A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith Review

Wow, A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith was quite the powerful book. And very, very emotional. I was literally in tears for the majority of the book. I sat reading this book for hours because I couldn't put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen to Nessa. 

Nessa is the name the author gave to the unnamed woman at the well who we meet in the book of John in the Bible. I've heard or read this account multiple times and usually it seems that this woman is judged quite badly. She's had multiple husbands and her current husband isn't her husband. According to Jesus. The thing is, I was just recently thinking about this because our Bible study on John had a lesson on the woman at the well. This Samaritan woman that Jesus actually talked to and asked for a cup of water from. And I got to wondering, why is she always seen in such a bad light? I asked, in that culture, wasn't it the man who had to ask for the divorce? It's not like she was an adulteress, because if she had been, she would have been stoned. So, I asked in my Bible study, what exactly happened in her life that she had had multiple husbands? And then here comes this fictionalized tale that actually delves into that very question. 

Yes, of course this book is fiction. We can't really know. It's just speculation. But the author did a wonderful job of bringing this character to life. Imagining what her life might have looked like in the frame of the culture at the time. Events that might have happened to cause a woman to have been without her husband five times. Here was this gorgeous woman who was just about sold multiple times because of the bride price her family could get for her because of her beauty. She despaired, wondering if she would ever find someone who would actually love her, care for her, not cast her aside. 

I was not expecting that the story would be told from two points of view. However, we also got to see the story from the point of view of Lavi, a young man who had been in love with her since they were younger and had hoped to marry her when they were of age. Sadly we also get to see his despair when he is rejected and has to see her constantly given to other men. 

Of course, if you know the story from the Bible, you know that hope does come to her. Hope in the form of Jesus, the Messiah, the One who actually talks to her and knows her. The One who she proclaims about throughout the town where she lives. The town where Jesus then stays for a couple of days to preach. A part of the story that I had actually forgotten about. I was a little uneasy, concerned that the author was putting words into Jesus's mouth that He didn't say. But most of what He says in this story is biblical. There were just a couple of accounts I wasn't quite sure of. All in all, I think the author handled it well, sharing God's truths. 

I loved this book, and highly recommend it. But, yeah, have those tissues handy. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - February 27, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have two books to share with you.

I read When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. This is the third book in their Tupelo Grove series and it releases next week.

I'm currently reading Last to Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn. This is the third book in her Gossamer Falls series and it also releases next week.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here are my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selections:

 When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker:

"Hezekiah Webster didn't notice the first scream."

Oh no! Who was screaming? Why were they screaming? And why didn't Hez notice? Doesn't sound good.

Last to Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn:

"Whoever said blood was thicker than water hadn't known about the Pierce family."

So, not the best family to belong to then?

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here are my Friday 56 selections:

When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker:

"Savannah opened her mouth to refute such nonsense, then closed it again. What proof did she have that anything her father had told her was true? Who was the real villain in this situation? It was humbling to realize she didn't know."

Last to Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn:

"Turn around. Why? When she didn't move, his hands landed on her shoulders, and he spun her, eyes on her body. 'What are you doing? You're the one who's bleeding.'

Mo ignored her complaint. He pulled in a shaky breath as she faced him again. 'You're not hit.'

She wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement, but she answered him anyway. 'No.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun post. Here is the link to my review:

A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith

And here is the reviews for the first book I shared above:

When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker

When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker Review

 

Oh wow! This third and final book of the Tupelo Grove series by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker was just awesome. A very satisfying conclusion. Though I am sad that it is at the end. I admit, I do hope we see a little bit of Hez and Savannah in the next Sanctuary book that's releasing later this year. I did love how the characters from the three series set in and around Pelican Harbor have been interacting. I loved seeing Paradise and Blake and also getting to see Jane Dixon and Will. 

Now, back to When Justice Comes specifically. Hez and Savannah are on the cusp of getting remarried and adopting Savannah's nephew whose mother recently died. They've gone through so much to get here, and yet, they are now up against even more. They suddenly find themselves in a custody battle while at the same time dealing with more danger. Who exactly is behind the attacks and the blackmail and the kidnapping? Will they be able to retain custody of Simon as his mother wished, or will those who are after him for nefarious purposes get their way? Will there ever be an end to the feud between the Willard and Legare families?

So many new truths come out in this story. Some were quite a surprise. 

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I did not want to have to put it down. Even when I was trying to get other things done, my mind was on this book, and I was telling my family about what was going on. That's always going to be a five-star book for me. It is filled with danger and suspense and deception. In addition to the child custody battle (which really grabbed my attention because of things in my personal life) they were dealing with someone trying to frame one of our main characters. 

But there was hope. There was faith and trust. The characters believed in God and prayed to Him, continuing to trust in Him and leave things in His hands. We also see a life changed and characters learning to forgive, not just others, but themselves. 

It was just an awesome book and one I highly recommend. But make sure to read this series in order as each book does lead into the next one. You may even want to read the Pelican Harbor books to get to know Jane. We see quite a bit of her in this book. And you can get to know Paradise and Blake by reading the Sanctuary series.  Though each series can be read and enjoyed without the other. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - February 20, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have one book to share with you.

I'm reading A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

 A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith:

"I'll never forget the first time I saw him."

I had to keep reading to know for sure who was speaking and who was being spoken about. This was from the prologue, so I wasn't sure exactly when it was taking place.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here is my Friday 56 selection:

A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith:

"Heat flooded my cheeks with the realization, and I knew without a doubt that everyone who looked my way saw my shame. Why would Nadav want me as a second wife? Why would anyone want me at all?"

Reviews:

Last week I shared one book in my Friday Fun post. Here is the link to my review:

The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep

Two weeks ago I shared two books in my Friday Fun post. I already shared my review for the one. Here is my review for the other:

Deadly Currents by Elizabeth Goddard

The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep Review

 

The Bird of Bedford Manor is the third book I've read by Michelle Griep and it is by far my favorite. I loved traveling to Regency era England. Not my usual time period to read about, but I'm really enjoying it and want to read more.

In this story Juliette has been living with her aunt and they are struggling to survive. She's taken to poaching off the land of a wealthy family, knowing the consequences could be severe. And get caught she does. But the son of the Lord of the manor, Henry Russell, who is in charge in his father's absence, makes a deal with her. He needs her stealthy skills to help discover the identity of the sinister person who is stalking his sister. 

As they try to figure out this mystery, Juliette also finds herself in the cross hairs so to speak. And Henry starts to question his decision, as now two women's lives are at risk. 

There were quite a few twists in this story, and most of them were a surprise to me. I don't think I really suspected the actual culprit until it was almost obvious. Well I think it would be obvious to the reader, even if it wasn't to the characters. 

There was also an instance of wrongful accusation, which really glued my attention to the book. Though I had already found it almost impossible to set aside. 

Faith was also an important part of this story, as Juliette struggled with hers due to certain circumstances. She was harboring unforgiveness and bitterness. And she wanted nothing to do with God. I loved seeing her faith journey though I don't want to mention much more and give anything away . 

I also loved seeing the relationship between her and Henry develop and evolve. This wasn't a relationship that should happen, but I was really rooting for them. 

Awesome book, and one I highly recommend. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Deadly Currents by Elizabeth Goddard Review

 

Oh my goodness, this final book in Elizabeth Goddard's Hidden Bay series is awesome. Deadly Currents drew me in from the first page and wouldn't let go. Lots of mystery and action and danger and suspense. And of course a budding romance that has quite a few obstacles. I loved seeing the characters from the previous books and getting updates about their lives. 

This story focused on Cressida and Braden. Cressida has traveled to Hidden Bay to finish research for her late father's book. An intriguing book focusing on ghost ships and sunken vessels. However, there's a lot more going on than she bargained for. She's in danger from the very first chapter. But she's determined to honor her father and finish the book. 

Detective Braden is in Hidden Bay for reasons even he doesn't quite understand. Until he sees Cressida for the first time and realizes her connection to his past (and his present). Things are tricky to say the least as he tries to protect her without letting her know his main goal is to protect her. 

I loved how strong of a character Cressida was and empathized with her struggle to grant forgiveness. I loved the relationship that developed between Cressida and Braden, and was rooting for them even through the obstacles 

I loved getting to know Evelyn Monroe more and learn her story. And I love how the author connected everything. Loved the twists, and there were quite a few of them. Definitely took me by surprise. Though I admit I did have my suspicions about who one of the bad guys might be. 

The author really kept the suspense going, especially the way she ended chapters on a cliffhanger from the one POV and then moving to the other POV. I had a hard time setting the book aside to get things done. 

I am sort of sad this series is over. But I am thankful everything was wrapped up and we got a wonderful conclusion and updates on everyone. And that last paragraph was perfection. 

Highly recommend this series. And if, like me, you don't like character relationships spoiled, you'll want to read the series in order. Though each book could stand alone with their individual stories. 

I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Friday Fun - February 13, 2026

Welcome to my Friday Fun post. This is where I share with three different book parties that post on Fridays: Book Beginnings on Fridays, the Friday 56, and First Line Friday.

This week I have one book to share with you.

I'm starting The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep.

        Book Beginnings on Friday    

 

(Please join Gilion Dumas for Book Beginnings every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.)

and

First Line Friday

(Please join Carrie for First Line Friday.)

Here is my Book Beginnings/First Line Friday selection:

 The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep:

"She was reborn that day of dust and wind, with tangles in her hair and a hard-cracked soul."

I loved the imagery of being disheveled with dust and wind and tangles. And wondered why she was reborn. Though the term "hard-cracked soul" had me a bit confused.

Now for:

The Friday 56 

The Friday 56 is normally hosted over at Freda's Voice. But Anne from My Head is Full of Books is taking over for a while. 

Rules:

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.)
 *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you.
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple.

Here is my Friday 56 selection:

The Bird of Bedford Manor by Michelle Griep:

"Aunt Margaret angled her head, her sharp eyes narrowing. 'How are things at the manor? Is your . . . business, as you call it, with Mr. Russell nearly finished? Not that I wish to take you from him if you are yet occupied, for he has been overly gracious in fixing up this old place and providing for my needs, but. . . well. The truth is I miss you.'"

Reviews:

Last week I shared two book in my Friday Fun post. I'm still reading the one book, but here is the link to my review for the other:

Eight Seconds in Red River by Cali Black