Review: ‘Turn To Me’ by Becky Wade

**About The Book**
**His promise will cost him far more than he imagined.**

Guilt has defined Luke Dempsey’s life, but it was self-destructiveness that landed him in prison. When his friend and fellow inmate lay dying shortly before Luke’s release, the older man revealed he left a string of clues for his daughter, Finley, that will lead her to the treasure he’s hidden. Worried that she won’t be the only one pursuing the treasure, he gains Luke’s promise to protect her until the end of her search.

Spunky and idealistic, Finley Sutherland is the owner of an animal rescue center and a defender of lost causes. She accepts Luke’s help on the treasure hunt while secretly planning to help him in return–by coaxing him to embrace the forgiveness he’s long denied himself.

As they draw closer to the final clue, their reasons for resisting each other begin to crumble, and Luke realizes his promise will push him to the limit in more ways than one. He’ll do his best to shield Finley from unseen threats, but who’s going to shield him from losing his heart?

About Becky Wade
Becky is the Christy and Carol award-winning author of swoon-worthy inspirational romances laced with mystery.
She loves to connect with readers via her web site at http://www.beckywade.com, via her Facebook author page at http://www.Facebook.com/AuthorBeckyWade, or via Instagram at http://www.Instagram/BeckyWadeWriter
During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since!
Becky lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children. You’ll find her power-walking her neighborhood while dictating scenes, reading, chatting with friends on Voxer, planning her next trip, watching TV with her Cavalier spaniel on her lap, or rummaging in her pantry for chocolate.

https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/405425

**My Rating: 5 Stars!**
‘He’d never been so alone. Never been so aware he was not enough.’

When I read a Becky Wade book, I am completely transported into the world within its pages. With each book I read, and I’ve read all her books, some twice, some three times, I am aware that this is a book I want to reread again. They all sit on my shelves. Always will.

Wade has a unique ability to make me totally feel each character, along with their heartache, pain, struggles, and joy. And her spiritual thread is incredibly powerful to watch unfold in her characters’ lives.

I’ve been waiting for Luke Dempsey’s story, the last one of the Miracle Five, the one who wanted to totally distance himself from everyone who ever cared about him. And he has done a good job of that until now. He needs to fulfill a promise he made, and he finds himself on Finley Sutherland’s doorstep, at her animal rescue. He wants to be there to fulfill the promise he made to her dad in prison, but he doesn’t want to be there. He wants to be somewhere else. But God has another plan. Isn’t that just like Him? Wade has totally and completely created a powerful character in this man, one of the best book heroes ever. She did the same with Finley’s character. I loved her spunk and ability to see the good around her. I just plain loved everything about this book. It most definitely will get read again. And it’s going on my top reads list for 2022.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion expressed in this book is entirely my own.

**Publisher: Bethany House**
**Publication Date: May 3, 2022**
**Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LWSDW7M/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1**

Question and answer with Becky Wade:

Q&A with Becky Wade about Turn to Me

Please provide a brief summary of your new novel, Turn to Me. In the final moments before his death, Finley Sutherland’s father tells Luke Dempsey that he left the first in a series of treasure hunt clues in his will for his daughter. He asks Luke to protect her until the treasure hunt is complete. Luke, an ex-Con, agrees. However, soon after he goes to work at Finley’s animal rescue charity, he starts to fall for the idealistic, dark-haired beauty. He begins to wonder. Is he tough enough to protect her from danger? And if so, who’s going to protect him from losing his heart? At the beginning of the novel, Finley’s father is incarcerated with Luke. Can you tell us about the nature of Finley’s relationship with her father? Finley’s an only child, born to a single father when he was in his fifties. She became the greatest joy of his life. He loved her with fiery devotion, and she loved him just as deeply in return. Turn to Meis a contemporary romance novel, but it also has a mystery thread. What challenge did you experience when incorporating both of these elements into your story? Balance was a challenge! I consider myself a romance writer first and foremost. So, on one hand, I didn’t want the mystery to overshadow the love story. On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoy driving the plot of my stories forward with a big story question. In Turn to Methe story question is, “What’s waiting at the end of the treasure hunt?” I ended up using that question as the tie that binds Finley and Luke together long enough for them to fall in love. Through the experiences of your male protagonist, Luke Dempsey, this story engages themes of redemption and letting go of what is behind us. Can you elaborate on that? Luke’s younger brother died when he was fourteen and, ever since, he’s blamed himself. His guilt and grief set him on a path of rebellious self-destruction until, eventually, he landed imprison. When Turn to Me begins, he’s been out of prison for months and he’s determined to make a new, clean start. The events of the novel give him both an opportunity to meet the God of redemption and to release the guilt that has strangled him for so long. In your opinion, what are the essential elements that all great love stories must have?1) Romantic conflict. The reason why the couple can’t be together is the linchpin that forces them to face obstacles, to overcome, to sacrifice for their relationship. 2) A hero and heroine who are ideally suited to each other. They can be complete opposites and still complement one another in wonderful ways.

Read an Excerpt

Finley Sutherland’s father had left her several things in his will, the most surprising of which was a clue. “But… I don’t understand,” she said to Rosco Horton, attorney-at-law. “Your father planned a treasure hunt for you.” Mr. Horton leaned forward over his impressive potbelly, huffing at the exertion, to extend a white envelope to her across his desk. “He stipulated that you be presented with this, the first clue in the treasure hunt, at the reading of his will. “She accepted the envelope, instantly recognizing her father’s handwriting and the thick flow of black ink from his favorite fountain pen. For Finley, he’d written on the outside. “He asks that you store the envelope in a safe location,”Mr. Horton said, “and wait until the morning of your next birthday to open it. When is your next birthday?” “January.” “Do you think you can resist peeking until then? ”Absolutely.” It felt sacrilegious to even consider violating request left for her in her dad’s will.