Friday, April 24, 2015

To Everything A Season by Lauraine Snelling

Book Description

Beloved Author Lauraine Snelling Returns Again to Her Popular Red River Valley Setting
Trygve Knutson is devoted to his family and his community. With his job on the construction crew, he is helping to build a future for the North Dakota town of Blessing. Though he loves his home, he sometimes dreams of other horizons--especially since meeting Miriam Hastings.

Miriam is in Blessing to get practical training to become an accredited nurse. She's been promised a position in the Chicago women's hospital that will enable her to support her siblings and her ailing mother. Although eager to return to her family, Miriam is surprised to find how much she enjoys the small town of Blessing. And her growing attachment to Trygve soon has her questioning a future she always considered set in stone.

When a family emergency calls Miriam home sooner than planned, will she find a way to return? If not, will it mean losing Trygve--and her chance at love--for good?

My Review


My Review

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure I’d like this book. It was a little hard to follow with the Norwegian accents, like when they’d say Taak and Mor and Far. And I felt I was coming back to a world I’ve never stepped foot in. However, I soon discovered that this is Lauraine Snelling’s third series in Blessing. So, I figured that was why I felt I should know these people. It took me a little while, still not sure I remember who everyone is, but about halfway through the book I really began to enjoy it.

The town of Blessing is small but ever growing faster. They almost can’t keep up with the people coming in. Buildings need to be made to board people and the hospital and deaf school are thriving. However, there’s news spreading around about a gang of thieves robbing banks in the towns closest to Blessing. No believe would believe anyone would rob Blessing Bank, but sure enough, they tried.

Without giving too much away, I just have to say, what Astrid and her family did for a boy, Manny, really made me smile and feel good. The display of faith and love they showed was wonderful. And even the town once the gossip was shot down, which was near immediate.

I really liked the display of faith in Blessing all the way around. Everyone prays and looks out for one another like a community should. And genuinely seems to care what happens to their neighbors. Of course, like in any community you are going to have your naysayer who doesn’t believe in doing things differently or doing something new. But yet, the people of Blessing still love the people at fault. Just as it should be.

From the description, this story appears to be solely about Trygve and Mirriam, but I was surprised to find out that you don’t even hear from Miriam’s side of the story until over halfway through the book. It’s mostly about Astrid, Ingeborg (whom I just love!) and a few others in Blessing. But I enjoyed it.

I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the next book to see how Miriam fairs with her feelings for Trygve. Too see how Manny is getting along, as well as Elizabeth.


Blessing is a beautiful little town that I would like to visit again. 

I received this book for free from the publisher’s in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part of Bethany House Review program.