Thank you in advance to the author, Victoria Bylin, and JustRead Publicity Tours for providing an advanced review copy. A positive review was not required, all words are my own.

I was not familiar with the author’s work prior to this, so she is a “new-to-me” author.

While this is the second book in the “Road to Refuge” series, it easily acts as a standalone, though readers might enjoy reading the other book, “When He Found Me” prior to this one.

When I read the description for this book, I was really curious about it. Right off the cover is cute and whimsical like this is going to be one of those “cute” romance reads.

It is and it isn’t. That’s what is interesting about this. This is a clean read and has a deep Christian Faith/religious tone to it. There are bible quotes in the headers of some chapters. Daisy’s faith is a huge part of her character and also part of the story. There are no sex scenes, while an affair is mentioned the “action” takes place off page.

Some “content” and/or “trigger” warnings will include:

** Opiod Addiction
** Drug Addiction
** Alcoholism
** Suicide
** Abortion
** Sexual Assault
** PTSD
** Extramarital Affair (mentioned)


In addition to being about recovery (in more than one way), there are also themes of redemption, healing, and facing new challenges. Bylin also tackles the new age of online dating and dating apps with a realistic, though challenging approach.

The main characters are:

** Daisy (Shane’s sister) – Sober and free of alcohol, she is trying to put her life back together. Deeply rooted in her faith and belief in Jesus, she still battles her demons

** Rafe Donovan (Jesse’s brother) – While he has “some” Christian beliefs, he is reluctant to firmly commit his life to God; happens to fall in love with Daisy

** Joan – a former TV actress who is looking to give her home away to a worthy cause since she leaves behind no husband, children, or grand-children. Was deeply in love with her married co-star, Trey, even after the affair ended

** Chelsea – single mom of Hannah. One of Daisy’s friends from Los Angeles. Stops in Refuge, Wyoming on her way to Michigan. Desperate not to be lonely, she takes to dating apps to find men

These four characters balance the story out. Told in third person, except for Joan’s reflection, the reader sees the dynamics of the relationships as well as the difference between the social setting of the 1970’s and today.

Daisy and Rafe don’t exactly hit it off on their first meeting – but, their “second” encounter is less stressful.

Daisy finally lands a good job working with Joan as an assistant. Joan, who is not only trying to write a “memoir” about the land, she is trying to sort through worthy charities to leave the ranch to. Daisy loves her job – and on the day of the interview – it is there she sees the kindness in Rafe.

Despite Rafe’s temporary status, he falls for Daisy. His approach to romance, for some, might seem old-fashioned. Yet, given everything Daisy has been through, it is a slow and sweet approach to gain her trust. Daisy appreciates his slowness and decides to take a chance on him.

From there, the romance is at a steady pace, not rushed or hurried. Rafe’s consideration of Daisy is admirable, if nothing short of chivalrous. There’s only two problems – his lack of faith and Geography.

Daisy wants to make her home and set down roots in Refuge, while Rafe wants to get back to the big city. Yet, each one starts to re-think what they want.

Chelsea, despite her divorce and what her friend has been through (and numerous warnings), has no problems with the world of dating apps. After Rafe and Daisy set up a date with Jesse, that fizzles, Chelsea takes to the apps to find her Mr. Right. Only she finds several Mr. “Wrongs” – three in a row no less. The last one proving to be dangerous.

Joan’s reflection on her own “affair” and how she handled her personal beliefs back in the early 1970’s, causes her to be the conscious and guiding hand that Daisy needs.

In the midst of this, Daisy’s brother (introduced in the first book) is getting married to MJ (also from the first book), a single mom.

Joan’s experience guides Daisy into finding and listening to God’s suggestion. Plaguing Daisy – choosing comfort and security over love. Joan has her regrets, but feels blessed by her experience. Her grace, tenacity, and benevolence are beautiful to witness.

I enjoyed watching Rafe slowly come around to seeing what his brother and Daisy saw. It wasn’t an “epiphany”, but a deep understanding and realization. Yet, his “stay or go home” conflict remains throughout the story, only being solved at the end (last few pages to be exact).

Joan’s lesson and advice for Daisy (and the reader as well) could be best compared to the “Serenity Prayer”:

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change what I can,
And, the wisdom to know the difference

Using Chelsea’s traumatic event at the end, Daisy and the reader, see that sometimes a place like Refuge isn’t to hide away, but to recover so one can move on to the next stage of their life. The work we’re sometimes called to do can be done from anywhere – both Rafe and Daisy see this throughout their journey of the “geography” challenge.

Bylin also has another message in the book – new challenges and how God directs us to them or puts them in our way. Not necessarily to punish us, but test us, as well as prepare us.

Of the four characters; I enjoyed Rafe, Daisy, and Joan. While Chelsea had a good heart, I was frustrated with her. The writer leaves the rest of Chelsea’s story at the beginning of the last chapter. I’m hoping that we get to see Chelsea’s story continue in the next book.

Written in a non-rushed pace, that keeps the reader interested, this was hard to walk away from. Despite it being over 350 pages, I found it a quick read. Most 350 page books take at least three (3) to four (4) days. This took less than 36 hours to read.

The title, “A Gift to Cherish” comes from something Joan tells Daisy in chapter 32, close to the end. The gift is “grace” because it came at a cost, albeit different ones, to both of them.

This is definitely a heart-breaking, endearing, yet sweet story. It even had an element of suspense at the end.

I did enjoy this read and very glad I was able to get a review copy.
I’m sure fans of the author will enjoy the story, particularly fans of the first book.

Anyone looking for a read of this type will likely enjoy it as well. ( )

A Gift to Cherish continues the story of Daisy Riley that was introduced in the first book in Victoria Bylin’s Road to Refuge series. Daisy is on the other side of an abusive relationship and safe in Refuge, Wyoming. This novel is a contemporary romance of the best kind. Its focus is on relationships — the good, the bad, and the ugly! With endearing characters and true-to-life issues, A Gift to Cherish is a recommended read.

The book centers on the relationship between Daisy and Rafe Donovan. Rafe is in Refuge to find peace from his nightmares. A big-city cop, he is always on alert and in protection mode. His and Daisy’s romance is sweet, but not without conflicts and problems. I loved how they sought what was best not only for themselves, but what was best for each other. There are other relationships represented as well. Joan, Daisy’s boss and mentor, provides counsel to Daisy, and I loved how Bylin reveals to the reader the source of her hard won wisdom. Chelsea, Daisy’s roommate, is an example of finding love in all the wrong places. The three women’s stories are great examples of what can be oh so right and what can be oh so wrong between men and women.

While A Gift to Cherish can be read as a standalone, I think you really should begin with book 1, When He Found Me, in order to understand just where Daisy has been and why she makes the decisions she does. Fans of contemporary romance with heart and soul will love this inspirational novel.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

Victoria Bylin returns to Refuge, Wyoming with familiar characters and some new ones. While A Gift to Cherish works fine as a stand alone book, I highly recommend reading When He Found Me first. Not only is it an excellent story, it tells more of Daisy’s story.

Daisy and Rafe are both in Refuge trying to heal. While Daisy has found her place with family, Rafe is visiting his brother for a visit while he’s on leave from the Cincinnati PD. From the first time these two characters meet, we see Rafe’s protectiveness and understanding of Daisy’s fear.

I also enjoyed the addition of Joan’s romance and the emphasis on the need for caution when it comes to falling for someone you know little about. This is highlighted even more with the dating app aspect.

Bylin creates flawed and relatable characters who face difficult life decisions while tackling the difficult subjects of PTSD, abuse, and affairs. Together, Rafe and Daisy learn to lean into God, compromise, and have honest conversations. I couldn’t help but root for them to reach their HEA.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )

A Gift to Cherish is the second book in Victoria Bylin’s Road to Refuge series. It can definitely be a stand alone novel, but it was fun to revisit some of the characters from the first book, When He Found Me. I enjoyed traveling back to the town of Refuge, Wyoming and meeting some new residents. Rafe Donovan is a caring, courageous hero who is troubled by PTSD from his past and is in Refuge helping his brother with his construction business while trying to recover. Daisy Riley has a troubled past complicated by abuse and violence, but she is an admirable heroine as she tries to turn her life around. I loved the interaction between the two characters and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow.

Bylin isn’t afraid to tackle some tough subjects, PTSD, abuse, online dating hazards, addiction recovery, but she does so with sensitivity and compassion. A Gift to Cherish is a beautiful story of forgiveness, redemption, personal growth, hope, and courage. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author. Her books are always compelling and inspiring.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own ( )

Author Victoria Bylin has a special gift for infusing inspirational contemporary romance with perfectly imperfect characters and compelling story lines that don't shy away from Life's complications. "A Gift to Cherish", Book 2 in her "Road to Refuge Series", is the story of a man and woman, both no strangers to violence, and each struggling to find sure footing on the path to ultimate faith, whose lives connect in the small town of Refuge, Wyoming. Rafe Donovan has been haunted for years by the death of his sweetheart, Kara, whom he could not save from the ravages of addiction. Taking a temporary leave from the Cincinnati police department, he heads to Refuge to help his brother, Jesse, with his construction business. Daisy Riley, a survivor of abuse and assault, leaves Los Angeles behind in her rear view mirror and makes a permanent move to Refuge to be close to her brother and his family. Seeking security and a fresh start, Daisy longs for a job beyond waitressing that will allow her to use her newly-learned office skills. Rafe and Daisy first meet when he helps her fix a flat tire. He is immediately interested in her, but she is quite wary of men due to the nightmare of a near-fatal attack by her former boyfriend. They meet again when Daisy is hired as a personal assistant by Miss Joan Prescott, who is renovating her historic family ranch home, Cottonwood Acres, and Rafe's brother's company is doing the building work. As time passes, with the help of Miss Joan as matchmaker, Daisy and Rafe will get to know more about each other, and friendship and attraction will grow between them. However, they are on different pages when it comes to spiritual matters. Daisy continues to embrace her faith as a lifeline and a source of strength to deal with trying circumstances. Rafe somewhat skirts the issue--unlike his brother, a former substance abuser with a troubled past, he has not found spiritual solace and the comfort of redeeming hope. While Daisy is happily planting roots in Refuge, Rafe yearns to return to his life as a big-city lawman in Cincinnati. Would their differences and the distance between them be too great to sustain a lasting, loving relationship? Can they find common ground and learn to trust in each other and the affirmation of abiding faith? I really loved Daisy and Rafe's story, and I also greatly enjoyed learning about Miss Joan's personal history. "Road to Refuge" is a beautifully-written inspirational contemporary romance series, and I highly recommend reading the first book, "When He Found Me", and then following up with "A Gift to Cherish". Author Victoria Bylin has a special gift for infusing inspirational contemporary romance with perfectly imperfect characters and compelling story lines that don't shy away from Life's complications. "A Gift to Cherish", Book 2 in her "Road to Refuge Series", is the story of a man and woman, both no strangers to violence, and each struggling to find sure footing on the path to ultimate faith, whose lives connect in the small town of Refuge, Wyoming. Rafe Donovan has been haunted for years by the death of his sweetheart, Kara, whom he could not save from the ravages of addiction. Taking a temporary leave from the Cincinnati police department, he heads to Refuge to help his brother, Jesse, with his construction business. Daisy Riley, a survivor of abuse and assault, leaves Los Angeles behind in her rear view mirror and makes a permanent move to Refuge to be close to her brother and his family. Seeking security and a fresh start, Daisy longs for a job beyond waitressing that will allow her to use her newly-learned office skills. Rafe and Daisy first meet when he helps her fix a flat tire. He is immediately interested in her, but she is quite wary of men due to the nightmare of a near-fatal attack by her former boyfriend. They meet again when Daisy is hired as a personal assistant by Miss Joan Prescott, who is renovating her historic family ranch home, Cottonwood Acres, and Rafe's brother's company is doing the building work. As time passes, with the help of Miss Joan as matchmaker, Daisy and Rafe will get to know more about each other, and friendship and attraction will grow between them. However, they are on different pages when it comes to spiritual matters. Daisy continues to embrace her faith as a lifeline and a source of strength to deal with trying circumstances. Rafe somewhat skirts the issue--unlike his brother, a former substance abuser with a troubled past, he has not found spiritual solace and the comfort of redeeming hope. While Daisy is happily planting roots in Refuge, Rafe yearns to return to his life as a big-city lawman in Cincinnati. Would their differences and the distance between them be too great to sustain a lasting, loving relationship? Can they find common ground and learn to trust in each other and the affirmation of abiding faith? I really loved Daisy and Rafe's story, and I also greatly enjoyed learning about Miss Joan's personal history. "Road to Refuge" is a beautifully-written inspirational contemporary romance series, and I highly recommend reading the first book, "When He Found Me", and then following up with "A Gift to Cherish". Victoria Bylin has a wonderful, unique storytelling style that is both and involving and uplifting.

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