Mercy's Rain by Cindy K. Sproles

★★★★★

Mercy Roller knows her name is a lie: there has never been any mercy in her young life. Raised by a twisted and abusive father who called himself the Pastor, she was abandoned by the church community that should have stood together to protect her from his evil. Her mother, consumed by her own fear and hate, won't stand her ground to save Mercy either.

The Pastor has robbed Mercy of innocence and love, a husband and her child. Not a single person seems capable of standing up to the Pastor's unrestrained evil. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands.

Her heart was hardened to love long before she took on the role of judge, jury, and executioner of the Pastor. She just didn't realize the retribution she thought would save her, might turn her into the very thing she hated most.

Sent away by her angry and grieving mother, Mercy's path is unclear until she meets a young preacher headed to counsel a pregnant couple. Sure that her calling is to protect the family, Mercy is drawn into a different life on the other side of the mountain where she slowly discovers true righteousness has nothing evil about it – and that there might be room for her own stained and shattered soul to find shelter…and even love.

Mercy's Rain is a remarkable historical novel set in 19th century Appalachia that traces the thorny path from bitterness to forgiveness and reveals the victory and strength that comes from simple faith.

Cindy K. Sproles offers a beautiful story in her novel, Mercy’s Rain. It did begin a bit slowly and, at first, had me wondering how well I would like it. However, the narration quickly sucked me into both the time and place, in addition to the story. Sproles’ narrator, Mercy Roller, is an willful and admirable character grounded in her Appalachian roots, completely broken by her past and uncertain of her future. She progresses through the story, learning how to heal and trust, offer forgiveness, accept love and have faith. An overall extraordinary and engaging story, Mercy’s Rain is worth a read for fans of historical fiction. I recommend it - once picked up, it;s a hard book to put down.

Thanks to Kregel Publications, I received a copy of Mercy’s Rain and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.