Cross My Heart

Hatcher (Who I Am with You) continues her chronicle of the Henning family in the powerful second installment of her Legacy of Faith series. Ben Henning is a young man with a troubled past determined to begin a new life running Harmony Barn, a horse therapy farm in Kuna, Idaho. He enlists the help of Ashley Showalter, a young woman who works with rescue horses. Ashley is attracted to Ben, but has been burned by men before and is determined to keep their relationship purely professional. When Ben reveals that he is a recovering addict, Ashley, who has a younger brother going through rehab, hardens her resolve not to give in to her feelings. Ben refuses to give up hope, and he trusts in God and prays for Ashley’s heart to heal. In a secondary story that feels like an afterthought, flashbacks show Ben’s great-great grandfather (who gave Ben his Bible) finding strength in God during WWII while his oldest son fights overseas. This touching story of forgiveness and redemption will appeal to fans of Colleen Coble. (June)