Behind Love's Wall

What a book! Questions, secrets, and two unforgettable couples add to the appeal of Behind Love's Wall, a distinctive dual timeline story that spans 125 years! In 1895, Lily has a secret that she must hide, even from the man who has captured her heart, and present day Willa has a question needing to be answered. Is it possible that Willa's discovery of Lily's journal may lead her to the answer she's searching for? Will this century-old journal help Willa reconcile her present and determine her future? Author Carrie Fancett Pagels once again returns to the beautiful setting of Mackinac Island to share these two fascinating stories and she features the famous Grand Hotel as a supporting character in both of them. Mental illness is a recurring theme, and Pagels's knowledge as a psychologist allows her to highlight the advancements in understanding this disease that have occurred during the last century. Ample doses of faith, forgiveness, and unconditional love, along with intrigue and mystery, certainly add to its interest, but the 'icing on the cake' for this novel are the two heartwarming romances. I recommend Behind Love's Wall to all who enjoy historical Christian romance and dual timeline plots. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. These are my own thoughts.

Behind Love's Wall is the perfect example of Carrie Pagels' unique writing style and complex story lines. I love how she brought back several characters from My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring and Butterfly Cottage. Seeing their names (Maude, Ben, Sadie, Jack, and Jaycie, to name a few) felt like meeting up with old friends. There were also appearances of characters from the Christy Lumber Camp series, which now I have to read! And of course I enjoyed meeting new characters Lily and Willa, whose stories were separated by 125 years but converged with the discovery of a journal in Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel. I was almost expecting the two to use the journal as a means to communicate through time, but there is another mystery in the journal that keeps this book in the dual timeline category rather than time-slip or time travel (all of which I love!). But what I love most about Behind Love's Wall (other than pointing readers to Christ) is the use of my name and my husband's as minor characters (my husband's Lasley name is historically appropriate for Mackinac Island). To have her ask to use my name was such an honor! What a fun way to engage her readers! I started out as merely a fan of Carrie's, but I feel that she has become a dear friend.