Books by Lynn Austin

Det er 35 år siden, Kathleen forlod sit barndomshjem – uden at se sig tilbage. Lige siden har hun kæmpet for at vriste sig fri af skammen over barndommens fattigdom. Det er tilsyneladende lykkedes, lige indtil den dag, hvor hun bliver fyret fra sit arbejde, hendes datter, Joelle, kommer i problemer og hun samtidig modtager en uventet invitation fra sin søster.For at redde forholdet til sin datter, tager Kathleen hende med på en rejse, som fører dem tilbage til fortiden og de hemmeligheder, Kathleens mor og bedstemor aldrig afslørede.

Historisk roman af Lynn Austin der følger tre kvinder i deres kamp for frihed, retfærdighed og overlevelse under Anden Verdenskrig.Nazisternes invasion af det neutrale Holland sender voldsomme rystelser gennem samfundet og efterlader en hel befolkning i chok. Rystelserne rammer Ans, der har brudt med sin barndomsgårds snævre rammer til fordel for bylivet i Leiden – hendes mor Lena, der har set sin trygge dagligdag og grundfæstede tro udfordret af datterens oprørstrang – og Miriam, der som tysk jøde er flygtet fra grov diskrimination og tilfældig vold i håb om en bedre tilværelse i Holland.Den tyske besættelse katapulterer de tre kvinder ind i en verden af konstant usikkerhed og svære valg. Hver især søger de meningsfulde veje at gå i en skånselsløs tilværelse, hvor de risikerer alt i kampen for frihed, retfærdighed og ren overlevelse.

En forfærdelig nyhed ryster det jødiske samfund i Babylon. Uden forvarsel eller nogen som helst begrundelse har perserkongen udstedt et dekret om, at alle jøder i alle rigets provinser skal udryddes på én bestemt dag – om mindre end et år. Pludselig bliver den skriftlærde Ezra, der mest er kendt som en indadvendt mand, kaldet til at lede folket og samle en forsvarshær. Med Guds lov i hånden kæmper han for at give folket håb og finde Gud i en tid, hvor alt håb synes ude, og alle fremtidsdrømme er slukket. I Pagtens vogtere væver Lynn Austin et smukt billedtæppe, hvor både jøders og hedningers historie flettes sammen. Hun beskriver troen, tvivlen og de ubærlige tab i menneskers liv, der må have fulgt de begivenheder, som skildres i Ezras Bog og Esters Bog. Gennem de landflygtiges historie ser vi, hvordan Guds urokkelige kærlighed til sit folk viser sig på de underligste måder og giver håb selv i de mest håbløse situationer.

I fængselscellen har 21-årige Harriet god tid til at tænke over sit liv. Mens hun ligger i sin køje, spejler hun sig i de historier, bedstemor Bebe har fortalt om hendes mor, bedstemor og oldemor. For hvordan er hun selv endt her, bedst som hun troede, at hun gik i slægtens fodspor i kampen for ret og retfærdighed?Læs om Hannah, som kæmpede for slavernes frigivelse, Beatrice, der arbejdede hårdt for frihed fra alkoholismens fangegarn og Lucy, der ender som kvinderetsforkæmper. Tre kvinder med hver deres tro og livserfaring som danner baggrund for de valg, de træffer.

Det er ti år siden, Eliza kom til Wyatts Frugtplantage, drevet af en dyb længsel efter et hjem, hvor hun kunne slå rødder. Nu er hun enke på gården med tre små børn, håbløst forgældet og overbevist om, at hun selv må rede alle trådene ud.Da en fremmed mand en dag kommer og spørger efter arbejde og mad, er hun sikker på, at han blot er endnu et af Depressionens desperate ofre. Men hans opførsel og måde at udføre daglejerarbejdet på, rejser en række ubesvarede spørgsmål. Eliza drages imod ham, men frygter samtidig, at han skjuler noget i sin fortid, som kan ødelægge alt det, hun har kæmpet for at opnå. Men den fremmede er ikke ene om at lægge låg på en del af sit liv. Eliza selv vogter over en hemmelighed fra fortiden, som hun vil gå langt for at beholde.

Despite Victorian society's strict rules for women, Rebecca and Flora Hawes' desire for adventure has led them to the Sinai Desert. Accompanied by their young butler and their maid, the sisters search for a biblical manuscript. On their exotic journey, they experience challenges and wonders, and recall the events that brought them to this time and place.

Austin Returns with a Multi-Generational Historical NovelGeesje de Jonge crossed the ocean at age seventeen with her parents and a small group of immigrants from the Netherlands to settle in the Michigan wilderness. Fifty years later, in 1897, she's asked to write a memoir of her early experiences as the town celebrates its anniversary. Reluctant at first, she soon uncovers memories and emotions hidden all these years, including the story of her one true love. At the nearby Hotel Ottawa Resort on the shore of Lake Michigan, twenty-three-year-old Anna Nicholson is trying to ease the pain of a broken engagement to a wealthy Chicago banker. But her time of introspection is disturbed after a violent storm aboard a steamship stirs up memories of a childhood nightmare. As more memories and dreams surface, Anna begins to question who she is and whether she wants to return to her wealthy life in Chicago. When she befriends a young seminary student who is working at the hotel for the summer, she finds herself asking him all the questions that have been troubling her.Neither Geesje nor Anna, who are different in every possible way, can foresee the life-altering surprises awaiting them before the summer ends.

Ezra, a Jewish scholar, is called upon to deliver his people from Babylon to Jerusalem, but the fight to keep God's law is never easy.

When his evil father plots to sacrifice him, Hezekiah's mother, Abijah, searches frantically for a way to save him. But only two men can help her, and neither of them seems trustworthy. In a time and place engulfed by violence, treachery, and infidelity to Yahweh, Abijah and her son must discover the one true source of strength if they are to save themselves and their country.

In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother. Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war. And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse. Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent.

After years in exile, Iddo and his grandson Zechariah follow God's leading home to Jerusalem, where they struggle to rebuild their lives and God's temple.

Two men pained by the past struggle to reclaim the Heavenly Father they lost long ago in this unforgettable conclusion to the Chronicles of the Kings series.

Hezekiah's unexpected death puts his son in charge. The new king's angry heart puts him at odds with his best friend--drawing battle lines down the middle their fathers' kingdom.

We all encounter times when our spirit feels dry, when doubt looms.The opportunity to tour Israel came at a good time. For months, my life has been a mindless plodding through necessary routine, as monotonous as an all-night shift on an assembly line. Life gets that way sometimes, when nothing specific is wrong but the world around us seems drained of color. Even my weekly worship experiences and daily quiet times with God have felt as dry and stale as last year's crackers. I'm ashamed to confess the malaise I've felt. I have been given so much. Shouldn't a Christian's life be an abundant one, as exciting as Christmas morning, as joyful as Easter Sunday?With gripping honesty, Lynn Austin pens her struggles with spiritual dryness in a season of loss and unwanted change. Tracing her travels throughout Israel, Austin seamlessly weaves events and insights from the Word . . . and in doing so finds a renewed passion for prayer and encouragement for her spirit, now full of life and hope.

New Historical Novel from 7-Time Christy Award Winner!In the aftermath of the Civil War, Josephine Weatherly and her mother, Eugenia, struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives when they return to their Virginia plantation. But the bitter realities of life after the war cannot be denied: their home and land are but shells of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned home bitter and broken. The privileged childhood Josephine enjoyed now seems like a long-ago dream. And the God who failed to answer any of her prayers during the war is lost to her as well.Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily survival--and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak...but a bitter hatred fuels her.With skill and emotion, Lynn Austin brings to life the difficult years of the Reconstruction era by interweaving the stories of three women--daughter, mother, and freed slave--in a riveting tale.

A deep yearning for home had led Eliza to Wyatt Orchards ten years ago. Now widowed with three young children, she faces mounting debts and the realization it is all up to her. But she has no idea how to run an orchard alone. When a stranger appears at her doorstep, Eliza guesses he is no different than the other out-of-luck characters searching for work during the Depression. But the familiarity with which Gabe tends to the farm raises unanswered questions. With a vulnerable heart, she is unwittingly drawn to his gentle ways. But Eliza also fears that Gabe hides a past and motives that could jeopardize all she has fought to attain for herself and her children....

What Would You Do If a Secret Was Causing Your Family to Crumble?Is there a secret terrible enough that it should never be revealed, not even if it was tearing a family apart? For more than five decades Emma Bauer has kept one--carefully guarding it with all her strength, and for more than five decades that choice has haunted her life and also the lives of her daughters and granddaughter. Is it too late for wrongs to be righted? Does Emma even have the strength to let the healing power of truth work in her family? The story of four generations of women and the powerful effects that their choices have had on their lives is at the heart of Eve's Daughters, an epic novel from author Lynn Austin. Grand in scope but tender and personal at the same time, it will please you as a fan of contemporary or historical fiction. Exploring times from World War I to the 980s, Eve's Daughters is an insightful look at mothers, daughters, sisters, and families that allows you to see a little bit of yourself through the characters' triumphs, struggles, and hard-tested faith. Yearning for love, dignity, and freedom, the four generations of women must come to terms with the choices they have made. Healing comes when the past is forgiven but only when they embrace God's forgiveness can they shatter the cycle that has ruled their lives over the decades. Link to Readers' Discussion Questions

All She Ever Wanted is the emotion-packed story of three generations of women: Kathleen, her mother, Eleanor, and her grandmother, Fiona. Each woman left home to escape her family's past and to start a new life. Kathleen has been estranged from her family for 35 years, and she is torn between the need to forgive and the urge to forget. Hoping to find answers that will patch the wounds of her tattered heart and salvage her relationship with her daughter, Kathleen embarks on a journey into her family's mysterious past.

God has rewarded Hezekiah's faithfulness with great wealth and power, but the king has much more to overcome. Will his faith sustain him against the ultimate enemy?

Harriet Sherwood has always adored her grandmother. But when Harriet decides to follow her footsteps to fight for social justice, she certainly never expected her efforts to land her in jail. Nor did she expect her childhood enemy and notorious school bully, Tommy O'Reilly, to be the arresting officer.Languishing in a jail cell, Harriet has plenty of time to sift through the memories of the three generations of women who have preceded her. As each story emerges, the strength of her family--and their deep faith in the God of justice and righteousness--brings Harriet to discovery of her own goals and motives for pursuing them.

They watched their sons, their brothers, and their husbands enlist to fight a growing menace across the seas. And when their nation asked, they answered the call as well. Virginia longs to find a purpose beyond others' expectations. Helen is driven by a loneliness money can't fulfill. Rosa is desperate to flee her in-laws' rules. Jean hopes to prove herself in a man's world. Under the storm clouds of destruction that threaten America during the early 1940s, this unlikely gathering of women will experience life in sometimes startling new ways as their beliefs are challenged and they struggle toward a new understanding of what love and sacrifice truly mean.

Life in Sweden feels like an endless winter to Elin Carlson after the deaths of her parents. When circumstances become unbearable, she determines to find a safe haven for her sisters.So begins their journey to America . . . the land of dreams and second chances.But as hardship becomes their constant companion, Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia question their decision to immigrate to Chicago. Will their hopes for the future ever be realized?ONLY IN CROSSING A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS OCEAN WILL THEY FIND THE TRUE MEANING OF LOVE, FAITH, AND HOMEA Christy Award Winner

From a three-time Christy award winner, a young woman goes to Chicago to find her mother, but newly exposed to a bigger world, discovers herself.

This powerful dramatization of King Hezekiah's life and faith surges forward.

Jagten på kærlighed, tro og et hjemEfter forældrenes død føles livet i Sverige som en endeløs vinter for Elin Carlson. Onklen overtager gården og gør livet uudholdeligt for Elin. Hun beslutter sig derfor for at bringe sig selv og sine søstre i sikkerhed og tager kontakt til morens yndlingsbror, som for mange år siden rejste til Amerika.Herved begynder deres rejse til Amerika - mulighedernes land, der flyder med mælk og honning, og hvor de kan starte på en frisk. Men da vanskeligheder og problemer bliver deres trofaste følgesvend, sætter Elin, Kirsten og Sofia dog alligevel spørgsmålstegn ved beslutningen om at immigrere til Chicago.Vil deres drømme for fremtiden nogensinde gå i opfyldelse?

Gennem mere end halvtreds år har 80-årige Emma Bauer båret på en stor hemmelighed. Men da hendes barnebarns ægteskab begynder at slå revner, ser Emma de dybe spor, som hemmeligheden har trukket i hendes datters og barnebarns liv. Vil sandheden sætte fri eller skabe flere ulægelige sår?Fire kvinder i hver sin generation kæmper for troen på Gud, kærligheden og det gode liv. En stor del af kampen skyldes konsekvenserne af både deres egne og deres mødres valg.Enhver mor, søster og datter vil kunne genkende noget af sig selv i denne spændende og indsigtsfulde roman om kvinderne og deres familier i det 20. århundrede.

På flugt fra kong Manasses tyranni og afgudsdyrkelse leder Josva en lille flok gudfrygtige judæere til et nyt hjem i Egypten. Men som årene går, bliver Josvas ønske om hævn til en besættelse. Forblindet af had træffer han overilede beslutninger, der bringer hans kære i fare. Midt i Josvas følelsesmæssige kaos begynder kærligheden uventet at spire frem. Efterhånden bliver den stærk nok til at drage ham ud fra det ensomme, indre mørke, som han ofte trækker sig tilbage til. Men hvad skal der til, for at han virkelig griber den store kærlighed, som hans himmelske far har til ham – og til Judas udvalgte folk?