Ingrid Larsen, a young Swedish immigrant, arrives in Michigan in 1871 to search for her brother who has disappeared into the woods to work the dangerous lumber camps. Destitute and barely hanging on to hope, she encounters a newly-widowed farmer who is struggling to raise five children on his own.
Marriage would solve both of their problems, and so Ingrid proposes to a man she barely knows. She will fight to protect her new family--but the hardest battle of all will be winning the heart of her new husband.
Recently widowed, Joshua is struggling to raise his five children. When he is threatened with losing custody of them because of suspicions raised over his wife's death, Ingrid steps in a volunteers to marry him. Desperate to keep his family together and give his children a mother, Joshua marries her. Ingrid steps into the role of wife and step-mother well, but Joshua is reluctant to give her his heart.
I loved Serena's first novel, The Measure of Katie Calloway and I was excited to read A Promise to Love, which did not disappoint. I love marriage of convenience stories and Ingrid and Joshua's story is terrific. I loved and hated the supporting cast of characters and the children were wonderful. Serena's exploration of mental illness and the historical uses of herbal medicines was fascinating. This is not a sequel to The Measure of Katie Calloway, but characters from that story make an appearance here, including Katie, Robert and Jigger. I loved seeing them again.
Serena Miller has penned another delightful story and this is one that I will read again.
Available October 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thanks to Donna Hausler of Baker Publishing for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about Serena Miller here. You can purchase your own copy here
.Read 10/12
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5/5 Stars
Thanks Holly for this review.
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