Cherished Mercy by Tracie Peterson

This third book in the Heart of the Frontier series is just as good as the rest of them.
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Mercy Flanagan is one of three sisters who survived the infamous Whitman Massacre, where Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa, along with eleven others, were killed by Cayuse Indians in Oregon territory. The oldest sister, Grace, has married and has children. Hope, who was raped by a Cayuse, has married a former Army officer. She still deals with the trauma of having a baby by her rapist, although she gave the baby girl up for adoption.

Mercy, the youngest, was not physically harmed by the raiders, but she witnessed horrors that no child should ever have to face. True to her name, Mercy harbors no resentment toward all Indians. In fact, she wants to find a way to help whites and natives make peace.

Eletta and Isaac, the couple who adopted Hope's daughter Faith, live in another settlement and send word that they need someone to help them. Eletta is not well and needs help caring for Faith. Since there's some news of warring tribes in the area, everyone expresses concerns about Mercy going there. But, she goes anyway. She meets Isaac's brother Adam, who wants to be a missionary to the Indians. He had attended Harvard and was engaged to the sister of one of his classmates---until it was revealed that he had Indian blood. The engagement was called off, and Adam left Harvard, coming west to help his brother at his mission. He likes Mercy, but he's reluctant to encourage her to like him.

The conflict between the whites and Indians gets worse, and Mercy ends up in a siege situation along with Adam and some others at the mission. It's a great story of faith, love, and forgiveness. Through faith, Mercy conquers her fear and anger over the massacre. She relies on God to guide her in difficult situations. Adam is the perfect partner for her, and she helps guide Hope to accepting Faith into the family.

I never heard of the Whitman massacre before I read this series. These books have made me want to know more about the relations between settlers and natives. So many mistakes on both sides. Again, I recommend this book and the other two in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. 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  : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”