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A Time to Heal
High school sweethearts are reunited and old feeling resurface in this classic tale of love and overcoming the past from New York Times bestselling author Linda Goodnight
Only one person knows why Kat Thatcher left her Oklahoma hometown ten years ago. Why she ran to the city and became a workaholic doctor. Why she put off marriage…indefinitely. And that person is now staring her in the face on her first day back in town! Seth Washington is as handsome as ever. Way too available. And wanting to talk about the past—which Kat prefers to leave alone. Seth insists the Lord is on their side and always was. Kat’s starting to believe, but will that be enough for love?
Originally published in 2008
Only one person knows why Kat Thatcher left her Oklahoma hometown ten years ago. Why she ran to the city and became a workaholic doctor. Why she put off marriage…indefinitely. And that person is now staring her in the face on her first day back in town! Seth Washington is as handsome as ever. Way too available. And wanting to talk about the past—which Kat prefers to leave alone. Seth insists the Lord is on their side and always was. Kat’s starting to believe, but will that be enough for love?
Originally published in 2008
218 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
31 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Linda Goodnight
223 books522 followersNY Times and USA Bestseller, Linda Goodnight writes novels of faith and family that point to hope through Christ. Her emotional stories have won the RITA , the Carol, the Reviewer’s Choice, and numerous other industry awards. Her two great passions are faith in Jesus and her large extended family. (And pie. she loves pie.)
Readers may connect with Linda through her website at www.lindagoodnight.com or on Facebook.
Readers may connect with Linda through her website at www.lindagoodnight.com or on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 12, 2015
Kat is a doctor on leave who returns to her hometown of Wilson's Cove, Oklahoma. Seth is back in his hometown working in the job of lake ranger after a recent divorce. This is a sweet second chance romance between former high-school sweethearts. The characters are likable and the lakeside setting is lovely. The story is a bit slow moving at times, but it's still an enjoyable read.
February 28, 2024
DNF @ pg 40. You know a book is really bad when you have to tear a page to add THAT many dog ears to it. It's rare, but has happened... just not in a long time. Not until now.
Kat is a nasty, selfish person. She's a doctor who is on a leave of absence because she signed papers for a patient she didn't even see, and the guy died because of her signing off on him. That's BAD practice, right there. She's not innocent - she didn't do the follow-thru, and her signature was her own choice.
She goes home, where she was left a cottage by her parents (her sister got their house/business)... but apparently her BIL has rented it out at her behest. So she decides 1) to demand it back from the renter, and 2) to walk into the cabin and nose around - that's breaking and entering, hello. She's a real, REAL piece of work, I'm tellin' ya.
When the renter (her ex-boyfriend, naturally) shows up and confronts her, she says, "I should staple your smart mouth shut!" WHAT. IS. THAT!?!? I thought this was supposed to be 'Love, Inspired' - as in 'loving' and 'inspirational'???? It's neither!!
And the writing. GAH, where are the editors? Since when is a glock the biggest gun she's ever seen - having grown up in the country, near a lake? How about no!??!
On pg 37, his 'green eyes are aflame', and two paragraphs later on pg 38, 'even through his sunglasses, his gaze bored thru her'. Um... he never put sunglasses on, hello.
And the same page: "I really appreciate the invitation, Seth." and then "I don't go to church, anymore, Seth." and then "The truth is, Seth, I don't believe in anything at all." Seth, Seth, Seth... yeah, we know his name, thanks. It's BAD. WRITING.
How about pg 39: "He never wanted anything from any woman again except friendship." Is that even English? I'm not sure - it's badly phrased, weirdly worded... and I. can't. even. at this point.
Just no. I've got too many of these to get thru.
This one's going away.
Kat is a nasty, selfish person. She's a doctor who is on a leave of absence because she signed papers for a patient she didn't even see, and the guy died because of her signing off on him. That's BAD practice, right there. She's not innocent - she didn't do the follow-thru, and her signature was her own choice.
She goes home, where she was left a cottage by her parents (her sister got their house/business)... but apparently her BIL has rented it out at her behest. So she decides 1) to demand it back from the renter, and 2) to walk into the cabin and nose around - that's breaking and entering, hello. She's a real, REAL piece of work, I'm tellin' ya.
When the renter (her ex-boyfriend, naturally) shows up and confronts her, she says, "I should staple your smart mouth shut!" WHAT. IS. THAT!?!? I thought this was supposed to be 'Love, Inspired' - as in 'loving' and 'inspirational'???? It's neither!!
And the writing. GAH, where are the editors? Since when is a glock the biggest gun she's ever seen - having grown up in the country, near a lake? How about no!??!
On pg 37, his 'green eyes are aflame', and two paragraphs later on pg 38, 'even through his sunglasses, his gaze bored thru her'. Um... he never put sunglasses on, hello.
And the same page: "I really appreciate the invitation, Seth." and then "I don't go to church, anymore, Seth." and then "The truth is, Seth, I don't believe in anything at all." Seth, Seth, Seth... yeah, we know his name, thanks. It's BAD. WRITING.
How about pg 39: "He never wanted anything from any woman again except friendship." Is that even English? I'm not sure - it's badly phrased, weirdly worded... and I. can't. even. at this point.
Just no. I've got too many of these to get thru.
This one's going away.
June 24, 2022
I was enjoying this romance, until a teenage girl was chased through the woods by a pit bull and had to climb a tree to escape him. I might've been able to gloss over that, but then a few paragraphs later the girl tells her father she thought the dog was going to kill her, followed by these lines: "Kat [the heroine who is a doctor] had treated enough dog maulings to know such tragedies happened. Handled incorrectly, a pit bull was a dangerous animal."
Well, handled incorrectly, any dog can be a dangerous animal. The author could have made this dog any breed, a German Shepherd, a Rottweiler, a mixed breed/mutt. But instead she chose to perpetuate the stereotype.
I had to put the book aside and read something else for awhile. I did eventually come back to it though, and aside from it being mentioned later that the dog's owner was now keeping him chained (or maybe it was tied, I don't remember now), which made me mad because no dog should live on a chain, I did enjoy the rest of the book. If not for the dog, I would probably give it four stars.
Well, handled incorrectly, any dog can be a dangerous animal. The author could have made this dog any breed, a German Shepherd, a Rottweiler, a mixed breed/mutt. But instead she chose to perpetuate the stereotype.
I had to put the book aside and read something else for awhile. I did eventually come back to it though, and aside from it being mentioned later that the dog's owner was now keeping him chained (or maybe it was tied, I don't remember now), which made me mad because no dog should live on a chain, I did enjoy the rest of the book. If not for the dog, I would probably give it four stars.
May 20, 2023
A lovely story about taking time to heal from events in your life to take advantage of opportunities awaiting you in your future. The romance between Kat and Seth was sweet and relatable. However, it did seem to take forever for the author to reveal the key to their shared heartbreak. All of the side characters were nice to read about. However, I did feel that the mention of the Shackley family was out of place, especially when they are barely mentioned again in the rest of the story except at the conclusion; plus the whole plot point revolving around them did not help with the stigma of pitbulls. The whole thing could have easily been taken out and not mess with the overall story progression. If they were supposed to be a red herring, it was poorly conceived. Aside from that, this was a nice story to read.
June 23, 2024
He said she harbors the fantasy that he and her mother will get back together.”
“Poor kid. It’s a common fantasy for kids of divorced parents, but painful just the same.”
“Seth tends to give in to her too much, I think.”
“Another problem of divorce. The noncustodial parent feels guilty, whether warranted or not, and spoils his child because he feels she’s been hurt enough already. Divorce is an ugly mess, no way around it.”
“How do you know so much about children of divorce?” Kat asked, amused, as she took another sip of the creamy concoction.
Susan threw her hands into the air. “Dr. Phil. Where else?”
“Poor kid. It’s a common fantasy for kids of divorced parents, but painful just the same.”
“Seth tends to give in to her too much, I think.”
“Another problem of divorce. The noncustodial parent feels guilty, whether warranted or not, and spoils his child because he feels she’s been hurt enough already. Divorce is an ugly mess, no way around it.”
“How do you know so much about children of divorce?” Kat asked, amused, as she took another sip of the creamy concoction.
Susan threw her hands into the air. “Dr. Phil. Where else?”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2020
Different from most love inspired, Katherine and Seth have a history that no one else knows about. Katherine (Kat) comes home from working in hospital Emergency rooms burned out and being sued by a grieving family. Trying to decide what she is going to do now she visits her cabin only to have a gun pulled on her by Seth who is renting the cabin now. He is a ranger and police officer in the small lake town. Seth and Kat have a lot to discuss especially once his 14 year old daughter comes to spend the summer with her Dad.
October 14, 2018
A Time to Heal
This was a Christian suspense romance story. Two people who were torn apart many years ago come back to their home town for different reasons. He to get away from the hurt of a divorce. Her from the hurt of being a doctor who had seen too many deaths of children in WE settings. Both share a secret hurt of their past. But when their faith or lack of faith gets tested things change. Will it reunite them or year them apart forever?
This was a Christian suspense romance story. Two people who were torn apart many years ago come back to their home town for different reasons. He to get away from the hurt of a divorce. Her from the hurt of being a doctor who had seen too many deaths of children in WE settings. Both share a secret hurt of their past. But when their faith or lack of faith gets tested things change. Will it reunite them or year them apart forever?
April 7, 2022
Love, Second Time Around
Seth and Kat had been teenage sweethearts and had broken each others hearts. They have both returned to Wilson Cove with different agendas, Kat a doctor ready to leave medicine and Seth a game warden who has found Jesus and lives his life. Read and see if they find each other again.
Seth and Kat had been teenage sweethearts and had broken each others hearts. They have both returned to Wilson Cove with different agendas, Kat a doctor ready to leave medicine and Seth a game warden who has found Jesus and lives his life. Read and see if they find each other again.
June 12, 2020
Didnt really like this one. Alicia and her friends were reallly awful people. Terrorized this poor woman just because she didnt want daddy to marry again. definitely will not read it again and do not recommend it
December 12, 2017
3.5/5
A well-told and balanced story on the whole. Not terribly exciting, but a pleasant and thoughtful little read.
A well-told and balanced story on the whole. Not terribly exciting, but a pleasant and thoughtful little read.
May 23, 2012
This book started out good, and on a whole was written well. The story line was a great one, but for me, there wasn't enough drama. It was a little too slow paced and not enough conflict between the two main characters. But hey, that's just my opinion.
April 24, 2016
Dr Kat Thatcher has come home to heal after a lawsuit filed with her name on it. Seth Washington is back in town after a divorce. Will the two high school sweet hearts find romance again after all these years, or will their secrets keep them from each other?
November 10, 2008
Pretty good meaningful entertainment
April 6, 2010
this book is good. i love it.
August 27, 2012
enjoyablel
June 8, 2013
The goodness of God no matter the situation or misgivings of people shines through in this special tale of love lost and found.
August 6, 2013
Love Inspired novel. A good sweet romance with no heat.
February 26, 2014
Good, simple romance, easy reading, nothing special, but certainly an enjoyable love story.
December 29, 2014
Doesn't matter how much we fight it
When we have a problem, it all comes back to getting with God about it and letting His healing take over the hurting places.
When we have a problem, it all comes back to getting with God about it and letting His healing take over the hurting places.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews