A Prayer Unanswered {book review}

Hello, my friends! It has been a minute (and far too long) since we've seen each other, and for that, I do apologize. Today I return to review one of my most anticipated reads of the year, one that broke my heart in all the best ways.

The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy is a series that I've loved for a long time now, and this installment was no different. Especially considering that I just finished a re-read of At Her Fingertips less than a week before diving into this one. Which was both a great choice and also a very painful one, lol! (There may be spoilers ahead for the first four books!)

A Prayer Unanswered

Author: Kellyn Roth

Genre: Historical fiction

Content: Mentions of married couples being intimate, miscarriage and child loss, suicidal thoughts

Main characters: Alice Strauss, Peter Strauss

Synopsis:

   As Alice Strauss enters her first year of marriage - full of optimism and determination - she finds herself wholly unprepared for reality. In a new country, with a new family, she struggles to find her footing. Difficult relationships and situations batter her, but she is determined to establish a perfect life with the man she loves.

   Unfortunately, perfection seems just beyond her reach. An unexpected tragedy flings Alice out of control, and she struggles to rise from the ruins. Her world is full of spinning variables and agony beyond anything she has ever experienced.

   However, there is hope - in a God who loves her and a future established for her since before time began. Yet the devastation of Alice's life seems beyond even the touch of grace.

Add on Goodreads ~ Purchase on Amazon

What I Thought:

I find myself at an interesting place with this book, because I love it, and I hate it, and the hate almost adds to the love. This book broke my heart and made me cry and the characters that I already loved, I love even more. It's heavy and it's hard, and I love that it exists because it feels so important. 

Alice, I have loved for a very long time. And while, at times, she drove me a little crazy in this book, she's still so special for how flawed she is. She isn't always the kindest person, she makes mistakes and so much of this book I spent embarrassed and heartbroken for her. Peter is a wonderful guy that I want to be best friends with, but even he has to go through his own growth and struggles.

The struggles and hardships of this book felt very real and raw, the doubt and fear, the physical and emotional trials. It churns up generations of pain for the characters, but even in the hard things, there is so much hope written into this story, and it's beautiful. I have so much respect for the way Kellyn handled it, but be sure to check out the content and trigger warnings before going into it.

Like I said, I loved and hated this book, and that's the best way I can describe it. It hasn't changed my love of Kellyn's books, and I'm even more excited for book 6 than I already was. 

Overall Rating: 5 stars

God decides when our lives end, of course,

but before then, we must cling to life,

for while we breathe, we can be assured that

we have a purpose in life greater than simply living.

About the Author:

  Kellyn Roth is a historical romance & women's fiction author who writes about the empty places where hope has the most room to grow. Her novels include the inspirational Victorian family saga, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, and the Kees & Colliers series, which follows a broken family in the tumultuous years of the first half of the 20th century.

  Kellyn is a student of the Author Conservatory and a writing coach. When not building her author career, she is likely getting lost somewhere in the Pacific Northwest with her friends, watching period dramas and facetious comedies, or spending time with her husband.

Connect with Kellyn: Her website ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

And there we have it! Thank you to Kellyn for sending me an early copy of this book for review! 

Let me know in the comments, have you read any of Kellyn's books?

~ Abby