Review: The Promise of Dawn by Lauraine Snelling

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Book 1 in the Under Northern Skies series

Synopsis

When Signe, her husband, Rune, and their three boys arrive in Minnesota from Norway to help a relative clear his land of lumber, they dream of owning their own farm and building a life in the New World. But Uncle Einar and Aunt Gird are hard, demanding people, and Signe and her family soon find themselves worked nearly to the bone in order to repay the cost of their voyage. At this rate, they will never have land or a life of their own.

Signe tries to trust God but struggles with anger and bitterness. She has left behind the only life she knew, and while it wasn't an easy life, it wasn't as hard as what she now faces. When a new addition to the family arrives, Signe begins to see how God has been watching over them throughout their ordeal. But after all that has happened, can she still believe in the promise of a bright future?

My Review

This book is about work, work, and more work. I would have thought that the descriptions of the never-ending tasks that fell to Signe would have lost my interest, but I was actually fascinated. It was like Little House on the Prairie for adults. The author skillfully and subtly wove in the myriad of emotions Signe felt, including frustration, compassion, exhaustion, loyalty, motherly love, humor, and exasperation. I couldn't help but admire her work ethic and dedication. It made me take a good hard look at myself and my own housekeeping habits! When it seemed that nothing would change in Gird and Einar, the dynamics began to shift ever so slightly and then more quickly, and I loved the direction the story went. There's not much romance, but we do see the love, support, and admiration Rune and Signe have for each other in subtle ways. So many rich themes in this book are subtle, and it was heartwarming to see the patience and efforts of Rune and Signe pay off in the end. I'm looking forward to the next book in the Under Northern Skies series!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

SEASONS OF GRACE Sweepstakes!

In bestselling author Lauraine Snelling's new novel, To Everything A Season, the tight-knit town of Blessing, North Dakota faces change and challenge at every turn.

In the middle of the maelstrom is young Trygve Knutson. He's devoted to his family and his community, but he sometimes dreams of other horizons--especially since meeting Miriam Hastings.
Miriam is in Blessing with one goal: to complete her training as a nurse, and get back to Chicago to support her siblings and her ailing mother.  But the town of Blessing has a way of drawing in the most reluctant visitor, and soon Miriam's attachment to Trygve and his family has her questioning her entire future.

To celebrate the release of this heart-warming novel, Bethany House and author Lauraine Snelling are pleased to present the SEASONS OF GRACE Sweepstakes. This sweepstakes features three special prizes, each closely connected to the book:  One prize to sweep you back into history, one prize to enable you to give to someone else, and one prize to help you celebrate a little of the story's romance, in your own home.
 
This giveaway starts October 14, 2014 and ends November 3, 2014 @ 11:59 pm (PST). Entry is open to US residents only, age 18 and over. Winners will be selected Tuesday November 4, 2014, and announced at laurainesnelling.com.
     
GRAND PRIZE:

RED RIVER RAILWAY ADVENTURE

In To Everything A Season, new visitors, old friends, and important supplies are transported to town on these rails, and the arrival platform is a place of warm greetings and new beginnings.
Our Grand Prize winner will have the chance to experience some of the same warmth and excitement with an authentic taste of the golden age of railroad travel:
A $200 value Scenic Steam Train Ride for Two (Location and dates available nationwide and will be specific to the winner's state).
           
SECOND PRIZE:

DINNER DELIVERY FROM INGEBORG

In the story, the inventive Ingeborg Bjorklund is well-known for her cooking, bread baking, and cheese making, and now she's pondering another new idea to help her hometown: a delivery service!
Like the hard-working people in Blessing, many of our friends and family members carry heavy workloads and health burdens, and could use a helping hand and a comforting meal.
While we may not be able to deliver Ingeborg's cooking, our Second Prize winner will win the next best thing, to be used for themselves, or as a gift to brighten the day of a friend facing chemo, a military spouse, a lonely senior citizen, or other worthy recipient:
$175 meal delivery gift card for MagicKitchen.com - Provide a full Thanksgiving meal for 6, or an extended selection of meals for 1 or 2. Gluten free, low sodium, and dialysis-friendly meals available.
         
THIRD PRIZE:

STEAL AWAY DATE NIGHT PACK

The peaceful farming community of Blessing faces an unexpected threat when robbers target banks and businesses in towns nearby. As the town comes together to find a solution to the thieving problem, Ingeborg notices another kind of stealing going on: the new nurse in town, Miriam Hastings, has completely stolen the heart of her nephew, Trygve.
Soon Trygve and the dark-haired nurse with the sad eyes are regulars at the Blessing Soda Shop, sharing thoughts and dreams over Rebecca Valders' famous fizzy concoctions.
Our Third Prize winner can share their own thoughts and dreams, and enjoy a taste of Blessing's Soda Shop at home, with the Steal Away Date Night Pack.
This $100 value package includes: The UnGame Couples Edition, the Soda Stream Fountain Jet Home Soda Starter Kit, and the Homemade Soda Recipe Book.            

How to Enter:

Go to http://www.laurainesnelling.com/html/giveaways.html and complete the entry box, anytime between October 14 and November 3.

Review: An Untamed Heart by Lauraine Snelling

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

The Long-Awaited Prequel to the RED RIVER OF THE NORTH Series
Twenty-year-old Ingeborg Strand is certain she is destined to be an old maid. She's had several suitors but none she deemed worthy of spending her life with. That is, until she meets a university student from Oslo, and feelings stronger than friendship begin to develop between them. But tragedy strikes, and the future begins to look bleaker than ever.
Grief settles heavily over Ingeborg, and her mother suggests that she leave Norway and start afresh in America, as so many others have done before her. But how will she accomplish that with little money and no one to accompany her?
It isn't long before she meets Roald Bjorklund, a widower who has been planning to go to America for some time, lured by the promise of free land. He's a good man, a hard-working man--and he has a young son who desperately needs a mother. He's clearly interested in Ingeborg, but is he the answer to her prayers? And what about love? This isn't how she's always imagined it.
Ingeborg Strand has a heartrending decision to make...

My Review

I didn't read the synopsis before I read this book, so I had no hint or warning about the tragedy. I also didn't realize it was a prequel to an already published series, so when the story ended, I was happily surprised to discover that I don't have to wait to start the next book! I even had the first book in the series already on my kindle since it is a freebie on Amazon :) 
So, I love the character of Ingeborg. She is strong, industrious, compassionate, and thoughtful. There is much description of the farm, its chores, and tasks. It started out somewhat slowly since it is told from both Ingeborg and Nils' perspectives, but they don't meet until about halfway through the book. I enjoyed her interactions with her siblings and cousins. What an amazing thing that the children of the family take the flocks into the mountains and live there all summer with no adult supervision other than Ingeborg and her best friend/cousin who are in their very early twenties. There is some excitement in the story, but overall I'd say this is a descriptive and introspective novel to be read at leisure. 

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)