Review of Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson

Book review of Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson

 

From goodreads.com:

 

Love Everlasting (Brides of Seattle #3) by Tracie Peterson

Abrianna Cunningham has always viewed her longtime friend, Wade Ackerman, as
a protective brother. Lately, however, she's begun to see him differently and finds
herself attracted romantically to him. But she's confused and overwhelmed by these
unfamiliar feelings.

Wade, on the other hand, has loved Abrianna for some time and has been waiting for her to realize they are more than just friends. When he asks her to marry him, she asks for time to adjust to their changed relationship.

And then there's Priam Welby, who has been relentlessly pursuing Abrianna. Will his underhanded tactics succeed in luring Abrianna into marriage with him?

Paperback, 352 pages
Published October 6th 2015 by Bethany House (first published September 29th 2015)
ISBN0764210637 (ISBN13: 9780764210631)edition language English

 

 

Leona's review:

 

This is not my first read by Tracie Peterson but the first for the Brides of Seattle series. It is a stand alone read and I may go back and read the others.

 

It really took the second half of the book for me to have a real interest and I had written in my notes "this is a personal struggle book" when I was somewhat into the book. Things did change and became more interesting with murder, jail, false accusations and a man who wanted to marry Abrianna by any means.

 

I liked the characters of Abrianna and Wade and the aunts were a wonderful addition. As I write this, I think a cat would have also been an addition.  Abrianna is headstrong but Wade seems to flow with any problems added to what is happening. He keeps his head when their are problems and prays a lot. The aunts are also strong characters with their opinions and accomplishments. I could almost see them sitting together and talking. Jay, the father of Abrianna has come back into her life. Friends are also an important part of the book.

This is a Christian book without pushing. I like that God is in the hearts of the characters and spoken of often.

 

Abrianna helps the poor with food and housing; this seems to be her calling. Wade has taken the job of becoming the substitute minister at the church and fully understands her.

I loved the personal talk between Wade and Abrianna. This made them seen so real and in love.

 

I received a complimentary copy of Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions are my own.

I give this book a 5 star rating.

Tracie Peterson may be reached at her website: www.traciepeterson.com

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Amazon.com:



"Tracie Peterson Delivers Romance and Adventure



When Chantel Panetta's younger sister claims to be in love with Orlando Calarco, Chantel knows there is no hope. The Panettas and Calarcos have been sworn enemies for decades, and young love cannot heal the deep wounds between the two iron-mining families. Yet, unable to resist Isabella's pleas, Chantel agrees to help her sister spend time with Orlando...only to have a run-in with Dante, Orlando's brother. The older, more handsome one.



Chantel can't deny the attraction that flares when she's with Dante. But when a tragedy occurs at the mine, is there any hope that the hatred that has simmered between these two families might be resolved? Or will Chantel's hope for love be buried amidst decades of misunderstanding?"


Leona's Review



Another good book from Tracie Peterson. This is the third book of the series, Land of Shining Waters. We are taken to Ely, Minnesota to October 1890.

Chantel Panetta has returned for a year long visit to her Nonna and Nonno (grandparents) in Italy. The parents send their unmarried children to Italy when they turned twenty-one.

Things have changed when she finds her younger sister has fallen in love with Orlando Calarco. The tension between the two families began in the old country decades ago and the story is that is it over the death of a mule. The women of both families accept the love but the fathers are still at odds until an accident in the mine changes that. God is also very involved with the families. " You believe God spoke to you." Father Buh replied. "I believe God speaks to all of His children"

The author brings the reader into the tension and love in her books with the characters. There are some laughs and some tears.

The descriptions of the area and the mines brought memories of my grandfather and uncles who worked in the coal mines of Colorado. Chantel's family moved to Michigan and then to Minnesota; mine moved from Michigan to Colorado. Tracie Peterson talks about the dinner pail and I have my grandfather's pail he used in the mines. My grandparent's used Nona and Nono instead of Nonna and Nonno. One of the men's name was Vittorio, my first uncle's name. When I was doing research for when he came to America, I kept looking for the name Victor on the immigration records before I realized that was his Americanized name. This book really connected personally for me.

In the book there are references to the foods, the needlework (tatting), chores (chopping wood) and a Minnesota winter. Many words are in Italian: "Si, che fa bene. That's good".

The miner's lady is dedicated to Chantel Karch, You are an awesome woman. Always look to Jesus!.

The books of the Land of Shining Waters are The Icecutter's Daughter, The Quarryman's Bride and The Miner's Lady.

Tracie Peterson's web site is www.traciepeterson.com

I received a complimentary copy to read and review from Bethany House. The opinions are my own. I give it a 5 star rating.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The Icecutter's Daughter by Tracie Peterson

 

The Icecutter's Daughter by Tracie Peterson, A Land of Shining Water Series

Dedicated to : To the Ladies of our morning study.

I have read a number of Tracie Peterson's book and I was not disappointed. I like her style and the strong characters she has in her books. Keep tissues handy because there is always a sad moment or two in a Christian romance.

The Icecutter's Daughter begins on December 31,1895 in a small town in Minnesota. Merrill Krause is trying to help a Belgian mare deliver her foal.

She has four older brothers and a father; Merrill had promised her dying mother she would care for them and that was ten years ago.

She is a strong character and can cook as well as help with the horses and ice cutting in the frozen lakes. Carl Jorgenson tells Rurik she is a good cook and always wins at the fair.

Rurik Jorgenson has come to Waseca, Minnesota to help his Uncle Carl Jorgenson with his furniture building business as Carl has been in poor health. Rurik is from Kansas and had recently broken up with his fiance, Svea Olsson. This was an arranged marriage as was the Swedish custom but a fading custom. Svea broke up with Rurik when she found he was going to Minnesota.

Rurik helps with the ice cutting with Merrill's father as well as helping his uncle build furniture.

The story leads us into a romance when Rurik falls in love with Merrill. Problems arise when Svea and her brother, Nils, arrive in Waseca and she tells Rurik she is carrying his child. Rurik denies he has ever been with her but not all believe him. Nils also falls for Merrill and so the story continues.

The story has a lot of history, both Swedish and German. The ice cutting is still happening in 1895 however, technology is beginning to make this a dying need.

I will say at this point, that my husband and brother-in-law remember the ice cutting in Minnesota lakes in the 1940s when the store cut ice and sold it from Mille Lacs Lake in northern Minnesota.

Be prepared for the food Merrill makes and serves; strudel and spaetzle for two. It would have been nice to have a recipe or two in the book.

Tracie Peterson did have some prayers in the book.

Rurik tells Merrill " One of my very first things I remember memorizing was the Lord's Prayer-in Swedish." (page 213)

The Lord's Prayer was said by Rurik in Swedish: "Fader Var som ar i Himmelen. Helgat varde Ditt namn. Tillkomme Ditt Rike. Ske Din vilja, sasom i Himmelen sa ock pd Jprden. Vat dagliga brod giv oss idag Och forlat oss vara skulder sasom ock vi forlata dem oss skyldiga aro och inled oss icke i frestelse utan frals oss ifran ondo. Ty Riket ar Ditt och Makten och Harlingheten i Evighet. Amen."

(my husband has his grandmother's Swedish Bible)

A German prayer said by Merrill's father: "Komm, Herr Jesu; sei du unser Gast, und segne, was du uns bescheret hast. Amen." (page 87)

"Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and bless what you have bestowed. Amen"

A good read for some history and a Christian romance.

I give this a 5 star rating.

I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House to read and review. The opinions are my own.

Tracie Peterson can be reached at www.traciepeterson.com

She is the author of more than 90 novels, both historical and contemporary.

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Chasing the Sun

Chasing the Sun by Tracie Peterson

Hannah Dandridge is in Cedar Springs, Texas near Dallas awaiting for the return of her father John, who has gone to Vicksburg, Mississippi to see his dying mother. His partner, Herbert Lockhart, has told Hannah he has been probably been taken prisoner by the Union and may be dead. This is in the middle of the Civil War, October 1863. Herbert Lockhard had been wanting Hannah to marry him but she does not love him. The siblings of Hannah by her step-mother are also worried about their father; Andy is 8 years old and Marty is 5 years old; their mother died at Marty's birth.

They came to Texas after the death of Hannah's step-mother because John Dandridge had become depressed. The ranch they now owned was confiscated by the government because the Barnetts left to fight on the side of the Union.

On the ranch there is also Berto Montoya and his wife Juanita who worked for the Barnetts. They have two children, Pepita and Pablo.

This is also the time of the Comanche raids in the area.

Andy has left the ranch as a Longhorn has wandered. He comes across a soldier who is coming home after being wounded. As they are trying to free the animal, a young Indian warrior comes towards them but his horse is spooked and he falls to the ground. Andy brings both home to the ranch; one is William Barnett and the other is Night Bear of the Comanche tribe. The author uses the word Numunuu which is what the Comanche's name for themselves. (All the books I have read, this is the first time I have seen this name. The author uses respect in this book for the Tribe.).

The book is one I have found to be very emotional and also fun such as the birth of a calf. The Civil war was a hard time for our country but the book is also about hardships in this time period. There is love, friendship, hardships, death, greed, family and history. This is a Christian Romance book. I give it a five star.

I have been to Vicksburg, Mississippi and have seen the graves of many soldiers who died. It is a startling fact and very somber.

I was given a complimentary copy of "Chasing the Sun" by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House to read and review. The opinions are my own.