Leisha Kelly Books In Order

Publication Order of Country Road Chronicles / Wortham Family Books

Publication Order of Tahn Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Leisha Kelly

Leisha Kelly was an American author of inspirational fiction books best known for her three-book series Wortham Family series, Tahn series, and Wortham Family series.

Leisha worked as a waitress, a café manager, and a library board in her local library before she went into full-time writing. Her faith in God is evident throughout her works, and aside from writing about Him, she also served in her local church until her untimely death. Through her books, Leisha was able to teach strong Christian values without coming out as preachy, and through her characters, she shows what it means to be a Christian in a world full of challenges and events that are way beyond our control.

Before her untimely death in 2011, Leisha Kelly lived in Adams County, Illinois, with her husband and two children. Amazingly, her work continues to enjoy quite a readership many years after her death. This can primarily be attributed to the fact that throughout her work, she is able to blend history and Christian fiction into beautiful stories that are both informative and inspiring. Leisha’s novels are evidence that she was a talented writer of faith who believed that God could be trusted to take care of our needs, whatever the season. Leisha Kelly wrote Than Dorn Trilogy under the pen name L.A. Kelly.

Julia’s Hope

Julia’s hope book is the first of the Wortham family series. It’s set in the early 1930s, a difficult time in history where job loss and harsh living conditions were the order of the day. We meet Samuel Wortham, a man struggling with job loss and providing for his family. It does not help that his wife, Julia, has also lost her inheritance, and the family has little if anything to live on.

The story kicks with as the family is trying to hitch a ride to Illinois from Pennsylvania in the hope of finding a job. A sudden storm sees the family seeking shelter in what looks like an abandoned house. The family spends the night in the house, and Julia feels oddly at home in this shelter even though she had just spent a few hours in it. Just as they are about to hit the road the following morning, Julia insists that they find the house owner. Despite her husband’s objections, she is determined to find the owner of the abandoned house. Their search leads them to Emma Graham, a warm and kind soul who makes arrangements for the family to live in her home. Emma’s generosity only solves one of the Wortham’s problems. Many of their neighbors are not as kind as Emma, and even though there is a roof over their heads, this family struggles as Sam has no means to provide for the family. However, Julia finds a way to live off the land thanks to the lessons she learned from her beloved grandmother. Her efforts bear fruits when she can offer a decent life for her family. Throughout this book, God shows himself by availing all the things this family needed to survive. He manages to show up at the right time, and the family knows that it only through believes in God that they can afford to live comfortably.

To thank Emma for her generosity, the Wortham family offers to bring Emma to live with them on their farm. Emma is disabled, but the Wortham family is ready to take care of this old lady despite her condition. Julia’s Hope story is nothing but heartwarming. While the Wortham family encounters one challenge after another, their faith in God sees them overcoming and thriving even under challenging conditions. Emma also teaches this family an invaluable lesson on unconditional love and giving generously. Emma’s actions change the Wortham family for good and offer them a second chance to a decent life amidst all the challenges they encounter.

Rachael’s Prayer

This is the second book in the Country Chronicles series. The book is a continuation of the tale of the Wortham and Hammond family and their struggles as they went through the depression. These two families have a deep faith in God, and the book paints a picture of the families’ journeys of faith. Can these families find peace amidst all that is happening around them? Is it normal that they have a hard time seeing God’s purpose in the chaos that seems to always catch up with their families?

The Wortham family has been tried and tested through illness, injury, and loss, and as the war approaches, it is evident that this family will again be put to the test. At the start of the war, a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor sees Robert, a part of the Wortham family and Willy Hammond’s sons enlisting.
As Robert goes to war, his girlfriend Rachael and the rest of the family are worried about their loved ones and the kind of fate that awaits them as the war progresses. Despite the worries, the family has deep faith in God, and this faith has seen them overcome all the challenges they have encountered as a family. Rachael comes up with a prayer that moves everyone who comes into contact with it.

Rachael’s prayer is a story of courage and faith amid the Second World War. It shows how the community can overcome great grief and maintain their face in the face of adversity. The characters in this book are so relatable. Their doubts and fears show the human side. The book covers a few hard topics that many encounters but do not share with the world. The book also offers a few historical insights and an overview of events that happened many years back.
From the story, it is also easy to understand the challenges that most American families went through during and after the war. Many families lost their loved ones, which mean that many families were left with deep wounds that took years to heal. In the true American spirit, many families took care of each other despite the despair around them.

One Response to “Leisha Kelly”

1. Barbara Cefola: 2 years ago

   I absolutely loved reading Leisha Kelly’s books. My house & yard work got behind, because I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her books. I really wished there was a movie or a tv series made from them. We truly lost a very gifted writer.
   Now to get the last few of her bookss.

   Reply