The Secrets Beneath by Kimberely Woodhouse Review

I was thrilled to be able to read The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse. I’ve read a couple of her books prior to reading this newest book, and I really enjoyed them. When I learned she was writing a book about a woman in paleontology in the late 1800’s, I was quite excited. Not only is this about the Bone Wars though, it is a second-chance romance, and there is also a mystery involved.

Anna Lakeman and Joshua Ziegler have been apart for a few years, having parted after a horrid argument, though they had been engaged to be married. They hadn’t talked to each other in the time that Joshua was away. This is now a chance to possibly work out their relationship.

Anna had been helping her paleontologist father for years by drawing detailed, wonderful sketches of his work. They now had an opportunity to dig near their home. However, different obstacles and dangers keep popping up and put a damper on things.

And then there is Julian, the man whose land they are digging on. Something isn’t quite right with this man, but Anna is sure she can help him by showing him kindness. As the reader we get to see things from his point of view at times which really added to the tension and even a bit to the confusion.

There is a good deal of suspense and mystery in this story. There were things I did see coming, but there were definitely times the author took me by surprise. I appreciated the way the characters leaned on the Lord and grew in their relationships with him. I found the information on the Bone Wars quite intriguing, and loved the way it was mentioned more than once that the fossils would have been buried during the great catastrophe of the flood in Noah’s day.

I really appreciated this passage from the story,

“Over the last three years, he’d learned about the leaps and bounds they were making in scientific discovery. It was changing the face of medicine. Which was a good thing. Healing people always needed a boost when ailments seemed to crop up overnight.
If only faith and science could be reconciled. Why couldn’t the two come together?
It didn’t make sense. They went hand in hand.”

I also loved seeing the relationship between Anna and Joshua develop. They definitely had some things to work through and I was left wondering more than once if they would be able to work it out or not.

The author brought this story to a great conclusion, with some added surprises, but the story wasn’t left on any cliffhangers, which I had worried about, knowing it is the first in a series. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for the next one.

I received this book for free as a part of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own, honest thoughts.