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The Dakota Diaries #1
Love Blooms in Winter
He wasn't what she expected, but he was everything she hoped for.
North Dakota, 1892—Mae Wilkey's sweet next-door neighbor, Pauline, is suffering from old age and dementia and desperately needs family to come help her. But Pauline can't recall having kin remaining. Mae searches through her desk and finds a name—Tom Curtis, who may just be the answer to their prayers.
Tom can't remember an old aunt named Pauline, but if she thinks he's a long-lost nephew, he very well may be. After two desperate letters from Mae, he decides to pay a visit. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more of an adventure than Tom is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter when God is in charge of things.
North Dakota, 1892—Mae Wilkey's sweet next-door neighbor, Pauline, is suffering from old age and dementia and desperately needs family to come help her. But Pauline can't recall having kin remaining. Mae searches through her desk and finds a name—Tom Curtis, who may just be the answer to their prayers.
Tom can't remember an old aunt named Pauline, but if she thinks he's a long-lost nephew, he very well may be. After two desperate letters from Mae, he decides to pay a visit. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more of an adventure than Tom is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter when God is in charge of things.
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
57 people are currently reading
880 people want to read
About the author
Lori Copeland
195 books529 followersLori Copeland was born on 12 June 1941. She had a relatively late start in writing, breaking into publishing in 1982 when she was already forty years old. Over the next dozen years, her romance novels achieved much success, as was evidenced by her winning the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and Walden Books' Best Seller award. She has been inducted into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame.
Despite her success in more mainstream romantic fiction, in 1995, she decided to switch focus. Her subsequent books have been in the relatively new subgenre of Christian romance. She has also collaborated with authors Angela Elwell Hunt or Virginia Smith on a series of Christian romance novels.
Lori and her husband of over forty years, Lance, live in Springfield, Missouri, surrounded by the beautiful Ozarks. They have three grown sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. She and her husband are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.
Despite her success in more mainstream romantic fiction, in 1995, she decided to switch focus. Her subsequent books have been in the relatively new subgenre of Christian romance. She has also collaborated with authors Angela Elwell Hunt or Virginia Smith on a series of Christian romance novels.
Lori and her husband of over forty years, Lance, live in Springfield, Missouri, surrounded by the beautiful Ozarks. They have three grown sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. She and her husband are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 9, 2016
This book has an interesting cast of characters, which I really enjoyed. The hero and heroine were the normal ones of the bunch, but that’s just fine. And I really love the cover of this book! I keep going back to look at it. The train engine is beautiful, and the man pictured just looks so kind! The woman pictured on the cover looks almost exactly like the most beautiful woman I know. What a fresh, vibrant face! And the wintery atmosphere is just so pretty! I don’t usually mention covers, but I just really loved this one. Now for my review...
Love Blooms in Winter (2012, Harvest House Publishers), #1 in The Dakota Diaries, by Lori Copeland is a standalone Christian romance set in 1892 in the fictional town of Dwadlo, North Dakota. I selected it because I always enjoy Lori Copeland’s Christian novels.
4 stars
The Heroine:
Mae Wilkey, 27, has quite a bit of responsibility. She’s the local postmistress and is the only caregiver for her younger brother, who is a young man with a special need - perhaps he’d be called “simple” in that time period. Additionally, Mae’s nearest neighbor Pauline has no family and is struggling with what appears to be Alzheimer’s. So Mae checks on her frequently and ends up being a caretaker for Pauline as well. But Pauline’s dementia is getting worse, and Mae is concerned about her ability to live alone. So Mae looks in Pauline’s address book, trying to find a relative, however distant, who can make decisions about Pauline’s care. She finds only one person who is a possible candidate: Tom Curtis.
The Hero:
Tom Curtis from Chicago has a management position with the Chicago and North West Railway. When he receives Mae’s letter, he assumes his friends are pulling a prank on him and ignores it. When she writes again, he decides to make the trip to try and determine whether Pauline is a relation of his.
What I liked:
*I learned a few new things about railroading.
*There are some thoughtful study questions at the end. I don’t participate in reading groups, but I always enjoy reading study questions and contemplating them on my own.
*The secondary characters are fabulous! I absolutely loved Lil. “Ain’t nothing wrong with my chickenhood.” What a fun character. :-)
What I didn’t like:
*Mae is instantly convinced that Tom Curtis is Pauline’s relative because she can conceive of no other reason for him to be in Pauline’s address book. And she’s rather stubborn about it. (Unfortunately, Pauline’s memory is faulty, and she cannot remember who Tom is.) Personally, I have a hard time being patient with people who jump to conclusions, so perhaps it’s just that this character trait didn’t sit well with me. Every main character should have a flaw, after all. However, Mae is very responsible and dependable, as well as sweet, so she’s still likeable.
*I would have preferred the story without Jake Mallory, “Dwadlo’s up-and-coming attorney,” who has been lazily courting Mae for six years. “Mae was starting to wonder whether he loved her or her brother’s cooking.”
*The first half of the book was just a tad bit on the slow side for me. It’s a good story, but it wasn’t gripping enough to keep this tired mom of six awake. I was engrossed in the second half, however. :-)
None of these are necessarily flaws in the book, but are more a matter of my preference.
***********************************************
I will definitely continue to read more books by Lori Copeland. At the time of this review, she is 75 years old. She released a book this year and has another coming out in 2017. I think that’s pretty awesome. Copeland been publishing books since 1982, though it appears she didn’t start publishing Christian/Amish books until the late 1990’s. I have several of her non-Amish Christian books in my towering to-read pile next to my bed. :-)
I recommend this book to fans of historical Christian romances set in America. I’d also recommend her book Outlaw’s Bride .
Love Blooms in Winter (2012, Harvest House Publishers), #1 in The Dakota Diaries, by Lori Copeland is a standalone Christian romance set in 1892 in the fictional town of Dwadlo, North Dakota. I selected it because I always enjoy Lori Copeland’s Christian novels.
4 stars
The Heroine:
Mae Wilkey, 27, has quite a bit of responsibility. She’s the local postmistress and is the only caregiver for her younger brother, who is a young man with a special need - perhaps he’d be called “simple” in that time period. Additionally, Mae’s nearest neighbor Pauline has no family and is struggling with what appears to be Alzheimer’s. So Mae checks on her frequently and ends up being a caretaker for Pauline as well. But Pauline’s dementia is getting worse, and Mae is concerned about her ability to live alone. So Mae looks in Pauline’s address book, trying to find a relative, however distant, who can make decisions about Pauline’s care. She finds only one person who is a possible candidate: Tom Curtis.
The Hero:
Tom Curtis from Chicago has a management position with the Chicago and North West Railway. When he receives Mae’s letter, he assumes his friends are pulling a prank on him and ignores it. When she writes again, he decides to make the trip to try and determine whether Pauline is a relation of his.
What I liked:
*I learned a few new things about railroading.
*There are some thoughtful study questions at the end. I don’t participate in reading groups, but I always enjoy reading study questions and contemplating them on my own.
*The secondary characters are fabulous! I absolutely loved Lil. “Ain’t nothing wrong with my chickenhood.” What a fun character. :-)
What I didn’t like:
*Mae is instantly convinced that Tom Curtis is Pauline’s relative because she can conceive of no other reason for him to be in Pauline’s address book. And she’s rather stubborn about it. (Unfortunately, Pauline’s memory is faulty, and she cannot remember who Tom is.) Personally, I have a hard time being patient with people who jump to conclusions, so perhaps it’s just that this character trait didn’t sit well with me. Every main character should have a flaw, after all. However, Mae is very responsible and dependable, as well as sweet, so she’s still likeable.
*I would have preferred the story without Jake Mallory, “Dwadlo’s up-and-coming attorney,” who has been lazily courting Mae for six years. “Mae was starting to wonder whether he loved her or her brother’s cooking.”
*The first half of the book was just a tad bit on the slow side for me. It’s a good story, but it wasn’t gripping enough to keep this tired mom of six awake. I was engrossed in the second half, however. :-)
None of these are necessarily flaws in the book, but are more a matter of my preference.
***********************************************
I will definitely continue to read more books by Lori Copeland. At the time of this review, she is 75 years old. She released a book this year and has another coming out in 2017. I think that’s pretty awesome. Copeland been publishing books since 1982, though it appears she didn’t start publishing Christian/Amish books until the late 1990’s. I have several of her non-Amish Christian books in my towering to-read pile next to my bed. :-)
I recommend this book to fans of historical Christian romances set in America. I’d also recommend her book Outlaw’s Bride .
December 19, 2024
As we approached the end of the year and I realized that I haven't finished my "Reading Roadtrip Challenge" for my @literallybookish book club, I looked for brain candy that's predictable and forgettable, and that's exactly what this book was - fluffy brain candy. The bonus is that it was set in North Dakota and the only states I had left to "visit" were ND and Tennessee.
(As an aside, if you're looking for an online book club with fun challenges and events throughout the year, check out LiterALLy BOOKish on Facebook!)
(As an aside, if you're looking for an online book club with fun challenges and events throughout the year, check out LiterALLy BOOKish on Facebook!)
April 8, 2017
3.5 out of 5 stars
May 19, 2020
I first read this book (paperback edition) in 2017 and now I've reread it (kindle edition) in 2020. Here is what I said then and agree with now: "This was a fun and sweet Christian historical romance. The writing style was fairly good, and the characters were well drawn. I thought the "long lost aunt or cousin" scenario was quite an amusing element of the plot, and I loved how the reality of that situation showed the depth of character in our hero. I will likely continue with the series."
January 20, 2012
This review is from: Love Blooms in Winter (The Dakota Diaries) (Paperback)
You all know how much I enjoy historical Christian fiction. It is my favorite genre of books to read. And one of the most well known authors in this genre is Lori Copeland. I don't think I have ever met someone who likes historical Christian fiction that has not heard of her before. So when I saw her new book, Love Blooms in Winter, I just knew it would be on my wish list:)
Like I said above, Lori Copeland is a well known name in Christian fiction. She did not disappoint with this book. It is somewhat humorous and yet, a lot of good lessons in here as well. Waiting on the Lord is well worth it and at times, you have to decide and take your chances.
The whole plot of the story is a young woman who takes care of an older lady, Pauline. Mae knows she is getting older and having trouble remembering things and she gets worried. When Mae goes looking for Pauline's relatives, all she can find is a piece of paper with a name and an address on it. So she writes this man, explaining everything that is going on. You also find out that Mae is almost engaged to a man in town but he will not propose to her. There is not a lot of excitement and there aren't many young single men. You get the idea:)
In the meantime, The young man she wrote, Tom, gets these letters but thinks at first they are a joke from his co-workers. When he finally decides to make a visit and see if he knows this older woman he also gets a raise in his job. So he has something to come back to. Well, as you can see, this gets pretty interesting:) I don't want to spoil it too much for those who have not read this book, but it gets pretty fun. There is a side plot too of Mae's best friend who happens to be a lady who raises pigs:D Boy does she get hysterical! One of my favorite parts is when Mae and Tom are in the general store and get playing around with the root beer. Guess who happens to walk in? You got it!
Needless to say, a fun quick read. This is a smaller book and good for the person who likes a faster read. Definitely worth the price though! Nothing questionable at all in this book! Give me more like it:) Looking forward to the next one in the series as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review purposes from Harvest House Publishing. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All thoughts are 100% mine.
You all know how much I enjoy historical Christian fiction. It is my favorite genre of books to read. And one of the most well known authors in this genre is Lori Copeland. I don't think I have ever met someone who likes historical Christian fiction that has not heard of her before. So when I saw her new book, Love Blooms in Winter, I just knew it would be on my wish list:)
Like I said above, Lori Copeland is a well known name in Christian fiction. She did not disappoint with this book. It is somewhat humorous and yet, a lot of good lessons in here as well. Waiting on the Lord is well worth it and at times, you have to decide and take your chances.
The whole plot of the story is a young woman who takes care of an older lady, Pauline. Mae knows she is getting older and having trouble remembering things and she gets worried. When Mae goes looking for Pauline's relatives, all she can find is a piece of paper with a name and an address on it. So she writes this man, explaining everything that is going on. You also find out that Mae is almost engaged to a man in town but he will not propose to her. There is not a lot of excitement and there aren't many young single men. You get the idea:)
In the meantime, The young man she wrote, Tom, gets these letters but thinks at first they are a joke from his co-workers. When he finally decides to make a visit and see if he knows this older woman he also gets a raise in his job. So he has something to come back to. Well, as you can see, this gets pretty interesting:) I don't want to spoil it too much for those who have not read this book, but it gets pretty fun. There is a side plot too of Mae's best friend who happens to be a lady who raises pigs:D Boy does she get hysterical! One of my favorite parts is when Mae and Tom are in the general store and get playing around with the root beer. Guess who happens to walk in? You got it!
Needless to say, a fun quick read. This is a smaller book and good for the person who likes a faster read. Definitely worth the price though! Nothing questionable at all in this book! Give me more like it:) Looking forward to the next one in the series as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review purposes from Harvest House Publishing. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All thoughts are 100% mine.
January 21, 2012
This book was in my pile and I wanted to read it, but when I first picked it up, it was because something else was left somewhere and I wanted to bide my time. Now that was half a mistake. One I meant to read this one, but not quite yet, but once I picked it up it was impossible to put down! The characters jumped off the pages and into my heart and did not let go until the last page, and even now as I have completed reading it I want more. I'm fairly certain with the words "The Dakota Diaries" on the front that this is just the beginning of a wonderful series and I cannot wait. I'm quite certain that Lil and Jester are in for some fun in the future...
Mae assumed her life was settled until Tom came along and she realized things were not quite what she thought them to be both in her neighbor Pauline's life and her own. It is all one more example of how God can change our plans drastically before we realize or expect it. I know that in my life I was set, we had just bought a house, we were seven months into expecting our first child and the last thing I expected was for my husband to come home one day from his incredible job and tell me that he had good news and bad news. Good news he was going to get to take several weeks off to spend with me and the baby. Bad news, his division was closing and he was laid off. Shock! But then he was home with me the last two months of my pregnancy, and the first two months of our daughters new life and then he got a new and better job. We moved to a better house, better area, better co workers. Everything is better, but different. Yes it is away from my parents and everything that I had planned and settled my life into, but God definitely knew what he was doing.
Thanks to Wynn Wynn Media, Harvest House Publishers, NetGalley, FIRST Wild Card Tours and the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for providing me with a copy for review both on loan electronically and in the mail.
Originally posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
FIRST Chapter: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
Mae assumed her life was settled until Tom came along and she realized things were not quite what she thought them to be both in her neighbor Pauline's life and her own. It is all one more example of how God can change our plans drastically before we realize or expect it. I know that in my life I was set, we had just bought a house, we were seven months into expecting our first child and the last thing I expected was for my husband to come home one day from his incredible job and tell me that he had good news and bad news. Good news he was going to get to take several weeks off to spend with me and the baby. Bad news, his division was closing and he was laid off. Shock! But then he was home with me the last two months of my pregnancy, and the first two months of our daughters new life and then he got a new and better job. We moved to a better house, better area, better co workers. Everything is better, but different. Yes it is away from my parents and everything that I had planned and settled my life into, but God definitely knew what he was doing.
Thanks to Wynn Wynn Media, Harvest House Publishers, NetGalley, FIRST Wild Card Tours and the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for providing me with a copy for review both on loan electronically and in the mail.
Originally posted: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
FIRST Chapter: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
July 8, 2016
It's 1892 and Mae Wilkey's neighbor, Pauline, is 92, developing dementia, and needs a family member who can look after her. When Mae finds a slip of paper in Pauline's desk with a name and address on it, she is sure she has found a relative that she can contact. When Tom Curtis responds to the letters by showing up via the train company he works for, all sorts of mishaps and hilarity begin.
I loved the characters in this book as each is unique in their own special way from General Store owner/Pastor Dale who could only talk when he was preaching to poor Miss Pauline who was a firecracker on good days and so lost on the bad. Tom Curtis was the epitome of a caring, concerned, fun loving, hard working gentleman. What a contrast to Mae's long standing boyfriend Jake who was deep into his self-centeredness. Mae was a young woman just waiting to blossom under the right spirit. My favorite though had to be sweet Jeremy, Mae's, younger brother. He held a special place in Mae's heart as well as my own. Very good, plausible story line with small town feel that made this book a sweet, cozy historical romance read. Have to say my favorite scene was Jeremy's salvation which truly would touch the heart of anyone who knows Christ.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "He'd brought home the thought that a person either lived his belief or he needed to ask himself is his faith was lip service only."
"Time can only steal your body. It can't touch your soul, and you're a good soul."
"Contentment is good, but never rule out excitement."
"Memories are stored in the heart......Nothing can take those away."
I loved the characters in this book as each is unique in their own special way from General Store owner/Pastor Dale who could only talk when he was preaching to poor Miss Pauline who was a firecracker on good days and so lost on the bad. Tom Curtis was the epitome of a caring, concerned, fun loving, hard working gentleman. What a contrast to Mae's long standing boyfriend Jake who was deep into his self-centeredness. Mae was a young woman just waiting to blossom under the right spirit. My favorite though had to be sweet Jeremy, Mae's, younger brother. He held a special place in Mae's heart as well as my own. Very good, plausible story line with small town feel that made this book a sweet, cozy historical romance read. Have to say my favorite scene was Jeremy's salvation which truly would touch the heart of anyone who knows Christ.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "He'd brought home the thought that a person either lived his belief or he needed to ask himself is his faith was lip service only."
"Time can only steal your body. It can't touch your soul, and you're a good soul."
"Contentment is good, but never rule out excitement."
"Memories are stored in the heart......Nothing can take those away."
January 16, 2012
Very sweet and enjoyable. I read it fairly quickly. I had to deduct a star for the fact the main character allowed her long time boyfriend to treat her so poorly for so long. I HATED that and even though the author attempts to explain it and I could kinda understand it did not seem real and made her too wimpy for unknown reason where she was really very strong. The sneaking out of the house to avoid standing up to him was the kicker for me. Still a very good read and I will definitely look for more by this author.
January 19, 2012
Review to come 1/19 for F.I.R.S.T
August 4, 2021
A sweet love story
March 18, 2014
Great read during winter
Good book to read during the winter months. I couldn't put it down. excellent read for young adults and teens.
Good book to read during the winter months. I couldn't put it down. excellent read for young adults and teens.
February 27, 2018
I loved this book! Lori Copeland is one of my favorite Christian fiction authors. Even though this is first in a series, it doesn't leave you hanging. But I do hope book 2 will continue their story and include the other characters from book 1. Thankfully I have book 2 so don't have to delay reading it.
Mae and Tom seem to clash, but opposites do attract. Both have responsibilities that tend to blind what's happening between them.
Mae has waited 6 long years for her suitor to pop the question. Not until another available bachelor comes to town do true feelings come forth.
Tom takes leave from his railroad job to seek answers about a possible elderly aunt who needs help only family can give. He doesn't expect what he finds in this small town.
Another reason I liked this book was the locomotive connection. My dad worked for the railroad for 42 years, and I would ride the train to visit my grandparents across the state.
Mae and Tom seem to clash, but opposites do attract. Both have responsibilities that tend to blind what's happening between them.
Mae has waited 6 long years for her suitor to pop the question. Not until another available bachelor comes to town do true feelings come forth.
Tom takes leave from his railroad job to seek answers about a possible elderly aunt who needs help only family can give. He doesn't expect what he finds in this small town.
Another reason I liked this book was the locomotive connection. My dad worked for the railroad for 42 years, and I would ride the train to visit my grandparents across the state.
February 4, 2018
The story starts off with a woman waiting six years for her boyfriend to propose. The pace does not pick up from there. It's a sweet story and the characters are lovely and have endearing interactions. The dialogue is realistic. The setting is easy to visualize and simple. Rather a lot of strange accidents happen with no harm or injury to anyone, even mental anguish is only serious enough to be curable with a hot meal. There was a happy ending coming along when the story ended abruptly.
Violent scenes-ish, no sex, no swearing.
Violent scenes-ish, no sex, no swearing.
April 28, 2019
Loved this sweet, clean story of the local postmistress Mae in small town North Dakota. She has waited 6 long years for her boyfriend to propose. Is the day finally here?
After she writes to Tom Curtis that his “aunt” needs his help , he comes to see what can be done.
Never a dull moment from that point on.
After she writes to Tom Curtis that his “aunt” needs his help , he comes to see what can be done.
Never a dull moment from that point on.
Read
December 6, 2021I snagged this book at a library book sale where you paid by the pound. I loved this book! The characters and setting are so well written that you are truly transported to North Dakota in 1892. The story has everything both romantic and suspenseful. Never a dull moment nor a flat character. I can't wait to find and read more by Lori Copeland.
December 11, 2024
Love Blooms in Winter carries Copeland's signature lighthearted tone and uplifting themes, it may lack the laugh-out-loud humor and unpredictable predicaments found in some of her other works. Even so, the sweet romance and the message of faith and kindness make it an enjoyable read overall. Though not my favorite by Copeland, it still offers a gentle, pleasant escape.
December 26, 2024
I wonder if this author has ever experienced a Dakota winter? The main character is just a gentle insipid character who was happy enough to be strung along by her beau of 6 years, until a new man comes to town. It was an ok read if you can overlook the elephant. I just didn't understand why that got tossed in the story.
May 29, 2025
I enjoyed this book. There are quite a few eccentric characters living in a tiny town at the end of a railroad line, but they are lovingly described, and I really wanted to find out what happened to all of them. I'd like to know more about the history behind the elephant...
December 13, 2016
Not really worth your time. It was really hard for me to get into this book, but I always like to finish. Very slow, not very romantic...not badly written, just a boring plot.
January 15, 2018
Nice book. Enjoyed it.
October 22, 2018
The questions at the back of the book give you a defining look at yourself and how you look at Gods commands for us. I love love stores they help you get past the hard times in your own life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2018
A nice cozy book.
August 4, 2019
Loved this book!
Lori Copeland truly captured the essence of her characters in book one of The Dakota Diaries! Couldn't put this one down! On to book 2!
Lori Copeland truly captured the essence of her characters in book one of The Dakota Diaries! Couldn't put this one down! On to book 2!
November 24, 2019
A heartfelt love story.
An intense view of how hard life was on the frontier. The value of a strong community and the commitment it takes to build it.
An intense view of how hard life was on the frontier. The value of a strong community and the commitment it takes to build it.
March 4, 2021
This was a fun book about railroads and very small towns. You could see how many problems the early trains caused and life at that time
July 12, 2023
Great Book
I loved the story and can not wait to read the second book. Loved the characters and my favorite was Pauline.
I loved the story and can not wait to read the second book. Loved the characters and my favorite was Pauline.
April 12, 2025
Great story line. Love the characters!
July 15, 2025
This was cute.
It was also funny (I thought).
No spice.
It was also funny (I thought).
No spice.
December 23, 2011
Love Blooms in Winter is not exactly what I would call the best book I've ever read. Yeah, I know, terrible way to start off a review, right? While it wasn't all bad, this book failed to capture and maintain my interest and attention. Plot itself was alright, but the characters kept making me want to bang my head against a wall.
Let's start with one of the main characters, Mae Wilkey. She's a sweet girl born and raised in the small town of Dwadlo, but inconveniently has to take care of an elderly woman, Pauline, who has no family. She's also got this chump beau that had been courting her for forever but won't seal the deal with an engagement. Enter Jake, Mae Wilkey's beau. Why is he such a chump, you ask? Personally, I found him to be ridiculously stuck up and annoying as I'll get out. The more I realized the kind of person this Jake was, the more I lost respect for Mae and her willingness to put up with his garbage.
Then Tom Curtis came along. Now this guy I liked. Mae finds his name in Pauline's desk and automatically decides he must be kin. Reasonable assumption. But the poor guy gets dragged out the North Dakota to take care of the kin he's never met, gets the joy of falling in love with a great girl who just so happens be having a repeated brain fail as she continues to stick with her jerk of a beau. I felt really bad for him, but he did keep the book alive enough for me to keep ploughing through. The only other character that really struck my interest was Pauline. She was just...hilarious. She was probably my favorite character.
The other thing that bothered me was random things that seemed totally out of place. (Due note, I read an advanced galley of this book, so hopefully the lines will be tweaked before the book comes out on January 1, 2012.) For instance, at the beginning there was a dating reference. Now, I'm not entirely sure exactly when the term "dating" really started to be used, but in the time period that this book is set in it felt totally out of place. Plus, it was never mentioned again, and instead the term "courting" was used. There was one other phrase that made me want to do a face-desk, too: "He was so...Tom." It immediately made me think of something I would expect to read in some vampire book (don't know why that came to me)...vampire books that I do not care for.
As much as I hate giving downer reviews, I honestly didn't really like this book. It didn't draw me in, didn't hold my interest, and half the time I wanted to strangle one or more of the characters. Events that seemed random and out of place killed what might have saved this book for me.
I received an advanced galley for free from the publisher through netgalley for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.
Let's start with one of the main characters, Mae Wilkey. She's a sweet girl born and raised in the small town of Dwadlo, but inconveniently has to take care of an elderly woman, Pauline, who has no family. She's also got this chump beau that had been courting her for forever but won't seal the deal with an engagement. Enter Jake, Mae Wilkey's beau. Why is he such a chump, you ask? Personally, I found him to be ridiculously stuck up and annoying as I'll get out. The more I realized the kind of person this Jake was, the more I lost respect for Mae and her willingness to put up with his garbage.
Then Tom Curtis came along. Now this guy I liked. Mae finds his name in Pauline's desk and automatically decides he must be kin. Reasonable assumption. But the poor guy gets dragged out the North Dakota to take care of the kin he's never met, gets the joy of falling in love with a great girl who just so happens be having a repeated brain fail as she continues to stick with her jerk of a beau. I felt really bad for him, but he did keep the book alive enough for me to keep ploughing through. The only other character that really struck my interest was Pauline. She was just...hilarious. She was probably my favorite character.
The other thing that bothered me was random things that seemed totally out of place. (Due note, I read an advanced galley of this book, so hopefully the lines will be tweaked before the book comes out on January 1, 2012.) For instance, at the beginning there was a dating reference. Now, I'm not entirely sure exactly when the term "dating" really started to be used, but in the time period that this book is set in it felt totally out of place. Plus, it was never mentioned again, and instead the term "courting" was used. There was one other phrase that made me want to do a face-desk, too: "He was so...Tom." It immediately made me think of something I would expect to read in some vampire book (don't know why that came to me)...vampire books that I do not care for.
As much as I hate giving downer reviews, I honestly didn't really like this book. It didn't draw me in, didn't hold my interest, and half the time I wanted to strangle one or more of the characters. Events that seemed random and out of place killed what might have saved this book for me.
I received an advanced galley for free from the publisher through netgalley for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.
January 24, 2012
It's 1892 in the small town of Dwadlo, North Dakota just as winter is beginning to set in. When I refer to Dwadlo being a small town, it is just that. All the buildings in town from the post office, general store, bank and the residents homes are all within a few short blocks either way. The train station literally ends at Dwadlo and here is where we find the setting of our story and meet the characters from Love Blooms in Winter, book 1 in the Dakota Diaries series by Lori Copeland who is fast becoming a personal favorite writer for me.
Here we meet Mae Wilkey who runs the post office within the general store and helps out when she can with the customers who come in for various supplies. Mae is also the sole provider for both herself and her younger brother Jeremy, who is 13, but mentally acts like 9 due to issues with his birth. Mae's parents died and now she cares for Jeremy as well as Pauline, a 92-year-old woman who needs constant care to due her age and mental capability. She lives alone caring for all the towns stray animals who are constantly finding their way to Pauline's home. Mae fears that once she marries Jake, the local well-to-do lawyer, there will be no one left to care for Pauline.
So Mae takes it upon herself to find out of Pauline has any living relatives who might be able to care for her. While cleaning out Pauline's desk, she uncovers the name and address of Tom Curtis, but the problem is, Pauline in her moments of clarity can't remember if he's related to her or not. So Mae sends a letter explaining the circumstances in hopes that Tom is in fact related to Pauline and can come care for her in the time she has remaining.
When Tom Curtis receives Mae's letter, he thinks it's a practical joke being played on him by one of the railroad employees. However, when a second letter arrives, Tom makes arrangements to check out the details of the letter and arrives to pay Mae a visit. What he doesn't plan on, is that his so-called routine life is about to get the biggest upheaval he will ever know.
I received Love Blooms in Winter compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and was captured in Mae's story. Not only in caring for her mentally challenged younger brother Jeremy, but also for her neighbor Pauline. Mae is a true do-gooder with a heart for everyone. She tries her best to be the best she can, even though she has been waiting six long years for Jake to ask her to marry him. She is by far, my favorite character in the book, because she is always putting everyone else's needs above her own. I can't wait to read the next book in this series as Lori Copeland writes her stories so well, you feel like you're part of the action! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars.
Here we meet Mae Wilkey who runs the post office within the general store and helps out when she can with the customers who come in for various supplies. Mae is also the sole provider for both herself and her younger brother Jeremy, who is 13, but mentally acts like 9 due to issues with his birth. Mae's parents died and now she cares for Jeremy as well as Pauline, a 92-year-old woman who needs constant care to due her age and mental capability. She lives alone caring for all the towns stray animals who are constantly finding their way to Pauline's home. Mae fears that once she marries Jake, the local well-to-do lawyer, there will be no one left to care for Pauline.
So Mae takes it upon herself to find out of Pauline has any living relatives who might be able to care for her. While cleaning out Pauline's desk, she uncovers the name and address of Tom Curtis, but the problem is, Pauline in her moments of clarity can't remember if he's related to her or not. So Mae sends a letter explaining the circumstances in hopes that Tom is in fact related to Pauline and can come care for her in the time she has remaining.
When Tom Curtis receives Mae's letter, he thinks it's a practical joke being played on him by one of the railroad employees. However, when a second letter arrives, Tom makes arrangements to check out the details of the letter and arrives to pay Mae a visit. What he doesn't plan on, is that his so-called routine life is about to get the biggest upheaval he will ever know.
I received Love Blooms in Winter compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and was captured in Mae's story. Not only in caring for her mentally challenged younger brother Jeremy, but also for her neighbor Pauline. Mae is a true do-gooder with a heart for everyone. She tries her best to be the best she can, even though she has been waiting six long years for Jake to ask her to marry him. She is by far, my favorite character in the book, because she is always putting everyone else's needs above her own. I can't wait to read the next book in this series as Lori Copeland writes her stories so well, you feel like you're part of the action! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars.
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