The Way of Love by Tracie Peterson

The Way of Love by Tracie Peterson ISBN-13: 9780764232282 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Released: June 2nd 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Faith Kenner is pursuing her dream to become a doctor at Willamette University's medical college so she can use her gift for healing to help those in need, especially the native populations forced onto reservations and then neglected. When she meets Andrew Gratton, a handsome riverboat captain who has been injured on his ship, she uses her skills to tend his wound, and a friendship grows between them. Andrew admires her strength and willingness to stand her ground, and Faith appreciates his intelligence and compassion. But Faith holds a secret that means their friendship can never become anything more, so she must bury her feelings for Andrew as best she can.

When her fellow students put together lectures to speak out against Oregon's racist laws and policies, Faith is eager to participate. But some powerful men have other plans for their state, and soon Faith is caught in the middle of a plot to push the local Indian tribes to rebel. As she and Andrew fight for the rights of others, their love for each other grows. But will her secret stand in the way of their one chance for true happiness?


My Review:
The Way of Love is a romance set in 1880 in Oregon. This is the second book in a series, and it continues the story of Nancy and Seth in addition to Faith and Andrew's story. You can read the story as a standalone, but it'll spoil some parts of the first book. The author wove historical details about a very bad storm, women in medical colleges, and racist issues into the story. Faith is part Native American but passes for white. She's also studying to be a doctor when very few medical colleges allowed women to attend. This sets up the conflict. Faith is almost done with her studies when she attracts the attention of two donors to the college. They're powerful men trying to prevent Blacks from settling in Oregon and trying to get rid of the Indians in Oregon.

While I liked Faith and Andrew, I found stubborn, idealist Faith a little exasperating. Faith is repeatedly warned by family and friends to not anger these men just yet. They're powerful and will retaliate if she publicly stands against their views. She ignores their advice to wait a few months...with predictable results. Then she asks these family members to fix things for her. She's also committed to staying single and is comfortable with this idea, but then suddenly she's dressing up pretty and completely besotted with Andrew. While he's a nice, honorable fellow that shares some interests with her, they really don't spend much time together before she's trusting him with other people's secrets.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story to fans of historical fiction.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.