Christian

LOVE BLOOMS IN WINTER by Lori Copeland
If you are looking for a somewhat interesting book to occupy an afternoon, this is for you. Copeland is a best-selling author in the Christian romance field and a sweet romance is what you will get. By the second or third page you will know who are the "bad" guys and who are the "good" guys and you will know how it turns out in the end. Getting there is the fun part. Mae, the object of the romance, is a long suffering small town postmistress raising her orphaned, brain-damaged brother. The impediments to the romance are a dotty neighbor, a pack of wild dogs, a train derailment, another train derailment, a snow storm, the little brother, a mother-smothered preacher and indecision on the part of the heroine. The "good" guy is unbelievably good and the "bad" guy isn't very bad - mostly because Copeland keeps changing his personality! On one page he is a selfish, churlish, intolerant, chauvinistic bully and on the next page is a misunderstood, smart, savvy and deserving lawyer.

The writing is pedestrian, the characters are cliches, the Christianity is mostly platitudes and the plot is familiar. If this is your cup of tea, you will love it. Otherwise, skip it for a better written, better plotted story. ( )

Love Blooms in Winter
Lori Copeland

A romantic new book from bestselling author Lori Copeland that portrays God’s miraculous provision even when none seems possible.

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.
Lori Copeland is one of my favorite authors. This was a fun ride and the story was entertaining from beginning to end. The characters were likeable and enjoyable that I did not want to see the book end. I am looking forward to more books in this series. I am so glad that Lori Copeland is writing a new series.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Harvest House Publishing, Inc. for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. ( )

The first time Tom Curtis received a letter from Mae Wilkey, he thought it was a prank. The second time a letter arrives with an urgent plea for help to care for a mysterious aunt, Pauline Wilson, who suffers from dementia, he takes it more seriously and journeys to North Dakota to discover the truth. Neither Tom nor his Aunt Pauline can remember being related and the longer he stays to help with her care, the more he is convinced that he isn't related to her. Still, Mae Wilkey is certainly attractive and Aunt Pauline is endearing. When a train wreck leaves Tom stranded in town as overseerer for the railroad track repairs, he finds more love and adventure than he ever expected.

Love Blooms in Winter is the first book in Lori Copeland's Dakota Diaries series. This story was a wonderful reminder to me that God is in control of every situation, even when it seems out of control from the human perspective. Other than the theme about God being in control, the book is a very light and sweet read. The romance between Tom and Mae was predictable, but still enjoyable since Jake's character added in some tension.

Overall, I enjoyed Love Blooms in Winter by Lori Copeland, though I probably will not care to read it again for several years. If you are looking for a sweet romance to entertain you for a few hours, this is a good choice.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as part FIRST Wild Card Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." ( )

This story takes place in Dwadlo, North Dakota in the winter of 1892. Dwadlo is a tiny town built around the railroad. Mae Wilkie has lived in Dwadlo forever, she has been looking out for her brother Jeremy since her father's death. She longs to marry and have children of her own, she has a steady beau, Jake but they have been dating for six years and it seems that he will never propose. When Mae's next door neighbor an elderly lady named Pauline starts becoming more forgetful, Mae and Jeremy does what they can to help but knows that they need to find Pauline's family. When Mae finds the name of Tom Curtis in some of Pauline's papers she send him two letters hoping he might be able to come help Pauline. Tom has worked for the railroad for years and basically had no family, so when he gets the letters from Mae he wonders if he could have family left. He heads to Dwadlo planning on staying a few days but fate has other ideas, and when he meets Mae he is drawn to her. Will a relationship develop between Tom and Mae? Read this wonderful book and find out!
This story pulled me in from the first pages because of the characters. While I guessed at the relationship between the two main characters it was so nice to see it develop. I kept hoping that Mae wouldn't just settle because she wanted to be married. I enjoyed reading about her brother Jeremy, and the responsibility he longed to have.The elderly neighbor Pauline seemed very real and easy to imagine. The descriptions in this story were rich, allowing me to easily visualize the characters and the mishaps they often got into. I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion. I enjoyed the secondary story of Lil and the budding romance she hoped to grow with Fisk. I always enjoy when a dog is included in a story and this book had Pauline's pack of strays, but my favorite animal had to be Esau, who would ever have thought an elephant would wind up in a historical inspirational romance.
If your a fan of historical romance fiction with a nice inspirational message woven in then this book is certainly for you. Great characters an interesting story line with a few twists, sprinkled with humor has me anxious to read the next book in "The Dakota Diaries" series.
Highly recommended! ( )