Tracie Peterson is the bestselling author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary, with more than 6 million copies sold. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.
Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of 30-plus years live in Colorado.
Here, Tracie and Kimberley talk about what their research process was like for these historical novels, as well as how they work together as coauthors.
FF: Please provide a brief description of An Unexpected Grace.
An Unexpected Grace is a story of second chances and trusting the Lord with your life. Both Parker and Johanna’s lives different than they expected when we first meet them. And both are wrestling with what God’s plans for their lives could possibly be. Through circumstances, good friends, faithful parents, and the love of the Lord, they learn the grace of the Lord is always constant, even when it shows up in ways they never could have imagined.
FF: An Unexpected Grace is the final book in THE JEWELLS OF KALISPELL series. Are there any threads that run through the whole series that will be wrapped up in this book?
Marvella is our favorite thread in the series. She has her part in the lives of these couples, giving each one a well-timed push toward love and the Lord. And we had a great time writing her and honoring her throughout the series and in this final book.
FF: In your novel, you blend theater history with frontier life. What inspired you to incorporate the Uncle Tom’s Cabin performances into the story?
When we went to Kalispell, we visited the McIntosh Opera House, which is no longer in operation. But the theater was rich with history and detail. In fact, the theater’s production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin was so popular when it debuted in Kalispell, people were reportedly standing in the windows to watch the show.
FF: How did performing arts and theater shape culture in early 1900s Montana? What kind of impact did traveling shows have on frontier communities?
They were a treat to be sure! Many frontier communities were poor, dependent on mines or the railroad to make a living. There was much upheaval and struggle to survive. So the opportunity to see a traveling show was a bright spot—adding joy to the communities they came through. By the time the story opens, theater is booming on the East Coast and weaving through the Midwest. And silent pictures were on the horizon. Entertainment was becoming a focal point of the culture of the USA, rather than something only available to the elite or rich.
FF: Tell us about the personal and professional challenges Johanna faces as a widowed mother running a millinery business in the 1900s.
There are always challenges, trying to support a young child and being a widow or single mother, no matter what century you live in. But for Johanna, there were not only the expectations that she marry again, but that if she were to marry, then she would give up her business. Though society was changing as to its views of women and their work in the home, it was still strange for a woman to not only work, but support her whole family. Fortunately, she’s very good at what she does and has supportive friends and family to help her in her business ventures.
FF: The theme of second chances runs throughout this story. What drew you to explore rekindled love between Parker and Johanna after a decade apart?
Who doesn’t love a second chance at love? Especially when there is so much misunderstanding and hurt. Our hearts long for reconciliation. The Lord has hard wired that into us, so that we can first be reconciled to Him. That then trickles down into how we relate to the people around us. The opportunity to also explore how God leads us and calls us—sometimes we can get so narrowly focused on what we think God has called us to, that we miss how expansive that call can be—which is what Johanna struggles with. On the flip side, we can have such grandiose ideas about God’s call on our lives that, when it doesn’t pan out the way we think it will, we find ourselves compromising or struggling as Parker does. And when those two people, who split because of these struggles, mature and come to know the Lord in a deeper way . . . and then reconnect? Well . . . sparks can fly, and love can rekindle into something beautiful.
FF: Without giving away spoilers, can you hint at some of the “strange occurrences” that create obstacles for Parker and Johanna’s relationship?
Meddlers abound and not of the Marvella variety. There is also a fair amount of manipulation and suspicious activity. But we don’t want to say too much more than that. Suffice it to say, Parker and Johanna both have to learn how to trust the Lord and each other when strange things happen.
FF: Both main characters feel strongly called to different vocations. How do you approach writing about characters wrestling with God’s purpose for their lives?
Is there anyone who hasn’t wrestled with God’s purpose for their lives? We all struggle with it in some way, shape and form. And at different parts of our lives. Wrestling with God is part of walking with Him. We always want to make sure that our characters are real, flawed, just like us. That they are coming to understand God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness, just like we need it every day. So first, it’s to look at our own lives and think about how kind the Lord has been to us—the wrestles and struggles He’s brought us through. How He has opened His word to us and write from there. Hopefully, prayerfully, it translates to our characters and inspires readers in their own walk with the Lord.
FF: Can you share some of the historical research that went into portraying life in Kalispell, Montana during this time period?
Tracie and I traveled together to Kalispell to do research. One of our favorite things was visiting each of the historic locations we used in this series. The owner of the building that houses the historic Opera House supplied us with files and files of old newspaper clippings and notes passed down through his family for this story. We visited museums and libraries and found some fascinating maps and books that helped us write this series. Be watching Kim’s website for a video of the Opera House today and other fun pictures from their research trip.
FF: This is the final book in THE JEWELS OF KALISPELL series. What do you hope readers take away from these stories of frontier life and faith?
That the Lord is faithful, and perseverance and endurance, love and laughter—they’re all part of walking with Him. And that in His goodness, He gives us community to help us come to know Him deeper and to pour our lives for others as Jesus has done for us.
FF: As co-authors, how do you collaborate to weave together the historical details, romance, and faith elements in your stories?
A huge part of our process is working together to create all story ideas, thoughts, character pictures and characteristics, plot points . . . the list goes on and on. Between phone calls, Zoom calls, in person get togethers—we have notes, documents, emails and then we put a long synopsis together. We’ve been doing this so long together that even when one of us has a life crisis, we can readily keep going. We also have amazing editors, who help us flow everything together. It really is a team effort. And we are very blessed with the team we have!
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An Unexpected Grace
The Jewels of Kalispell, Book #3
Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: May 20, 2025
Available Formats: Paperback, Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
ISBN-10: 0764239015
ISBN-13: 978-0764239014
Book Summary:
After a decade away, Parker Bennett returns home with a traveling troupe to perform a play based on Uncle Tom’s Cabin at the Kalispell Opera House. Parker has relished his life on the road, but being home awakens long-buried emotions when he encounters his first love, Johanna St. John. He can’t help but wonder if there might still be a place for him in her heart.
Widowed for three years, Johanna devotes all her time to a demanding toddler, an injured father, and a successful millinery business. After the loss of her husband, she desires to move on, but reconnecting with her past love leaves her unsure of what lies ahead. Both committed to God’s distinct calling on their lives, Johanna and Parker struggle to see how their futures can unite, and when strange things start happening around town, their second chance at a life together seems more unlikely than ever.
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