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Displaying items 16-20 of 36
  1. Becky
    SW MI
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Character-driven historical fiction at its best!
    February 5, 2014
    Becky
    SW MI
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Kim Vogel Sawyer is a name that never disappoints. In this volume, she takes us back to the early 1900's and the issue of child labor in factories. One undercover operative placed in Dinsmore's World-Favorite Chocolate Factory has died a suspicious death as he investigates cheap child labor. Enter Caroline, the new, feisty, and determined clandestine worker who needs to uncover how the original operative died as well as the unfair treatment the children may suffer in the factory. Caroline finds a questionable ally in a janitor, Ollie Moore, who is also more than he seems. As she begins to lose her heart, she questions whether she can trust him with her quest to make things more equitable for the children, especially three she has grown close to and will do most anything to protect. Soon she is in a race to protect her job, "her" children, and even her life. Who does she dare trust?

    Sawyer does a great job showing how hurts from the past can make us better or bitter. She also shows us that hanging onto hurts of the past can unnecessarily cripple even the best of hearts, affecting others in our lives. We must choose to let God in that area of our lives and let Him heal the pain, so we can move past it. Another great lesson Sawyer shows is the need to depend on others, and to allow them to help us in the hard times.Sometimes we and others in our lives suffer unnecessarily because we try to do things on our own. And who can miss the lesson that we all have great value, although sometimes our value is hidden to others, waiting for the right moment to appear, for our particular skills and abilities to be needed. Bravo, Kim!!
  2. mcaldwell
    Erie, PA
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: Female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Kindness and Mercy
    February 4, 2014
    mcaldwell
    Erie, PA
    Age: 45-54
    Gender: Female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for Echoes of Mercy.
    Carrie and Ollie are both undercover in the world of Dinsmore's chocolate factory in the mid-west. For different reason, but with the intent of working on behalf of the employees, they each set out to learn what they can about the behind-the-scenes operations of the factory. So much happened in the course of the story! Letta and her two brothers still have an additional story to tell, I think. Carrie and Ollie work on the mystery of the elevator shaft death. And, they undercover a bigger problem in that investigation. My disappointment with any character was Mr. Dinsmore, Sr. (Ollie's dad) who was too much out of touch with plan operations. Carrie and Ollie were great characters with big hearts. It was an enjoyable read that also taught me about factories at the turn of the 20th century. Thanks to Waterbrook Press for supplying me with an advance copy. I provide my own review as I reviewed the story.
  3. wfnren
    St Cloud, FL
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    Kim has another winner with this book!
    February 3, 2014
    wfnren
    St Cloud, FL
    Age: 55-65
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for Echoes of Mercy.
    Caroline (Carrie) Lang and Ollie Moore are both working undercover at Dinsmore's World-Famous Chocolates Factory in Sinclair, Kansas. Carrie is investigating the hiring and treatment of children as she tries to find out about the suspicious death of a previous investigator assigned there. Ollie is actually Oliver Dinsmore and the heir to the Dinsmore candy dynasty and his father wants him to find out everything he can about the buisness before he takes over. The two have different views about child labor and without telling each other why they are really there, their suspicions about the other are rising.

    I think the story started out kind of slow but it didn't take long to speed up and soon I was pouring full steam ahead into this book. Kim did a good job of pulling you in gradually and by the end you're telling yourself, "I'm getting close, I'm getting close, I'm getting close to figuring it out!" She also pulls at your heartstrings when you read about Caroline's childhood and how it ties into why she is an investigator. This is another one of Kim's books that you will love if you like a little mystery along with some heart tugging issues going on.

    Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BloggingforBooks book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
  4. shannon
    midwest
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    A wonderful book! Enjoyed it very much!
    February 1, 2014
    shannon
    midwest
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    Quality: 5
    Value: 5
    Meets Expectations: 5
    This review was written for Echoes of Mercy.
    Echoes of Mercy was a great enjoyable book to read. The author captured me with in the first few pages and kept up the great pace. Caroline "Carrie" is undercover at a Chocolates Factory in Kansas in 1904. She is on a mission well 2 missions really. One is to find out what happened to one of their undercover labor commission workers. The other is to find out if Dinsmore Chocolate Factory is violating child labor laws. If anyone finds out Caroline could be in big danger, I mean something has silenced Harmon right? However Caroline isn't the only person undercover at the chocolate factory. Oliver "Ollie" is also undercover, but his isn't as dangerous as Caroline's mission. Oliver is working undercover to see what the workers, and bosses are like at the Dinsmore Chocolate Factory before he takes over for his dad. He want's to see first hand how the workers are treated, what they do and what it will be like to take over the family business.

    Caroline and Oliver can't deny the instant attraction they have to each other. However they don't have time to fall in love they each are their to gain information not a boyfriend or girlfriend. Plus they are falling in love with each other under a different name, and backgrounds. Plus even more so Oliver doesn't seem bothered by the children working for Dinsmore Chocolate Factory or the child labor laws. Can Caroline help the children and change Oliver's mind? Can Caroline find out what really happened to Harmon? Was Harmon's fall really an accident? Or was it someone trying to silence him? Can Oliver figure out where he wants to lead Dinsmore Chocolate Factory? Will Caroline and Oliver see God's plan for them in time?

    Thanks to blogging for books for my review copy. I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.
  5. Maria
    5 Stars Out Of 5
    January 28, 2014
    Maria
    This review was written for Echoes of Mercy.
    Echoes of Mercy by Kim Vogel Sawyer is one of the best stories I've read from this author. It's set in 1904 Kansas and highlights the injustices of children working in factories, missing their childhoods, and having no education leaving them with few options as adults. Anybody who knows me, knows I absolutely love historical fiction. I love learning about life long ago and hearing little known facts of their lives so this book was a big hit with me. :-)

    Twenty-seven year old Caroline Lang's painful past has formed how she thinks so working for the Labor Commission was a natural fit. Her job has helped her change the lives of children with similar childhoods, and her goal to get children in school and out of work is her main priority. With that in mind, she accepts the new job her boss, Noble, wants her to investigate. As soon as Carrie arrives in Sinclair, Kansas, she immediately goes to the Dinsmore Chocolate Factory to get hired on so she can find out more information about her coworker's death.

    Ollie Moore is the day time janitor at the chocolate factory where he is doing his own investigation into the workings of the factory. His goal is different, though. He wants to know how to more efficiently help the workers do their jobs. When he meets Carrie, he is immediately drawn to her. She is so different from all the other workers. Her spirit, her confidence, her independent spirit intrigue him. But something is off with her. Why is she always asking questions, and why is her speech so refined? He knows she isn't who she claims to be, but who is she really?

    This was a well written story with lots of great characters. The plot was good, and I liked how different characters would take over telling the story for a bit. It made for a well-rounded book and in the process helped me know and understand all the characters. If you enjoy historical fiction with some detective work thrown in, you will love this novel!

    I was given this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying items 16-20 of 36