First, a trigger warning.
The prologue of Restoration shows trainee nurse Ashley McClure in the immediate aftermath of her being raped by her boyfriend, a doctor. If that is something you’d rather avoid reading, you can safely skip to Chapter One without missing any key plot points.
Having said that, Ashley’s journey as a character is (as the title implies) is her restoration following the assault.
It’s a tough topic, yet the author handles it with grace and sensitivity, and in a way that feels realistic and incorporates Christianity in a realistic yet positive light.
Restoration is the third book in Kirsty Werner’s Tulsa Town Romance series. I haven’t read the first two, but didn’t think I’d missed out on anything.
Ashley is now a SANE—Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner—working in the Emergency Department at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, where she meets Officer Ryan Stone of the Tulsa Police Department. He’s handsome and interested in her, but she believes no man would be interested if they knew what had happened to her.
Ryan can tell something has happened to Ashley which has caused her recitence, but he is determined to pursue a relationship with her, no matter how long it takes. He’s a perfect romance hero, and perfect for Ashley. He’s a strong Christian who exemplifies faith, hope, love, patience, self-control and probably a few other virtues as well.
Ashley is a competent and compassionate nurse and SANE, not least because she knows the trauma her patients have endured.
Restoration is a strong story of recovery and restoration.
It doesn’t cut corners or minimise the emotional pain and trauma of assault. It also shows how God can heal—when we allow Him to work. It’s also a beautiful slow-burn romance …
Did I mention that Ryan is possibly a perfect romance hero?
Recommended for contemporary Christian romance fans.
About Kristy Werner
Kristy Werner is an award-winning author originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the setting of her Tulsa Town Romance series. She aced her art and drama classes in high school, has a hard-earned bachelor’s in Zoology from Oklahoma State University, and now works at her local bank producing an extreme amount of paperwork.
After graduating two children into the world, she discovered her love for putting words onto paper, took up residence on her couch, and wrote her first novel. She currently resides in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where she aims to change the world one clean romance at a time.
Find Kristy Werner online at:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest
About Restoration
One date gone wrong, and Ashley McClure became a victim.
Seven years later, as a nurse and sexual assault examiner, she gathers evidence against other assailants, hoping to make up for letting hers get away. She wants to fall in love like every other girl, but with her past, no man would have her.
Ryan Stone tanked an undercover operation that left people wounded. He strives each day to be a better cop, but no matter his accomplishments, they aren’t enough to eradicate the stain of guilt.
When Ashley and Ryan are invited to the same dinner party, he pursues, but she’s frightened of giving her heart away. Can Ryan use what he’s learned from his mistakes to be the man Ashley needs? Can Ashley overcome her past trauma and let Ryan love her?
