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Monday, July 22, 2013

Dandelions on the Wind, a Review

I enjoyed this historical fiction novel based in Saint Charles, Missouri.  Although this does have a “romantic” story line as the center, we also get to meet some wonderful characters in town and learn about what the women are doing in this time.  Many have come from the East Coast to build their lives in Missouri, and are now feeling the pull to join the trains of wagons headed further west.

The main character is deep and insightful. Loosing her eyesight is a secondary theme of the book. We get to hear about her close friends and the choices they have for pursuing their life passions.  This was a quick read for me. I usually dislike series style books as they just seem to drop the story on the last page. This one fills your heart with the time, the town, the characters – and gives a wonderful breaking point for the story. I long to read the second book, but the characters are safely tucked into a great stopping point in the story. I recommend this book for a great weekend read!

Maren Jensen, a rejected mail-order bride from Denmark, works as a domestic on Elsa Brantenberg's farm and helps care for Elsa's granddaughter. Maren's failing eyesight has made having a family of her own seem impossible. When Rutherford "Wooly" Wainwright returns to the farm, now a Civil War veteran, he discovers that Maren has become an important part of his mother-in-law's and daughter's lives. Maren soon realizes there isn't room for both she and Rutherford on the farm and takes a job at a store in town, making it possible for Rutherford to start fresh with his family, but her absence in the home affects them all. In the end, Maren realizes God has been lighting her path all along.
Story Locale: St. Charles, MO, 1866

"Like a warm breeze ripples across a lake, Dandelions in the Wind offers a gentle crossing in this first-in a-series novel. Mona Hodgson gives readers characters we care about, a bit of intrigue, love, and a satisfying ending that promises more in the second series book. Well done!"
-Jane Kirkpatrick, bestselling author of Where Lilacs Still Bloom.

"Dandelions on the Wind is a sweet tale about the merging of two hurting hearts. The characters drew me, and I can't wait to read more about their lives…and their love!"
-Tricia Goyer, best-selling author of 33 novels including The Memory Jar

I received this book on my Kindle for free in exchange for a review from Waterbrook Press.

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