Tomorrow’s Lasting Joy (2023)

About the Book

Book: Tomorrow’s Lasting Joy

Author: Naomi Rawlings

Genre: Christian Historical Romance; Western Romance

Release Date: April 24, 2023

His pa named him Cain because his birth was a curse… but what happens when he’s the only one who can save the town?

Anna Mae Harding never thought getting married would be so hard. It’s not that she hasn’t had any offers. On the contrary, it seems like someone is always asking her to be his wife. The trouble is, she up and fell in love with the wrong man years ago, and no matter how much she tries to forget him, no one else she’s met has measured up.

Texas Ranger Cain Whitelaw is happy to leave the town where he grew up behind him forever. Being around his childhood friends stirs up too many old feelings—feelings that are best left buried beneath the cracked desert dirt. The hardest part is seeing Anna Mae Harding. Each time he looks at her, he gets a hankering to sweep her off her feet and carry her to the church for a surprise wedding. But he had too rough of a childhood—and has seen too many things as a Ranger—to ever become a family man. That’s why he’s better off shaking the dust of Twin Rivers from his worn boots and never returning.

When one of Cain’s enemies sets his sights on Twin Rivers and threatens both Anna Mae and his friends, Cain finds himself not only returning home, but facing a choice between his duty to the Rangers and the closest thing he has to a family. And he’s not quite sure who will survive the outcome…

From jagged mountains and green river valleys, to cattle ranches and vivid sunsets, Tomorrow’s Lasting Joy offers a powerful story about loyalty, love, and the bonds that hold us together through the deepest of trials.

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My Thoughts

I have been waiting for Anna Mae and Cain’s story since book 1, Tomorrow’s First Light. I immediately picked up on their attraction and intense chemistry, and Cain’s fear of commitment. I will always be a sucker for a good Romance where a hero or heroine has to overcome the notion that they are not good enough. I don’t know what you call this trope, but it is one of my favorites and Rawlings absolutely hit this one out of the park. I was engaged in Tomorrow’s Lasting Joy the entire time and hated having to put this book down. Twice, I read WAY past my bedtime (my husband actually scolded me because I had work early the next morning…LOL!). This story has it all: a beautiful, strong, and independent heroine who does actually need saving at the start of the story; a fearsome, powerful, and courageous hero who puts his life on the line in order to save innocent life; a seriously creepy, ugly-hearted villain; best friends who always have each other’s backs; and, a pretty desert setting that becomes a character in and of itself. And the adventure is non-stop. A reader cannot get bored with this fantastic story!

I liked a lot of things about this book. This was another story where my Kindle copy is full of highlights and comments. If I had to choose, I would say my favorite discussion point is on the topic of being like Jonah from the Bible. Jonah was given a mission by God and he didn’t like it one bit. So Jonah decided to run away. It didn’t work out so well for him. In this story, the heroine, Anna Mae, has an issue. I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t tell you what the issue is, but I will say it is big enough of a problem that it forces Anna Mae to consider leaving the only home she’s ever known, her family, and all of her loyal friends. Ana Mae digs her heals in and stubbornly fights this potential move with every fiber of her body. But then she gets to a point where she says to herself, “Maybe [the move] was a bit like Nineveh, and she was something like Jonah. She had no desire to [move], no desire to be married to a Ranger. But if that was the path God was leading her down, then she needed to trust that He would work out the rest” (Loc. 6083). I absolutely love this very thought-provoking sentiment. I mean, how many times did I dig my heels in because I didn’t want to do something, and then lost out on something potentially amazing because I wanted my way, not God’s. It really makes a girl rethink some of her choices from throughout her life.

I am sad that my time with the heroes and heroines of the Texas Promise series has come to an end. Every book in this series has been wonderful, but this final installment is my favorite. If you are a fan of well-written, high-action Westerns with great messaging then you have to check this book out ASAP!

***Recommendation*** Tomorrow’s Lasting Joy can easily be read as a standalone novel; however, I personally feel that to get the best reading experience you should read Tomorrow’s First Light first.

I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from the author, Naomi Rawlings, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.