found this book quite by accident and thought I'd give it a try, I am so glad I made that choice, Being from a German background, I was able to connect with the German and the mannerisms, My own father is from a very small protestant farming community in southern Germany and I had the privilege to spend my summers with my grandparents there.
This book is beautifully written and so easy to get lost in, The main character, Summer, is so heart broken in so many places in this book that I found myself crying along with the story.
I really enjoyed the introduction of Peter to the story, I could really follow his actions and found him very noble yet so dedicated to his faith, his family, and his way of life.
His son Thomas was a wonderful addition and I had to laugh along with him many times, Lena was a hard character for me to like at first, but she won my heart by the end, Although I have to admit that the towns people made me very angry at various times, I can also understand why they acted as they did.
I know how hard it can be to overcome past injustices and trust again,
I have never read any of Kim Vogel Sawyer's work before, but I know I will be looking for more in the near future.
This book finds its setting in Kansas in the late's, The story is about a devout Menninite widower named Peter who hires a woman who recently lost her husband and all of her children to a typhoid epidemic.
Peter hires Summer to tutor his son who is ten and recovering from broken ribs, Their lives are so vastly different as is their faith in God, Both are familiar with prayer and God as well as the Bible, but Peter's faith is aboslute and Summer is questioning her faith and how the God Peter knows could take her husband and children.
The book explores how their relationship grows and how Summer learns that Peter's God can bring joy to her devastated heart.
A very good story. Was a Surprise
Wasn't sure about this book but was surprised that it drew me in so easily.
I didn't see that they had compared it to another author's serifs that I enjoyed, I will be reading more by
this Author in the future, I'm fast learning that those books I may struggle with at first can turn out to be the most impactful books to read.
Because at the beginning it was a little challenging to get into but I enjoyed it towards the middle to the end.
I found the use two languages very creative, Although a little difficult at first,
Summers story broke my heart, But I LOVED Peter whose Faith was VERY inspiring, Plus I loved cute but cheeky Thomas :,
I personally think that Kim Vogel Sawyer is a beautiful writer that just captivates you into the journey of her characters.
This story approaches some interesting topics for example loss, bereavement, religion, fear, language barriers, prayer, faith, cultural conflicts, family dynamics, healing and restoration.
Although I enjoyed this story I think there was room for a little bit more in some areas,
I recommend for all those who enjoy Christian historical fiction, Looking forward to reading book two in the near future :, This story takes place in, Summer Steadman is stuck in Kansas she was traveling west from Boston to build a future with her husband and children, out on the prairie, when illness struck, and Summer lost them all.
She is seeking employment in a small Mennonite community, to be near the graves of her children, but the people are suspicious of outsiders and she is not having any luck.
Peter Ollenburger is a widower, and needs someone to teach his young son, who unable to attend school until he is recovered from a recent accident.
When he hears that a "learned woman" is in town, he believes that Summer is the answer to his prayers, Summer agrees to take the job, but when his son begins to look her as more than a teacher, Peter must make a choice does he marry this woman to give his son mother, or only marry for love And will Summer's broken heart heal again
I really loved this story, and all the characters in it, and their portrayals felt realistic.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction such as the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder,
This was an extremely sad story, but one that probably happened way too often in the time period.
Summer Steadman struggled with her guilt and finding joy with all her lost,
I love Peter Ollenburger, Such a man of love and integrity,
The story took a couple of unexpected turns that really added to the story!
This was an emotional and beautiful story.
I really enjoy Kim Vogel Sawyer's writing! So GOOD! This is my second book by Kim Vogel Sawyer and she is quickly becoming a favourite.
She handles difficult subjects with grace and writes characters you get to know and love and think about well after you closed the book.
Her stories is also filled with the word,
My favourite character was Peter, I think he might be my favourite male character so far this year, He is a giant of a man with the most tender heart and he was not afraid to challenge Summer,
My favourite scene was the one at the end by the train station,
I loved the theme of this story how you can experience joy even in times of hardships, I seldom give a five star rating, but this one deserves every star, It is skillful storytelling and I was fully engaged from the beginning, as Summer struggled to overcome the sorrow in her life.
I found myself thinking this must be what it is like to awaken in a foreign country where you don't speak the language.
But Summer's strength would not let her give up, though she had reason to, As a mother of sons, my heart was immediately drawn to the motherless Thomas, Even the old grandmother captured my interest as she warmed to the stranger in her home, Perhaps the greatest recommendation I can give is this: I didn't want the book to end, Wonderful book.
Reminds me to always rely on God's planning, I loved the way that she wove the scripture into every chapter, What a beautiful and uplifting story! I found it searching on Amazon under "Christian fiction",
The story is a historical romance set in Kansas at the turn of the century, The characters come fully alive in this story and the ending was amazing to me, Scripture references are used throughout as the characters search for answers in their lives, ZOWEEE!! Mindblowing how this book HEALS me cried many times and healed me same time!!!!!!
This author and book has a wonderful way of capturing the hearkbreaking themes of loss/ changes ahead of them.
The healing process is intersting between the characters and the community, There are possbiltbles throught the realationships and LOVE Shines through the changes of life,
The quote that stands out is I hide the words in my heart blew me away because of the recurring loss theme in my life and I am deaf feelings are not easy sometimes.
I lost a sister many years ago and forgotten the stages of loss Slowly I realized holding in anger is not healthy so I chose a different way to communicate by writing stroies through loss and healing in life issues.
My heart began to heal when I embraces Happyiness through songs and many friends, I am just starting on the healing path of life,
Ok back to story the characters struggles on the losses of life semi distant cautious mode then gradually they get used to each other.
The father is little ahead of healing process more than summer who was struggling on loss of her family.
Also the intersting parrells on the old life losses on the man and summer vs the new life healing between them
The way he uses quotes words to comfort her was intersting gentle and truthful at the same time! The UN kindness of creatain members of the community hurts them and me as well.
I have been felt left out or not understood when I was young because of my deafness,
The father stood up to the church and I still make my own path of creativity to show people I can do things despite my deafness.
This has been intersting lesson in reading this book and I would like to read some more, : Originally, I DNFed this at about, The plot was slow, depressing, and boring, Summer, the heroine, had just lost all her family and had nobody left, nowhere to go and nothing to do, She has lost all faith and is ready to die and rejoin her beloved departed, While I sympathized with her, I got tired of all the angst and moaning, and complaining and angriness at God, Not to mention all the melancholy reminiscences of her children every five pages,
It was all so sad and led nowhere, so I decided to lay it aside and picked up sitelinkPaper Roses by Amanda Cabot instead.
The many similarities between the two books were striking, but sitelinkPaper Roses was even worse than Waiting For Summer's Return.
Strangely I plowed through and read it all, but after I had finished I decided I may as well go back to this one, since it was actually better.
And I loved it! The second half of the book was so good! Once Summer started to unstarch and unfreeze, she became a really likeable heroine, and her growing relationship with Peter was one of the sweetest things I'd ever read about.
Peter Ollenberger, widowed and father of young Thomas, decides to take Summer under his wing when he finds out that she lost everything.
In exchange for a roof and food, she'll tutor Peter's son, who was injured and can't attend school, Even though Thomas' grandmother also lives with them, it wouldn't be seemly for Summer to live in the house, so she gets to sleep in what they referred to as the shariah, which is a sort of tiny outdoor building about as big as a closet.
So naturally, Peter and Summer fall in love, Thomas is all happy to have a new mother, they all live happilyeverafter and ladidahdidahdidah.
Right, so the story is predictable, but the romance is so unlike any other and the overall tone of the book is so different from what I've read, that is was a really pleasant experience nonetheless, and anyways, the fun with romance novels is not usually to figure out who ends up with whom, but how it'll all come about.
Peter Ollenberger is a oneofakind hero, I never met another one like him, ever, in all the romance I've ever read, He's not "swoony" and I love him to death, which is saying something indeed, Peter is like a big teddy bear, Seriously. He's tall, large, loves to eat, has a big beard, big clumsy hands, he's very strong, considers himself unintelligent because he hasn't much education, but he is the sweetest, gentlest, most honorable hero ever.
His kindness and generosity knew no bounds, and his faith in God was incredibly inspiring, He liked Summer from the first, but he respects the fact that she needs a lot of space, and gives her the time she needs to integrate herself in his family, and in time, to welcome his affections.
Honestly, it was the sweetest, most heartwarming courtship ever, and despite the rough beginning, I loved this book.
It's soothing and peaceful, and incredibly beautiful in its own quiet way, I strongly recommend it, it's different and lovely and a wonderful summer read,
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Study Waiting For Summers Return (Heart Of The Prairie #1) Composed By Kim Vogel Sawyer Available In PDF
Kim Vogel Sawyer