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When Comes the Spring

(Canadian West #2)

Janette Oke

4.07 · Rating details · 6,765 ratings · 307 reviews

After a year of teaching in a one-room schoolhouse on the western frontier, Elizabeth plans her wedding to Wynn Delaney, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. As they begin their new life together at his isolated outpost in the far north, Elizabeth is unprepared for the loneliness she feels and the rigors of life without any of the conveniences she's accustomed ...more

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Kindle Edition, 260 pages

Published February 1st 2005 by Bethany House Publishers (first published 1985)

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May 29, 2013 Ash rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: home-library-read

Hmmm, surprisingly enough, I've decided I didn't like this book as much as I remembered. Not that it was bad, I think it is just something better enjoyed when you're younger. There were a lot of parts I quite enjoyed, but I found Elizabeth to be kind of....whiny? I do like Wynn though, he's a sweetheart.

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Jul 04, 2018 Beth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-it, 2018, last-tbr-challenge-2018, historical-fiction, christian-fiction, cover-to-cover-challenge

While I did enjoy this novel, it didn't hold the same appeal for me as the first book. Elizabeth's character didn't seem to be as strong as before, and I'm not really that sold on the romance between her and Wynn. It just felt...one sided, maybe? I don't know, I know it's hard to remove the modern lens and understand that this was a different time, but he just came across as condescending sometimes. She would feel stupid for not knowing something, but why would she know things about living in ...more

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Jan 18, 2017 Hannah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: frontier, 2017-challenge, libraries-2017, western-theme, a-to-z-2017, cals-library, veterans-and-uniforms, animal-characters, ebooks-2017, around-the-world-2017

An enjoyable continuation of the series about Elizabeth and Wynn. While it isn't the most exciting of books, it has solid storytelling and a strong Christian message. I liked her dog Kip and her friends in the frontier village, and will definitely have to read the next book to see what happens to all of them.

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Jul 10, 2014 Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-reviewed, own

About this book:

“After a year of teaching in a one-room schoolhouse on the western frontier, Elizabeth plans her wedding to Wynn Delaney, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. As they begin their new life together at his isolated outpost in the far north, Elizabeth is unprepared for the loneliness she feels and the rigors of life without any of the conveniences she's accustomed to. Her deep love for Wynn and her faith in God seem like all she has. But will that be enough?”

Series: Book ...more

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Nov 07, 2017 steph rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: library-la-county, e-book, books-read-in-2017, fiction-christian, never-reading-again

This book was first published in 1985 and it shows. Elizabeth gets married and suddenly turns into a whiny and clingy child whose husband has to guide her in every step (the pants scene with the two of them was so bad). Also Wynn is so perfect in this book, like Wynn 2.0 in that he knows the answer to EVERYTHING and how dare Elizabeth question anything he says/does. Elizabeth only wants to make a white woman friend in the North and is shocked to find that there are only Native Tribal women there ...more

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Jul 01, 2017 Elizabeth rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I feel as though I should of stopped at book one because this book just went on and on and mostly talked about daily life. Elizabeth is learning a lot and trying a lot of different things out of her comfort zone in this book which seemed like the main theme to this book. I also felt that there was a lot of tears in this book. Other things went on in this book but didn't really take over as the "main drive" of this book. I feel that I might not continue this series but I would recommend the first ...more

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Apr 28, 2016 Danielle Flynn rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction

I really liked When Comes the Heart ...Elizabeth was independent, smart, capable and had a nice sense of humor. In this second book in the series...she is just some silly, little wife to a condescending husband. She is no longer smart (does a SCHOOLTEACHER really not know how to say an animals name in singular/plural form? Or how to tell when Spring is coming?! The snow is melting, the river if running, it's getting WARMER...boom Spring! You don't need your husband to tell you that!) Elizabeth I really liked When Comes the Heart ...Elizabeth was independent, smart, capable and had a nice sense of humor. In this second book in the series...she is just some silly, little wife to a condescending husband. She is no longer smart (does a SCHOOLTEACHER really not know how to say an animals name in singular/plural form? Or how to tell when Spring is coming?! The snow is melting, the river if running, it's getting WARMER...boom Spring! You don't need your husband to tell you that!) Elizabeth cries often, and doesn't even know how to make a decision for herself anymore, even though she survived her first year alone at the teacherage the year before. She allows Wynn to laugh at her "silliness" and thinks it's charming. She also thinks Wynn is completely perfect, and honestly, this book made me like him a lot less. He talks to Elizabeth like she's a child...not that one can totally blame him since she acts like one most of the time.

Another thing in this book that really bothered me is how Elizabeth seems to think that the native people don't know how to survive the harsh winter and need some white mountie police man and his wife to show them how it's done. It's not like they've been doing it for hundreds of years before that. I'm sure they didn't need Wynn to tell them how to hunt or gather food when they almost ran out during the winter. They weren't dumb, or dependent, but from Elizabeth's point of view, they are all just children that need looking after by the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. After thinking it over a while, I understand that this could be Oke's attempt at showing how the white settler mentality worked OR that she really does believe that the mounted police were saviors sent to the Canadian wilderness to save the native people from their way of life. Something tells me it's probably the latter.

I enjoy Christian literature, but this one was a little too heavy handed for me. Especially given Elizabeth's idea that she needs to completely submit to her husband, and in doing so, she completely lost herself in the process. I plan on reading the next book in hopes that the old Elizabeth returns, but if not, I'll be done with this series. ...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Michelle rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I really wanted to like this book, but I thought it was incredibly boring. The first book was great, and it had an interesting plot. We were wondering if she would survive that first year teaching in the wilderness, and what would happen between Elizabeth and Wynn. I just didn't feel that same excitement in the plot in When Comes the Spring as I did in the first book. It almost felt like I was reading a diary since it all seemed to read "I washed the dishes, then I made the fire, then I made ...more

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Feb 15, 2019 Liz F. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-5-stars, marathon-tbr-2019, abc-maximus-challenge-2019, 4-stars, pretty-covers, on-my-bookshelf

This was a fun book to read! (more so the last half than the first, but still.) The only other thing I can recall that bugged me was sometimes the plot line seemed extremely cheesy and Elizabeth would have opinions that... oh my. XD They annoyed me a bit, but she resolved them!
I'm also interested to learn more about Ms. McLain....
I'd recommend to readers 12+
4 stars!

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Apr 19, 2014 Micaiah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

When Comes the Spring
By: Janette Oke
Rating: 4 stars
Ages: 12 and up (for mild romance and mildly dangerous situations)

Elizabeth, the lovely young eastern schoolteacher, has braved the western frontier and spent a year teaching in a one-room schoolhouse. Now she and Wynn, her Royal Canadian Mountie, are planning their wedding and their new life together at his outpost in the far north. Will their love for each other sustain them through a harsh winter, loneliness, and the rigors of life without When Comes the Spring
By: Janette Oke
Rating: 4 stars
Ages: 12 and up (for mild romance and mildly dangerous situations)

Elizabeth, the lovely young eastern schoolteacher, has braved the western frontier and spent a year teaching in a one-room schoolhouse. Now she and Wynn, her Royal Canadian Mountie, are planning their wedding and their new life together at his outpost in the far north. Will their love for each other sustain them through a harsh winter, loneliness, and the rigors of life without any of the conveniences they have been accustomed to?

I recently posted a review of When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke. Well, not too long ago, I also read the second book in the Canadian West series - When Comes the Spring. And, I enjoyed it even more than the first book!

When Comes the Spring was undoubtedly fun! I love Elizabeth and Wynn, and I loved reading about their struggles settling into life in the far north - with no modern conveniences.

This book really gave me a deeper look into the life of a Canadian Mountie. A Mountie's life was extremely difficult most of the time.
Wynn was home late in the evenings most days, and, during winter, would have to leave for days at a time to travel to a far off cabin to check on a trapper. A Mountie was the law, doctor, dispute-settler, and overall caretaker of the entire village where he was stationed. I see now why Wynn was so adamant that an elegant lady from the East couldn't live in the North.

But Elizabeth did prove him wrong on that account! She was very strong and determined throughout the entire book. She went to a village where she knew no one, and could converse with approximately about five people, including Wynn - one of those being a sweet, young Indian woman named Nimmie (the wife of the man who runs the trading post), the others being Nimmie's husband, Mr. Ian McClain, Ian's bitter, impolite younger sister, Miss Katherine McClain, and another Indian woman.

Elizabeth handled everything that the North had to throw her way with dignity and grace - and she never complained. Even when Wynn had to leave in the middle of a snowstorm and she was left alone, excepting her dog, Kip.

Overall, When Comes the Spring gave me a deeper knowledge of what a Mountie's life really looks like, the bitter winters of the North, the Indians that live there, and what it would be like to live the life of a Royal Canadian Mountie's wife, and was also exciting, charming, and enjoyable.

It was a fantastic story set in a backdrop of rugged north Canada - with its rough terrain, high mountains, long winters, short summers, annoying mosquitoes, and charm - with wonderful, memorable characters. I would recommend to readers who love historical fiction. ...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Brooke rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I enjoyed the first book for what it was, but this book was horrible. I did give it two stars because at least it was well written and edited.

The story had a lot of potential, but really - I mean REALLY TRULY - how unprepared could someone have been to move to the wilderness? Surely her fiance/husband would have had many LONG, SERIOUS talks with her about whether the life would suit her? And her obsession with finding another WHITE WOMAN to talk to did not sit well with me at all. I *do* I enjoyed the first book for what it was, but this book was horrible. I did give it two stars because at least it was well written and edited.

The story had a lot of potential, but really - I mean REALLY TRULY - how unprepared could someone have been to move to the wilderness? Surely her fiance/husband would have had many LONG, SERIOUS talks with her about whether the life would suit her? And her obsession with finding another WHITE WOMAN to talk to did not sit well with me at all. I *do* understand that it was part of her character's development, but still - there was a real feeling of 'ugh' about it.

So back to the start. Elizabeth is preparing a ridiculously OTT wedding to her Mountie fiance. Then they have to bring the date forward, and she's still all stressed out preparing a slightly less but none-the-less still OTT wedding. Now, I understand that her character came from a fairly well off family back east, but I have read historical accounts of weddings in the 1800s and early 1900s and they were not the modern day monstrosities we know today. However, the author tried to make it like that.

Then proceeded a couple of totally unbelieveable things. They went on a trip out to Banff for their honeymoon. Firstly, Elizabeth - who had just married a mountie was going to spend the next four years in the far north wilderness living in the Taiga - refused to wear pants to climb a mountain because she was too ladylike to be seen in trousers. AS IF they wouldn't have discussed the realities of an active / wilderness lifestyle before they got married... And THEN, Elizabeth, the ladylike teacher who only ever swished around in heavy skirts, managed to wear the pants and climb up to the top of a mountain with no path, going vertical in places, and practically without losing her breath. I have been hiking on established trails around Banff, and I was very outdoorsy at the time - and even I suffered.

So yeah... The unbelievability started there and didn't stop.

The author *tried* to show the character developing... e.g. coming to accept spending time with the first nations women - but took an easy way out by having Elizabeth befriend a woman who was essentially an aboriginal person with all the qualities of an early 1900s white woman - married to a white man, spoke english with no accent, no strange customs. She didn't form close friendships with the aboriginal women who lived in the settlement, and she didn't learn any of their language. It was insulting.

I really really didn't enjoy the book, and I was disappointed because I actually spent $5 on the book (I read the first one for free).

...more

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Apr 23, 2017 Kellyn Roth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, books-for-teens, adventurous-books, christian-fiction

Originally posted in the April 2017 Mini Reviews

I really enjoyed this continuation of Elizabeth and Wynn’s story. I feel like it was dashed up somewhat hastily (could even use some editing), but it was still great. I especially liked all Elizabeth’s little escapades and the characters (Nimmie was a favorite, and Wynn, too, of course!).

Elizabeth was pretty silly … like not knowing the ‘deer’ is both singular and plural and stuff like that. She’s a schoolteacher. Seems weird that she wouldn’t know ...more

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Jul 02, 2019 Heather McC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Elizabeth and Wynn take on the Northern Frontier as a newlywed couple, facing new challenges and opportunities along the way. While a heartwarming read, the second book doesn't have the same 'wow' factor as the first one - most likely due to the fact that Elizabeth and Wynn are now married and not courting or flirting with each other.

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Jul 05, 2015 Xenia rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book is the second in the Canadian West series written by Janette Oke. I enjoyed the first book, When Calls the Heart, but this one was a bit tedious to get through. In this book Elizabeth is more prissy and petty than in the first one. In When Calls the Heart Elizabeth is stronger and more independent. Marriage was not on her mind and she was determined to have a career as a teacher. All of s sudden in this book she can't seem to get along without her husband Wynn. She seems to need his ...more

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Jan 07, 2014 Hilary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, christian-fiction

Elizabeth's story continues, as she discovers important lessons about how to make a good marriage, to be a good partner to her Mountie husband, and how to relate to people without prejudice. I actually enjoyed this one more than the first, though again it reminded me of a prettier version of Mrs. Mike.

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Oct 22, 2007 Magda rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: historicalfiction, own

Still not as good as Mrs. Mike (which I just found in a box my mother sent me), but better than some of the other Janette Oke books. Also too prissy.

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Aug 12, 2012 Claudia Jones rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book. I found that as I was reading this book I was thinking a lot of Anne of Green Gables. I really enjoy Janette Oaks writing. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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Jun 04, 2019 Becky Johnson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What a beautiful adventure Elizabeth and Wynn have been on in the second book.
A book on how to dig deep when life gets rough and puts you out of your comfort zone.
A book which inspires you to not judge a book by its cover and to open your mind and heart to all races.
A book that shows a community working together as one.
So much love for this novel.

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Feb 20, 2019 Kristy Hetzel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved these books when I was young and am enjoying them again as a walk down memory lane.

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Aug 13, 2018 Suzanne Keetch rated it liked it · review of another edition

A light, easy listen.

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May 16, 2018 Loretta Marchize rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another great continuation of Elizabeth and Wynn! I love the elements of moving north in this book, and Julie is very funny. I feel like Elizabeth has grown so much since the first book! She's learned so much.
Content: kiss on the cheek, hugs

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Sep 30, 2018 Tegan added it · review of another edition

Less romance in this one, more wife tips:
- your husband is the head of the household
- do everything your husband says
- ignore your own feelings, please your husband
-when your husband comes home from work be happy for goodness sake, no nagging
-make sure to have a good meal ready
-keep track of everything you spend so your husband can keep track too

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Mar 28, 2018 Christina DeVane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2018

This was fun read with some great humor and realistic conditions of living with Indians and dealing with the harsh winters of Northern Canada.

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Jan 26, 2011 Melissa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

When Comes the Spring is the 2nd book in Oke's Canadian West series. It is preceded by When Calls the Heart. Like all of Oke's novels it is a wonderful tale and a nice continuation of the first book.

This book takes off a little bit after the first book ends. Elizabeth is planning her wedding with Wynn and looking forward to a honeymoon in the mountains with him. Unfortunately, before she can completely get her wedding plans off the ground, Wynn is sent a posting far North, and they would have to When Comes the Spring is the 2nd book in Oke's Canadian West series. It is preceded by When Calls the Heart. Like all of Oke's novels it is a wonderful tale and a nice continuation of the first book.

This book takes off a little bit after the first book ends. Elizabeth is planning her wedding with Wynn and looking forward to a honeymoon in the mountains with him. Unfortunately, before she can completely get her wedding plans off the ground, Wynn is sent a posting far North, and they would have to leave in a little over a week. Realizing that she'd rather be with him than wait one or more years to be married, she rushes the wedding.

Shortly after they go for a small honeymoon in the Mountains. They stay at a lodge and do some hiking. During this part of the novel there is a huge argument about wearing pants. Elizabeth wants nothing to do with the manly pantaloons Wynn brings her for the hike. I'm sure the author was just using the scene to demonstrate how the man is the head of a Christian household, but it was one of my least favorite parts of the book.

They then set off for their new home far North. It details a bit of their journey and their lodgings they stayed at while poling up the river. When they arrive, Elizabeth is dismayed to find she is the only white woman there. Later she realizes her shortcomings in judging by skin color and makes friends with most of the womenfolk there. In particular, she befriends Nimmie, the wife of the trader. She also encounters Catherine, the trader's sister who is not as pleasant.

The rest of the book details the troubles of that first winter in the North and the people's hardships. It also shows Elizabeth's growth from a city woman, to a woman who can hold her own in the wilderness.

Normally Oke's books, while being Christian, are not very preachy. While this one was not near as sermon-like as other author's can get, she does tend to go a little far sometimes with her conversion attempts. Otherwise, the writing is as neat and expressive as all her books normally receive. She details things well and writes very descriptive characters.

I did find another fault with this book that made me like it a little less than her others as well. In her first book of the series, Oke made Elizabeth a very strong courageous woman who needed no man. However, as soon as she gets married she seems to lose that. Elizabeth becomes a whimpering fool who often looks to her husband for approval and advice. While this is not a bad thing, she does it so often and it's greatly accompanied by words like "child like" or "young" that it makes the reader lose sight of Elizabeth the woman, and instead thinks of her as her husbands child. She lost a lot of strength in my eyes.

Looking past these few things however the story did a wonderful job of continuing her story. It was very believable and one felt cheery at the end of it. Another great reading for a weekday night. ...more

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Jan 24, 2017 Wolf (Alpha) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I really enjoyed the book. I liked that Elizabeth was willing to do anything for Wynn, even give up her dream wedding. I really like Nimmie, because she is a sweet lady. I feel bad for Crazy Mary, and think that she should have accepted help.

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Jun 24, 2015 Jessica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: christian-fiction, western-and-cowboy-books, 2015-reads

This second book in the Canadian West Series took a good look at what happens after characters (and people) say “I Do.” There aren't too many Christian Romance books that even venture past the happily ever after ending and show the lives of the characters after they marry. I thought this book took both a realistic and yet satisfactory look at marriage.

We follow Elizabeth and Wynn as they travel on their honeymoon (which was completely younger reader friendly), overcome their first marital ...more

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Aug 26, 2016 Nadine Keels rated it liked it · review of another edition

Elizabeth once braved the frontier to fill a teaching position, but now she'll find out if she has what it takes to make it in the North as the new wife of a Mountie in When Comes the Spring by author Janette Oke.

It took some time for me to really get into this second novel in the Canadian West series. While the events of the book's first half didn't exactly seem to drag, they still felt stretched out to the point of being stretched thin. The sweetness around Elizabeth and Wynn's wedding was ...more

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Oct 04, 2016 Sara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, christian-fiction, historical-fiction, historical-romance, owned

(sigh)
Janette Oke is a wonderful writer. She knows how to make the reader feel as though they are standing next to the characters. Her stories are realistic; her characters as frustrating as they are endearing; and her descriptions enchanting. These novels are not fast-paced. They are not dramas or sweeping romances in the modern way. But they are sweeping, and they are dramatic in a way that is realistic. I love watching Elizabeth and Wynn grow through their challenges. They are such a sweet ...more

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Feb 01, 2018 Michelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is the sequel to "When Calls the Heart." I enjoyed this book just as much as I did the first one.
Janette Oke is my new favorite author. As usual, I prefer this book series over the TV series of "When Calls the Heart." The TV series has the two main characters stuck in limbo of whether they will ever commit to each other or not and is a bit dramatic and unrealistic. I appreciate the realism of this book in comparison . . . Elizabeth and Wynn fall in love, get married, and this book is about ...more

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Mar 13, 2016 Natalie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2016

This one really didn't do it for me, which is unfortunate because I loved the first one. Wynn went from a sweet guy to being kind of bossy and condescending and Elizabeth basically just said "well he's my husband and I should be submissive to him." Now granted Wynn had more experience in the wilderness but he seemed like the kind of person who always had to have everything his way.

I liked Elizabeth the schoolteacher far more than Elizabeth the pioneer woman as well. The characters that made the ...more

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About Janette Oke

Janette Oke

2,135 followers

Janette Oke writes with a profound simplicity of what she knows best—real life, honest love, and lasting values. With over 23 million in sales, her historical novels portray the lives of early North American settlers from many walks of life and geographical settings. She also writes engaging children's stories and inspiring gift books that warm the heart.

Janette was born during the depression Janette Oke writes with a profound simplicity of what she knows best—real life, honest love, and lasting values. With over 23 million in sales, her historical novels portray the lives of early North American settlers from many walks of life and geographical settings. She also writes engaging children's stories and inspiring gift books that warm the heart.

Janette was born during the depression years to a Canadian prairie farmer and his wife, and she remembers her childhood as full of love and laughter and family love. After graduating from Mountain View Bible College in Canada where she met her husband, Edward, they pastored churches in Canada and the U.S., and they raised their family of four children, including twin boys, in both countries. Edward eventually became president of Mountain View Bible College and recently established a coalition of colleges that became Rocky Mountain Bible College.

During her earliest years, Janette sensed the desire to write. Though she yearned to be a published novelist, she devoted herself to being a wife and mother because, she says, "there is no higher honor—that is my number-one priority." She began serious writing when her children were entering their teens.

Her first novel, a prairie love story titled Love Comes Softly, was published by Bethany House in 1979. This book was followed by more than 75 others. She reaches both religious and general markets, telling stories that transcend time and place. Her readers of all ages and walks of life can identify with the everyday events and emotions of her characters. Janette believes everyone goes through tough times—the key is to be prepared with a strong faith as the foundation from which decisions are made and difficult experiences are faced. That perspective is subtly woven throughout her novels.

After Love Comes Softly was published, Oke found her readers asking for more. That book led to a series of eight others in her Love Comes Softly series. She has written multiple fiction series, including The Canadian West, Seasons of the Heart and Women of the West. Her most recent releases include a beautiful children's picture book, I Wonder...Did Jesus Have a Pet Lamb and The Song of Acadia series, co-written with T. Davis Bunn.

Janette Oke's warm writing style has won the hearts of millions of readers. She has received numerous awards, including the Gold Medallion Award, The Christy Award of Excellence, the 1992 President's Award for her significant contribution to the category of Christian fiction from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, and in 1999 the Life Impact Award from the Christian Booksellers Association International. Beloved worldwide, her books have been translated into fourteen languages.

In recent years, Janette and her siblings lovingly restored their parents' prairie farm home, and it now serves as a gift shop and museum of prairie life. Please see below for a special invitation to the Oke Writing Museum and The Steeves' Historical House. She and her husband live nearby in Alberta, Canada, where they are active in their local church. Visits from their families, including their grandchildren, are their delight.
—[http://www.janetteoke.com/ME2/Sites/d...] ...more