read What You Said to Me. I received a copy of this book from the author via Celebrate Lit but there was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

A word here and there will solve nothing - perhaps I only need to find the right words Clifford Brandt in July, 1893 when the silver mines all close and bankruptcy is imminent. History has always fascinated me, especially the history of a family. Where did they come from, what happened and why did they land up where they are? Just a few of the types of queries one might ask when researching genealogy. These are only a beginning for Jillian Parisi-Duffy who is a genealogist. Working on a very big project trying to find the birth parents of stolen children, she becomes the unwilling supervisor of a disinterested 15 year old who needs volunteer hours. Tisha has grown up in an all female household - one that is less than encouraging. Her self-esteem is so low, she considers herself worth nothing. Can her time with Jillian possibly make a difference? The author has once again taken the history of one family and shown us how the sins of the fathers and/or mothers come to rest on the future generations. Difficult times, however, did not embitter all those who lived through them. Hope was, and continues to be, always there - we just have to look for it. This ARC in the Tree of Life series was received through Barbour Publishing, Shiloh Run Press and NetGalley. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.