High Desert Haven (The Shepherd's Heart, #2) by Lynnette Bonner

High Desert Haven (The Shepherd's Heart, #2) Reviews

• 
  Kathy

  Enjoyable!
  
  I really enjoyed reading this book. It is the second book of the Shepherds Heart series. Even though the story is predictable the characters still hold your interest. The message of Christ is very definite throughout the book. The main character have to rely on peace and strength from God. One interesting concept I will take from this book is putting Jesus in the flesh and doing for others the way Jesus would want you too. I am looking forward to reading the third book.
  
  
• 
  Lis K

  This is the second book in a series about the Jordan family. Jason Jordan was a minor character in book 1,
  Rocky Mountain Oasis, although this book can be read without having read the previous one. In this story, Nicki Trent has to figure out a way to save her ranch after her husband was killed in a supposed accident. She hires Jason as a ranch hand, just as suspicious events start occurring on her ranch. When the bank calls in her loan, Nicki is about to give up but Jason is determined to save her ranch, even as someone is determined to sabotage it. The spiritual content in this story was strong and woven throughout the book as both Nicki and Jason try to rely on God when all seems hopeless. They have a sweet but restrained romantic relationship and there is some action towards the end of the book. The reader knows who the villains are but the mystery is in how they will be caught. Although the plot is a little predictable, it is still a nice clean read. I listened to this as an audiobook but did not really connect with the narrator. For readers who’ve read book 1, Sky and Brooke have several scenes in this book and Rocky and Victoria in book 3,
  Fair Valley Refuge, also make appearances in this book.
• 
  Natasha

  definitely a page-turner but also a wonderful testimony to God’s love
  
  This second installment in the series takes it up a notch. Drama, romance, suspense - and through it all you see guiding hand of God that Ms. Bonner is so good at portraying.
  The novel deals with hard issues of life and death (a child dies so if it’s a trigger, be careful) , of unscrupulousness and greed, of murder and theft, etc. However, it’s fine with either frankness bathed in gentleness. There is love, compassion, and understanding in how issues are brought up and solutions are presented. God’s word is clearly proclaimed, his faithfulness reassured.
  The novel has a well-developed plot, extremely relatable characters, and beautiful language. The multiple POVs and reappearance of past characters- as well as introduction of the new - make for a very satisfying read.
• 
  Claudia

  AUDIOBOOK ***
  
  I listened to this audiobook because I enjoyed the first in the series. But in my opinion, this one is better. I agree with other reviewers that mentioned how this story was predictable, but there was something about Jason and Nick that held my interest.
  
  Ms Bonner unashamedly laces the story with the message of faith, trust and how we should care for one another.
  
  There was more romance between the main characters in this book than the first one. But I wish there was more.
  
  Narrator: I also enjoyed Anne Johnstonbrown better in this book than the the first one. Her natural voice is beautiful, but the characters’ voices are not my favourite.
  
• 
  Debbie Keith

  In the words of the psalmist David "Yea though I walk through the valley of the show of death. Bonner spins a wonderful tail of fiction around Oregon's Cattleman's Associations attempts to push all small time homesteaders and others off their free range empire. This is a clean read, but the mature theme and historic details of their treatment of the small ranchers and farmers is not for the very young. It has definitely inspired me to remember who is control even "in the valley of the shadow of death", In this time of Covid-19 it was indeed a timely read for me.
• 
  Maria do Socorro Baptista

  Adoro romance histórico, e este, embora se passe no século XIX, no Oregon (EUA) me fez lembrar o interior do Nordeste brasileiro no início do século XX, com muita violência e a ganância de quem já tinha muito ameaçando que tinha pouco, uma luta injusta e nem sempre bem resolvida. Gostei a protagonista deste livro, de como ela luta para manter não apenas sua terra, mas também sua sanidade e sua fé. Muito bom!
• 
  Hannah Hoover

  loved it!
  
  I know it’s not everyone’s type of reading but I love how much the characters depend on the Lord and there’s just so much to glean from it! It was good to see how far Jason has come since the first book and I love to see how Sky and Brooke were doing and continuing their story. I really loved it!
• 
  Elly

  Im sorry but i disliked how the author tried to state it was God's will that Jason go for the job. The family pushed it and then meddled on plans rather than allow his mind and God's to meet and allow him to bring it up b4 they *help*. The rest was enjoyable though.
• 
  Julie Holdsworth

  Nice story
  
  I did enjoy this book. However, during this time period, the only English Bible was the KJV. It was strange she used a more modern version. Also, Dominique is the French form of the name Dominica. Not likely the Spanish speaking family would use a French name.
• 
  Nana

  God works in mysterious ways.
  
  After losing her husband, how will she be able to run a well needed ranch with repairs. Deceit and a dishonest man wanting her hand in marriage for her ranch, causes problems. Placing her faith and trust in God, brings hard decisions for her.
• 
  Jo

  I loved this book
  
  This book was everything I was hoping for in a Christian historical romance. Add some adventure. Really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
• 
  CarrieLynn-Care

  Book 2/4, A little predictable but continued story of some characters in book 1
• 
  cheryl doerr

  Awesome
  
  I loved this book from the very beginning. I recommend it to everyone who reads. It is an awesome book.
• 
  Kelli

  Enjoyable
• 
  Amber Thiessen

  This is the second book in the series, I really enjoyed the first and this one is about what happens next with Jason Jordan after he recommits himself to his faith. The Lord leads him to work at a ranch in need of help, falling for the widow and her son as much as he tries not to. Her ranch is threatened, and Nicki isn't sure who she can trust. It's suspenseful as we watch their story unfold.
• 
  Brandi

  Just as sweet as the first!
  A wonderful western book that will make you sigh at the romance and gasp at the action. The characters are so real you can nearly touch them (which really comes in handy with Jason's kisses... LOL). The setting is incredibly lifelike and I am continually learning new things in the author's note at the end. I adore the sweet romance and the heart-pounding action. The faith is wonderful as well, though I noticed it wasn't as strong as it was in the previous novel.
  I love how she portrays her characters. The good guys (and gals) kind and sweet, yet with weaknesses of their own. And the bad guys vile and cruel, and yet with a touch of humanity.
  I'm not sure if this story made me laugh (though I certainly did chuckle), but I know it made me cry. Which surprised me.
  Any fans of Mary Connealy or Karen Witemeyer will love this series.
  (*SPOILER ALERT!!!*)
  Goodness gracious, Jason is so different in this one than he was is Rocky Mountain Oasis, that I couldn't even put them together! My mental image of a fat, belligerent drunk suddenly now a lean, self-controlled cowboy was just too much for me to process. I still can't put them together. Jason the respectable cowboy was simply amazing – and so much more than just respectable. No, he was handsome, and brave, and kind, and sweet, and loving, and funny, and romantic, and awesome, and strong, and... oh, stink, I'm running out of adjectives! He was great.
  Nicki was sweet. She was kind and gentle and easy too relate too. She was just... good. She was willing to go with John because of her family, willing to sacrifice her own happiness for their futures. She was kind and generous to those around her. She was the perfect mama to Sawyer, and I know she'll be the perfect wife for Jason. ;) (I found out that she was pregnant way sooner than she did.)
  Sawyer was the cutest little munchkin ever. A naughty troublemaker and an irresistible sweetheart all at the same time. He was the classic baby with his sweetness and his mischievousness. I thought the goodbye to the flowers part was simply adorable.
  William was a jerk. At first I didn't think he was that bad. I mean, he obviously was; he killed John. But I kind of saw him more nice. Not sure why. Maybe because he seemed to actually care for Nicki (quickly discovered that he didn't at the party in Portland). I just couldn't really see him as the underhanded, thieving, womanizing murderer he was.
  Roland, on the other hand, was easy to see as the outlaw. He immediately came off as cruel and selfish. Though I was glad it made him somewhat human as well. That part with Vanessa was sad.
  The Jefferies. They were all so sweet. With Rolf, and Brenda, and John, and Bobby, and May. And that was so, so sad when May died. The family's grief was just so real. Made me cry.
  Ron and Connor were great. I was so glad Ron trusted Jason – I knew he would. Connor and Tilly are adorable. I hope they end up getting married.
  Janice was so sweet. I loved how she blabbed on and on. It was so cute! I'm glad she has her own cowboy now to listen to her.
  Sky and Brooke have a baby! So cute! They are just as I remember them in the previous novel – absolutely amazing.
  Rocky and Cade were great too. I can't wait for Rocky to lasso Vanessa. And for Cade to realize that pretty Sharyah's all his if he'd just notice.
  I loved that moment when Jason walked in on Jeff and Marquis. That was so classic!
  Can't wait for the next one!
• 
  Brenda

  It's July 1883 and seventeen year old Nicki Vasquez can't help but worry about the situation her family is in. Her parents owe money and if they don't pay her father will have to go to jail, so she prays for a solution. When a man named John Trent stops for water he sees Nicki and wants to buy her. While her parents are against it Nicki sees it as a way to help her family and agrees. She winds up going to Oregon Territory with John where he buys a ranch. They eventually have a son, and while she doesn't love John he has been good to her. When John is killed in a suspicious accident, Nicki decides to stay and run the ranch. but will need help. She has an offer of marriage from a neighbor who wants to run the ranch but she isn't interested,instead she hires Jason Jordan to help out. She soon learns that the bank holds a note on the property, and not only that strange things start to happen, not just to Nicki but to her neighbors as well, someone is trying to scare off the ranchers but why? Just who can Nicki trust?
  
  Vivid descriptions and details along with a very likable cast of characters made this a great historical fiction tale. I was pulled in from the beginning because Nicki was such a selfless character willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of her family. She had a strong sense of faith, and never wavered from it.I also enjoyed the secondary stories that went on . I thought the story line that revolved around Brook and Sky was great, the love they shared, which was something that Jason hoped to have someday. I thought Jason's sister Marquis and her husband Jeff also added another element to the story. For me there was never a down time, the plot moves along at a brisk pace, filled with rich detail, along with a strong faith filled message that was very well done. Overall a very well written historical romance with a faith based theme that has suspense,and romance that easily pulled me back in time, and leaves me anxious for the next book in the series. While this book is the second in the "Shepherd's Heart " series it can easily be read as a stand alone work, although I enjoyed this story so much I fully intend to go back and read the first book in the series.Historical christian fiction fans shouldn't miss this one!
  
• 
  Renee

  Nicki Trent is left alone with a toddler, a suffering ranch, and a mountain of debt after the suspicious death of her husband. With nobody to turn to and the threats on those who work the ranch Nicki wonders if it would just be better to return to California and her childhood home but decides to hire on a new hand, Jason Jordan and try to make a go of it. When the debt is called in and the death of a dear neighbor in what appears to be a case of arson coincides with Jason's arrival things begin to look bad for him. Jason must prove he's a good man all the while trying to keep his new friends alive and keep their trust.
  
  I've always had a soft spot in my heart for prairie and western romances although it's been a while since I've last picked one up. When I was offered the chance to read and review a book by the new-to-me author Lynnette Bonner I hoped it would be a book that I would enjoy and I'm happy to say that I did. While not perfect and at times a bit hard to keep up with I still really like this author and hope to read the other books in the series.
  
  One of the reasons this book was hard to keep up with was the fact that there were so many characters and the story would jump from Nicki and the ranch, to Sky and his wife halfway across the state, to Cade and Rocky. I guess if I had read Rocky Mountain Oasis I would have liked to have read more about Sky and Brooke but it didn't really help with the "flow" of this story. Still, for a self-published novel it was a quality story. I loved Nicki and any guy who will take on an ailing ranch for little to no pay makes for a great hero. The events leading up to the end of the story was enough to take my breath away more than once. We all know romances have a happily-ever-after but I honestly wasn't sure how Nicki was going to get hers! Whew! There were definitely a few close calls!
  
  All in all this was a good book but I definitely say it's probably best to read book one first to get more of a feel for the other characters who were in this story.
  
  ***Special thanks to Lynnette Bonner for sending me a review copy.***
• 
  Trinity Rose

  This is the second book in The Shepherd’s Heart series and after reading it I want to read the first book and any that come after it. High Desert Haven is an excellent book full of love, mystery, intrigue, death and happiness. I will be adding High Desert Haven to my favorite books for 2012 and giving it a 5-star rating.
  To me Nicki was a very unselfish, precious follower of Jesus in this fantastic book. In every page from the first to the last Nicki puts her family, her husband, son and friends ahead of herself. After her husband dies even though she only married him to help her family and didn’t really love him she cared deeply for him and wanted to keep his ranch going for their son.
  When the larger ranches tried pushing her off her ranch and the other smaller ranches she didn’t give in. Nicki ran an ad for a ranch foreman because she didn’t know anything about ranches. Then Jason, a new Christian, comes and things start happening not all for the good, but he doesn’t want Nicki to give up without a fight even when the bank calls in her loan. How will she make it? Will she find how God wants her to survive? Will Nicki give in to pressures to sell and marry the next door rancher or will her heart and head win out and do the right thing?
  I really love this book and so glad I read it. Lynnette is such a brilliant author, I’m glad I found her writing because she is one of my new favorites. So I HIGHLY recommend this book High Desert Haven.
  
  
  
  Thank you to the Author/Publicist for providing this book for review. 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
• 
  Marian Baay

  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.
  
  This is book 2 in The Shepherd's Heart Series. I love the name of this series, because Psalm 23 is one of my favorite Psalms. In High Desert Haven Lynnette Bonner beautifully shares the Lord Jesus' Shepherd's Heart again.
  
  I enjoy books with characters that love the Lord, so this book was a feast! In Rocky Mountain Oasis we already met Jason Jordan. Jason had given his heart to Jesus and stopped drinking. Now it's his turn to get settled.
  
  Nicki Trent gave up everything to save her family. Now she's widowed and left with her young son. They're living on a ranch and Nicki needs a ranch manager to help her out. So she hires Jason. They both feel attracted to each other from the start, but her neighbour William doesn't like Jason and is trying to push Nicki into marriage. Why is William in such a hurry to marry her so soon after her husband died?
  
  Someone is trying to scare Nicki and her neighbours away from their lands. There must be a connection to the flying bullets, fires and killing of animals. It seems like Jason has to do with it. Nicki thought he could be trusted. Was she wrong?
  
  This book has everything that I like to see in a story--love, suspense, and a fine Christian message.
  
  I enjoyed this book immensely. I love Lynnette's writing style and the stories she's sharing. I feel so at home with her characters--I loved them from the start. In High Desert Haven she already had me smiling and crying early on in the story. I hope she won't keep us waiting too long for the next book in this series!
• 
  Melanie

  Review on Amazon:
  http://www.amazon.com/review/R2A0EWZZ...
  Review to be posted on my blog 8/24:
  http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...
  
  When I started High Desert Haven I wasn't quite sure if I'd like it (there were some Spanish words and I was thinking that if there were going to be a lot of foreign words, without interpretation, it would be hard to follow the story). Thankfully that wasn't the case. While there were times in High Desert Haven that a word or phrase wasn't explain, for the most part they were. :)
  
  Once I got a couple chapter into High Desert Haven, that is when I really got into the story! I liked a lot of the characters and the story was very interesting. Even though it wasn't really a secret who the bad guy(s) was/were in this book, there was still a lot of suspenseful moments, and that kept me clicking my kindle to go to the next page.
  
  Even though this is the second book in Lynnette Bonner's "The Shepherd's Heart" series, I haven't read the first book yet and didn't feel lost.
  
  All in all I loved High Desert Haven and definitely recommend it if you enjoy historical books. I am really looking forward to book three because I want to find out what will happen with certain characters.
  
  *I received an eBook copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions I've expressed are my own.*
• 
  Naty

  I have to start by saying that I’m not much of a historian, but decided to give this book a try. This book gets you from the prologue, you start wondering what’s going to happen to Nicki, therefore you’re not going to put it down.
  
  This is a story of a woman who starts by being sold to a man for marriage and ends up teaching us the strength of faith throughout her life. Through her story we confirmed that God will show up and show out on time in your direst moments.
  
  This book not only talks about provision. This book has action and lots of it. There were times where I had to sit up straight asking myself when are they going to catch this evil man. It also shows how God’s vengeance always comes to those who are bad to his children.
  
  What I also liked about this book is that it shows what it was living in community. Now with our lifestyles we rarely get to experience that life, where neighbors would help each other and really worked together for the well being of the community.
  
  I recommend this book to any Christian, romantic, historical fiction buff. I really enjoyed it.
  
• 
  Maureen Timerman

  Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down.
  The story starts back in the 1880's, when John Trent happens upon the Vasquez family in California. He sees Dominique [Nicki] and decides he wants her for his wife, and pays for her in gold. Her family is desperate and she goes with him willingly.
  When the story resumes Nicki is living on a ranch in Oregon. Her husband has just died and she doesn't know what she is going to do? She places an ad in the newspaper, and Jason Jordan feels that God has place it on his heart to go and work for Nicki.
  What an adventure, at times I almost couldn't keep reading, and was yelling no. There is a lot of things that happen, and some are so gruesome...because of some evil people.
  Lynnette Bonner has written a captivating story, it is filled with the love of the Lord, good vs evil. I for one did not want the story to end.
  
  I received this book from First Card Tours and the author Lynnette Bonner, and was not required to give a positive review.