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Another good story in this saga of the people who have come to live along the Red River in the Dakota Territory. This book begins in the year 1887 and has Mary Martha MacCallister coming from Missouri to visit her brother (Zeb) and his new wife (Katy). To fully understand this family you really need to read the previous stories, which will help you catch up with what has been happening.

Mary Martha finds herself helping the pastor (who is not married) of Blessing, who teaches the children in their one room schoolhouse. Although they don't really get off to a good start, they will eventually come to care for each other. But Mary must return home to her dying mother. While gone tragedy will hit the community very hard and when Mary returns to Blessing, she will try to help pick up the broken pieces in her brother's life. She will also find true love with a man she cares for greatly. ( )

I had read this before, but it was good to read it again. Lots of historical references.

This story is set in Blessing, Dakota Territory in September of 1887. It starts with Pastor John Solberg trapped in the schoolhouse by one of his parishioners. Usually he wasn't lonely, between teaching 27 students & his pastoral duties. The mothers trying to convince him to marry their daughters usually brought him food, like the bread on his desk. In May Katy Bjorklund had married Zeb MacCallister, but it wasn't a happy time for him. He prayed that God would provide a wife for him. Suddenly Katy was at the door looking for him. He could hear her husband & someone else outside. Katy introduced Pastor Solberg to Mary Martha MacCallister. Zeb explained that his sister was visiting from Missouri. Haakan Bjorklund interrupted the discussion. John felt like he was surrounded by giants in Blessing. Haakan invited the MacCallister women to the quilting meeting where Mary Martha could meet every one while John felt like he was being smothered. Katy said they'd go to Penny's then to the Bjorklund house. After the MacKallisters left, John & Haakan had coffee & cookies that Ingeborg had sent along. John explained that the bread came from a matchmaking mama, & thanked Ingeborg for sending Thorliff to help get ready for classes. They discussed their responses to Thorliff's questions. Most were referred to others, but some they were able to answer. Haakan cooled his coffee as they discussed the weather. Haakan didn't want to gossip & wasn't a person to interfere. John had to be patient to figure out what Haakan was talking about. ( )

I did not read the books in order. I finished the prelude then read this. With that in mind, the community setting is what attracts me to read the book, but also makes it hard for me to keep everyone straight. Lauraine does a good job at putting a tag or a reminder with the characters to help keep them straight---but I must have read too fast in places to keep them organized.

She presents a lot of processes, i.e. cheese making, butchering, cooking, in detail---gets me bogged down in the process rather than the plot. (although interesting, I find myself skimming over it.)

I enjoyed the time frame, the community atmosphere, and the bits of history.
I wish there wasn't such a fight between women vs men---as if we have to be on opposite sides of issues.
I grow weary of seeing feminism encouraged in Christian books. ( )