From Amazon (condensed): "In untamed Oregon Country, one young woman fights to keep her family safe. After her parents died, raising her two younger sisters became Grace's responsibility. A hasty decision to head west seemed like an opportunity for a fresh start but has instead left Grace in a precarious position. When missionary Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife agree to let Grace and her sisters stay at their mission for the winter, Grace is grateful. Until they hear from their uncle in Oregon City, the three sisters have nowhere else to go.

As Grace adjusts to life in the West, she meets Alex Armistead who intrigues and infuriates her in equal measure. When tragedy threatens lives at the mission and among the native Cayuse who live nearby, it is Alex who helps Grace help where she can, despite Dr. Whitman's disapproval. As the death toll rises, so do tensions between the settlers and the natives, and Grace soon finds herself and those she loves in more danger than she imagined possible."

I hardly ever pick up a romantic fiction story, but I was super excited to see this new read set in the Eastern Oregon county where I grew up and lived most of my life. Tracie Peterson's simple and touching story, Treasured Grace, is an interesting historical fiction that was simple to imagine as I know this landscape like the back of my hand. I've always been interested in the stories of Whitman Mission and other local Oregon Trail history. My mom and I are actually planning a trip to visit the site of Whitman Mission in the near future.

I'd read the story of the Whitman Massacre multiple times before, but this time was very difficult having already established a relationship with them. The tragic upon tragic of this story made any happy endings fall flat. Perhaps that's what the author intended or perhaps the story was just too personal but I came away feeling very bummed.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ( )

Title: Treasured Grace (Heart of the Frontier #1)
Author: Tracie Peterson
Pages: 316
Year: 2017
Publisher: Bethany
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Treasured Grace is the first book in this series by Tracie Peterson that will touch your heart and draw you into the story. The series is based upon an actual historical event that happened on the western frontier; it is known as The Whitman Mission massacre. There are three fictional sisters heading west to settle in the Oregon territory, bringing the gospel to the Native American tribes in the area. The sister’s names are Grace, Hope and Mercy.
When the story starts, Grace is in a marriage of convenience and not one born of love. During the journey west, there is a measles outbreak on the wagon train, so some seek comfort at the Whitman Mission until folks can regain their health and strength. Grace attempts to help bring healing by using her knowledge of herbs that she learned from her grandmother. However, the Mission’s Dr. Whitman is not in favor of using herbal remedies and attempts to limit Grace’s practice. Tensions rise between the mission’s inhabitants and the local tribes when many of the Native Americans get the measles and die.
Alex is a man from two worlds and attempts, along with his friend Sam, to bring peace and understanding between the people groups. A spark of romance begins to show when Alex meets Grace while she is helping alleviate the suffering of anyone who asks.
In a beautiful way, Tracie paints for us a masterpiece that showcases the themes of healing, faith, and hope. When the battle is described in the book, the author does a masterful job of giving us a sense of what is happening without over describing it in detail. The story shows how all three sisters were impacted by the attack and then focuses on the future of these three women. I enjoyed learning about a piece of history that was unknown to me, and I look forward to reading the second and third book in the trilogy. I hope other readers will as well!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )

I loved the romance and the history. This seems to have been very well researched. I had a hard time putting this book down. I had to check in to see who did survive the Whitman massacre. I loved the characters of Grace and her sisters and Alex. Each character handles adversity in a different way. I look forward to reading the second book in the series. ( )

This story centers around an event in history I had not heard not known about. The author does a great job in describing the events, combining real and fictional characters. There is more to the story though and she develops the characters nicely. I was thankful that Grace used vinegar a lot, because it reminded me to take mine. I'll be looking to read the rest of the series. ( )

Historical novels are always so exciting to me as I get to step into the past with characters and their lives the author has created. I live beside them and experience living and facing challenges during that era. The early American frontier was such a time of change and adventure. That’s why so many of us love westerns right? Reading about those times and entertaining ourselves with movies is far different than living during that era. This is something the author really brought to light for me. If you lost your family you were on your own and at the true mercy of others. You couldn’t run down to Walmart and buy medicine when you were sick or groceries and these are just a few difficulties they faced!
After losing her parents, Grace marries the bad-tempered Rev. Martindale so she could provide for her sisters and travel the Oregon Trail west. It was a marriage of convenience as he had to be married to serve as a missionary. Her plans were derailed when he suddenly dies along the way. She is left with nothing again.
Dr. Whitman of the Whitman Mission (of the infamous massacre) allows them to stay. Grace finds herself in conflict with the doctor/missionary because she is an herbalist. He does not want her treating anyone. This is ironic as she saved so many lives with her remedies on the wagon train. It reminded me of western medicine and holistic medicine conflicts today.
While Grace and her sisters have a roof over their head they are not out of danger. Unfortunately the wagon train brought an epidemic of measles and there are many deaths, especially among the Indians. The Cayuse Indians the doctor is treating are dying in large numbers. They believe his medicine is purposely killing them. Add to that the problem of the increasing population of white men taking the Indian’s land, and there is serious trouble. Hostilities are increasing and the mission is in danger of Indian attack.
A bright note in her life is handsome trapper Alex Armistead. Familiar with the ways of the Indians and the wilderness, he protects and watches out for Grace and her sisters.
There were so many things I liked about the book. First and foremost was the focus on scripture and the plan of salvation. So rare to find a novel that actually shares this. The author emphasized strongly the reliance on God and strong faith in any situation, not allowing compromises. The tragedies faced by the characters are heart-breaking.
I use natural remedies and oils regularly. I found it extremely interesting as to how Grace used and obtained her treatments. Once again a startling reminder of the hardships the people faced with injuries and illness.
Always a great author, Ms. Peterson did an extraordinary of capturing historical facts and bringing to life the raw emotions of those who lived through the events. A book you will want to read!
I received this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated are my own.