A Harvest of Hope (Song of Blessing) (Volume 2)

To really enjoy this book you needed to have read the previous books about the town of Blessing. If you haven't then it could be confusing because there would be so many characters that you don't know that have been developed in the previous books. I enjoyed it very much!

Ahhh, just what I needed, a great easy read, entertaining, light, and happy :)

These oh-so-cold long days of winter get busy and whip by; I was happy to receive the book "A Harvest of Hope" by Lauraine Snelling to read. This book is number two in the Song of Blessing series (my review of book 1 is <a href="http://troutwife.blogspot.com/2014/11/to-everything-season-by-lauraine.html">here</a>.)

In this book, the same characters from book 1 appear. Miriam's mother has died in Chicago while she is doing her nursing classes in Blessing. Trygve realizes that he loves Miriam and wants to marry her (and his family enthusiastically approves.)

The "perfect" town of Blessing encounters some challenges, such as the stubborn/unscrupulous banker as well as a devastating fire. . .but I cannot say too much. I wouldn't want to give away all that occurs! There are happy things, positive advances, as well as slides into negativity. The same team of woman doctors/nurses are central to this book as the last--as is the big happy family feel of the community.

Again I will say that this town of Blessing appears to be an idealized town that most of us would love to live in!! :) It is set in an earlier time (early 1900's I think) and it is fun to read this book, you are taken in to the setting and characters' relationships. There are tears of sadness and loss and also tears of happiness and joy. There are positive character developments as well as negative.

All in all, it's a great book -- fun, easy, lighthearted (for the most part). I'd definitely recommend it for a great read, AND I look forward to the next book in the series!

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

“A Harvest of Hope” by Lauraine Snelling takes us back to Blessing, North Dakota in 1905. Miriam Hastings came to Blessing for nursing training at the Blessing Hospital. She was called back home to Chicago when her mother became deathly ill. While in Chicago she feels torn. Part of her wants to stay in Chicago with her siblings and the other part wants to return to Blessing and to Trygve Knutson. Trygve is anxiously waiting for Miriam to return because he knows that this is the woman he is to marry. Finally the day arrives when Miriam returns. Miriam is busy training but also finds herself spending more time with Trygve. She does not want to get his hopes up because she will be returning to Chicago as soon as her training is over. Trygve is persistent and soon starts winning Miriam over but she is still torn between Chicago and Blessing. Which will she choose?

This is the second book in the Song of blessing series. This book picks up where “To Everything a Season” left off. This series continues the story of Blessing and the Bjorklund family. This is a book full of hope, faith, and love and it will draw you in and you will not want to put it down. This book shows us that God is ultimately in control and we should always trust in Him no matter what is going on in our lives. I highly recommend reading all of the books about the Bjorklund family. These books will give you a glimpse of what life was like in the 1880s through the early 1900s. I received a complimentary copy of this book to review from Bethany House Publishers.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in return for my honest review.

A Harvest of Hope is the second book in the Song of Blessing series. I happened to have the first one as a gift from the ACFW national conference last September. That one’s To Everything a Season. When I knew I would receive the second book, I set about reading the first. (I received a number of books at that conference as gifts. I have to admit I haven’t read very many of them.)

Lauraine Snelling is a prolific author. Previous to reading this book, I’d read only a couple other books in other series she’s written. She’s well-respected and loved in the Christian writing community.

What I came to understand about this series is that it’s probably a continuation of other books about the people of Blessing, North Dakota, established by Norwegian immigrants in the late 1800s.

If you’re not familiar with the Song of Blessing series, it’s going to be difficult, but not impossible to follow the story. Enough information about past goings on is given succinctly. In case you have trouble following all the people, the author has conveniently provided a family tree of sorts at the beginning of the book. It’s a family tree of the town and of the families in that town.

A Harvest of Hope is set in 1905. The only problem I have with the back cover copy is that the story seems to be of Trygve (I have no idea how to pronounce that name, so in my mind I called him Trigg or Trev, depending on my mood) Knutsen and Miriam Hastings. Nope, not exactly.
It’s not a standard romance about two people, it’s about a town. As far as I know, Miriam Hastings was introduced as a new character in the first book, To Everything a Season. She is a nursing student from Chicago who is interning in Blessing. Trygve is a local boy. We already know he’s fallen for her, (having read the first book) but will she be able to get past certain family obstacles to fall in love with him?

And their “romance” isn’t much of a romance. The book is mainly a series of everyday events, plus a few prejudices and a couple of main events. It’s how the people of Blessing deal with those everyday events and rely or not, on God to get them through. By the end of the book, Miriam has decided she can fall in love with Trygve. Will they get married? We’ll see. Hopefully that will take place in the third book, An Untamed Heart.

I like series books that stand alone but are connected. Sagas make me quickly lose my patience. Their desire is to hook you so that you will buy all the books. And if you really love it, and are just now getting into the people of Blessing, you can purchase The Daughters of Blessing series or Home to Blessing series. I’m not going to.

There were at least five points of view in this book. Yes, you had Miriam and Trygve, but you also had Ingaborg from earlier series, I’m presuming, Thorliff, her son, his wife Elizabeth, a pregnant doctor and Astrid, Ingaborg's daughter, who is also a female doctor. There are too many points of view for me to care. Based on the loglines and the back cover copy, I thought the story was about Miriam and Trygve. I wanted to see a lot more of them than I did. I think there are multitudes of ways the author could have told this story, but she’s chosen saga form. I’m just not into it. I believe it’s just me.

Another problem I had was the use of Norwegian. Most of the time, I understood what the words were. Most of the time, but not always. Maybe if I’d read all the other Blessing books, perhaps it would be old hat by this time.

Much of the book is also taken up in grieving. Ingaborg is grieving the loss of her second husband, Haaken, who died at the end of To Everything a Season. Miriam is grieving the loss of her mother, and separation from her siblings in Chicago. Luckily for her, she has a brother and two sisters who are old enough to not only take care of themselves, but their younger sister as well, so they didn’t have to go to an orphanage.

It is expected that Miriam will work in a Chicago hospital upon completion of her internship in Blessing. Will she choose to stay there, or move her siblings to Blessing so she can marry Trygve?

I rate this book three stars, only because I had to work hard at learning the characters, their purposes, and their place in the series. I still can’t say I know all the relationships. I would have had to read the last who-knows-how-many books in order to get the full picture and history.

It’s not a very happy book, because of the grief. Even though the grievers respond correctly, as much as they can, because of the emphasis on the day-to-day, almost like the Hallmark movie “The Magic of Ordinary Days,” I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I would like to have had a simpler story and more focus on the lovebirds, and less on the other characters.

A HARVEST OF HOPE
Song of Blessing -Book 2
By Lauraine Snelling
This book is part of the Song of Blessing collection, if you are not familiar with the collection, do not worry. The author introduces you to each character, so you will not miss out on the story. The time is 1905 in Blessing, ND, a small growing town with a new hospital and some growing pains. Miriam, a nursing student, is returning after a family emergency in Chicago. She is in Blessing working at the hospital as part of her schooling.
Lauraine does a great job describing the time period and the people of Blessing, she makes you feel like you are there and part of the story. There is romance, humor and troubles in the town, but most of all there is God. Lauraine uses scripture verses throughout the story and shows how a belief in God is very important in all parts of our lives. The people come together to face many problems that take place in their small town and the author shows how their faith gets them through each problem.
I have not read any of the other books in this collection, but would definitely read the others and would recommend any books by this author.
I received this book free from Bethany House for purpose of this review, I was not required to write a positive review, the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie

Harvest of Hope is a tapestry portraying life in Blessing, North Dakota in the early 1900’s. Blessing was settled primarily by those of Norwegian descent. Some, like Trygve Knutson’s parents, Aunt Ingeborg and late Uncle Haakan, came from Norway and settled in to farm in the wild beauty and challenging climate that is North Dakota. Blessing is in a time of change, when there is much more work than there are people, and immigrants from other countries move to this little town and are living in tents, awaiting housing completion. Many, including Trygve’s family, welcome the immigrants, but others want them to leave.

One of the cornerstones of Blessing is the hospital, run by two women doctors. The hospital trains nursing students from the nursing program in Chicago that Miriam Hastings is part of. They hope to one day train interns there, also. Miriam and Trygve met when she first arrived from Chicago, which is also the day he loses his heart to her. Her younger brothers and sisters live in a tenement since her father died, and she wants to work at the hospital in Chicago and care for her family when she graduates.

Miriam loves the wide open spaces of Blessing and the closeness of the townspeople, yet it was hard to leave her family behind to return to Blessing and finish her hands-on training after the family emergency. But what to do about her feelings for Trygve? And what about the radical few in Blessing who would not accept non-Norwegians and openly insulted her?

Miriam is welcomed by Ingeborg Bjorklund, her daughter Dr. Astrid Bjorklund Jeffers and daughter-in-law Dr. Elizabeth Bjorklund. Also welcoming her are Trygve’s parents, Kaaren Knutson, his siblings and their children. Ingeborg and Kaaren ensure that Miriam is included in various activities, including making warm clothing for those in the tent town who await construction completion. Her fellow nursing students, including trainees from the nearby Indian reservation, work together to ensure the safety and healing of their patients. But in the midst of this wealth of friendships, Miriam struggles with believing in the God they love.

Small town life and farming is not without challenges. There are those who, in the church that Trygve’s family attends, are openly rejecting of those who worship differently than they – which still occurs today. The few who want non-Norwegian immigrants to leave bring dissension. Reaping the harvest while trying to complete housing with a labor and cash flow shortage brings continual trials. Then the explosion occurs, the resulting fire may destroy the hospital, bank, and most of the town. Can Blessing survive this harvest time, or succomb to bankruptcy and destruction?

The characters include many of the Bjorklund and Knutson family members that have been in other series about Blessing; the characters may overlap but each return to the Red River Valley is like coming home again. Lauraine Snelling has a talented, descriptive hand for demonstrating who each character is and how they are part of the whole. Her gift of bringing them to life through their conversations and actions is evident through how real each person is to this reader. Primary characteristics of these families include faith, family, and friends, in that order. Talents are many amidst this hard-working band of residents. It amazes this reader how much each person accomplishes each and every day. They seek solutions rather than bemoaning challenges. Whatever needs to be done gets done, with each helping the other. The most outstanding characteristic of Trygve’s family is faith in God. Their memory of scripture and their prayer life is evident in every trying circumstance and every celebration – a trait that I appreciate seeing in practice. Successes belong to a group or family rather than to an individual, and decisions are made for the common good.

Ms Snelling’s plot is as a finely-woven tapestry. This is not simply a romance between Miriam and Trygve, or just a family saga. It is a way of life, a way of faith, and how each person contributes to the overall design. It is rich with history, beauty, and faith, as well as worshipping in freedom. I love this book! I highly recommend Harvest of Hope to those who have enjoyed Lauraine Snelling’s other Blessing novels, who appreciate Christian fiction that personifies faith in action, and historical fiction of early 1900’s north central United States. Oh yes, and romance and family sagas, too. It could be considered appropriate for teens and adults of any age.

Lauraine Snelling's newest offering is the continuing story of Blessing, North Dakota, and all of its residents. This is the second book of the fifth series about Blessing, ND, and there are many of the same characters, as well as a few newer ones. A Harvest of Hope reads more like a day to day sampling of events and people rather than a telling of the story of one couple falling in love.

Most of the time, I prefer that the novel I read center on the relationship of the couple featured in the romance, but Lauraine has made her method work and work well. The characters have been developed all through the series of series and their personalities are easy to like. I feel like there is a modicum of truth to these stories, that Lauraine is telling her family history through her novels. Maybe that is her goal, to bring the reader into the story and to make that reader feel part of the family's history she is telling. I was a bit upset about Lauraine's previous book because it was touted to be a telling of the romance between Miriam Hastings and Trygve Knutsen, but this book tells that story fully and still chronicles the ups and downs of daily life in Blessing, ND. There are hints of the next book in this one, the dentist and one of Miriam's nursing friends, also that Miriam's family will be moving to Blessing as soon as Miriam finishes nursing school.

The people who populate these Blessings novels are friends from the first meeting all the way through to the each novel Lauraine writes in the series. I feel that I can't really tell much of the story in my review, just suffice it to say that I feel this book is well worth the time to read it. The reader will feel that he/she has been with her best friends talking over tea and cookies. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and tea and cookies with a friend.

My thanks to Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is another wonderful book about the Bjorklund family and Blessing, N. Dakota that is sure to bless your heart.

This novel is the continuing saga of the Bjorklund doctors, the town of Blessing, immigrants and Miriam returning from Chicago after the death of her mother to continue her nursing studies under Drs. Elizabeth and Astrid. From the minute Miriam steps off the train she is swept into the day to day hardships of a frontier town and is also struggling with her feelings for Trygve Knutson. The town is filled with tragedy from the death of a baby, to a fire that nearly ruins the whole town, to yes even racial unrest. Can Miriam and the town find peace? This question will be answered as you turn the pages of this novel

This book transported me back to a time my grandparents and parents used to tell me stories about. A time when God came first and families and neighbors worked together in times of need to help each other. It has its growth issues the same as any town and it had its share of racism because there was such a melting pot of nationalities. Blessing, by any means was not perfect, but it was built strongly on faith and Christian values, triumph over tragedy and love for their fellowman. As I read it, it made me wish I had lived in that kind of community. This book will make you fall in love with its characters. It will make you laugh and cry, but you will walk away with an uplifted heart and know that in the face of tragedy God is still in control and His love will prevail. I highly recommend this book. Although this is not the first book of the Bjorklunds, you do not need to read the others to understand the characters of this book…however…you will want to read them!

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this eBook by the publisher, Bethany House, through NetGalley blogger program for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.

Opening another book about the characters of Blessing is more like coming home for a visit rather than reading a novel. The town of Blessing has become real to fans who know the people of Blessing as well as they do their own families. For all that, those who have not read any of the series based in this town will find themselves swept up in the the tragedies, the joys, the steadfast faith and the lives of those who inhabit the town.

In this novel, Miriam returns to Blessings for part of her nursing training and to learn whether Trygve truly loves her, and if she loves him--enough. Along the way she learns lessons of faith, family and perseverance. But is that enough for her to change the plans she had for her life as a nurse at the hospital in Chicago?

Easy to read and hard to put down.

Miriam Hastings is training as a nurse in Chicago in 1905. Her desire to be a nurse goes further than loving the vocation. She wants to be able to support her sick, widowed mother and young siblings that are forced to live in poverty. She finds herself with the opportunity of a lifetime: to train in a small hospital in Blessing, North Dakota. After just a few weeks, she is called back home as her mother has taken a turn for the worst. Although she wants to remain in Chicago, she is forced to return and finish out her year of training.
On the other hand, she finds herself unable to suppress her growing feelings for Trygve Knutson. He and his family, the Bjorklunds, are back bone and leaders of the fast growing, predominately Norwegian town. His family wraps her in love an acceptance. Her heart is torn between a life with Trygve in a town she adores and her family whom she loves so much. No matter what she does, she realizes she must make a choice and both will cause heartache.
I felt I was a part of Blessings, and through reading the book dreamed about how wonderful it would be to live in such a place. Life is simple but filled with hard fulfilling work. Whatever crisis might be faced, everyone rallies to shoulder the burden and help. I felt a part of the family’s closeness and interactions. Even though it was just a story, it gave me feelings of warmth and happiness.
I appreciated that the story was not a gushy portrayal a blissful life. The author showed the other side of misunderstandings, losses, grief, heartache, and problems. What makes it special is how each character works through these real life dilemmas based on their strong faith in God, biblical wisdom, and constant prayer. An uplifting story that you will find a “blessing” to read!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have stated are my own.

Return to Blessing, North Dakota 1905 and the Bjorklund family - a Christian Historical Romance. Hopefully you've read the other books about Blessing and have the rich background to this book. Honestly, for me it's a place and family that I hate to leave. I'm always sorry to see these books end. You can easily picture Ingeborg's farm kitchen and feel comfortable sitting at the table, enjoy the laughter, rage with the trials and cry with the sorrows.

This book continues the story of Trygve and Miriam. Miriam is a nurse undergoing training from Chicago. She's been doing part of her schooling in Blessing and has to return home because of her mother's health, but she's still obligated to come back to finish. The hospital in Blessing needs nurses and staff, and Miriam is an excellent addition, however temporary. Trygve fell in love with Miriam at first sight, is hoping for a future with her and hopes to change her plans about retuning to Chicago.

Even though this is the story about these two, it also continues the story of the immigrant Bjorklund family as they cope with the death in their family. Hard working, strong people firmly grounded in faith - it is full of realistic, valuable examples and lessons involving the whole
community.

I wish they'd make movies from this series. I so love Lauraine Snelling as an author and as a person. If you're on Facebook you can see her daily posts that bring you in for a hug. Takk Lauraine!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher from the Baker Publishing Group, Bethany - Netgalley book review bloggers program. 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.” http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.

A Harvest Of Hope
Lauraine Snelling
Bethany House Publishers, Mar 3 2015, $14.99
ISBN: 9780764211058

In 1905, Blessing Hospital nurse trainee Miriam Hastings goes on a leave of absence to return home to Chicago where her widow mom is dying. After her mom’s death, her mentor allows Miriam to finish her training in Chicago so that she can take care of her grieving younger siblings, but also insists her pupil come back to Blessing, North Dakota to complete her one-year contractual obligation very soon.

In Blessing, Trygve Knutson misses his beloved Miriam and prays for her safe return. He begins construction of a house that he plans to live in with Miriam when he marries her. However when Miriam finally arrives in Blessing, Trygve knows something is different beyond her mourning her loss. Underestimating the love that Trygve and the Lord have for her, Miriam refuses to tell her suitor why she will not marry him or pray for guidance. As he struggles to learn her motive, Miriam accepts her heart must be broken and that God abandoned the Hastings family. Accepting her responsibility to take care of her brothers and sisters; Miriam feels burdening Trygve would be unfair to him. Desperate but still hopeful, Trygve prays to God for a Christmas Miracle.

The second Song of Blessing (see To Everything A Season) is an engaging inspirational historical romance. The leads are a delightful pairing, but it is the support cast in Blessing and Chicago who turn this into a terrific early twentieth century tale.

Harriet Klausner

In Lauraine Snelling’s A Harvest of Hope, Miriam Hastings must go to Chicago to tend to her dying mother. When she returns to the small town of Blessing, she is determined to focus on her work at the hospital, but she is torn between the small town life she has grown to love and her family in Chicago. Which will she choose? And will she find love along the way?

A Harvest of Hope was a delightful surprise to me. The novel takes place in the early 1900’s. I love the small-town feel, the unhurried pace, and the hints of Scandinavian culture throughout the narrative. I also found the medical aspect of the novel fascinating. The characters are authentic, warm, and empathetic, and they display resiliency in the midst of whatever comes their way. The plot relies heavily on relationships and moves at a leisurely pace, but not without conflict or challenge. The Christian themes dominate and slow the prose at times, but the book is far from dull. It is an easy, entertaining read, and perfect for a gloomy day. I’m happy to say I enjoyed A Harvest of Hope, and I recommend it for those seeking an escape from their fast-paced life.

I was given a free copy by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A Harvest of Hope is a much-anticipated continuation of the Song of Blessing series! I highly recommend reading book one, To Everything a Season, before reading A Harvest of Hope. Several important events occur in the first book and set the stage for this second story.

Lauraine Snelling does a wonderful job of bringing the characters and community to life, and I was eager to return to this quaint community in North Dakota. I really enjoyed the historical details, as well as the complexity of the characters and their stories. The drama continues, as does the romance between Miriam and Trygve, creating an emotional narrative. Blessing is a lovely place to visit and I look forward to continuing this compelling series!

Please note: This series is a continuation of Lauraine’s earlier stories of the Bjorkland family and the community of Blessing. If you are a long-time fan, you will certainly welcome the opportunity to revisit these special characters and this unique community. For those who are not familiar with these stories, you may find the large, diverse cast of characters to be a bit overwhelming at first. A Bjorkland family tree has been included in the beginning of the book for reference.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me through the Bethany House Blogger Reviewer program. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story and share my honest opinion.

My Take:

A Harvest of Hope by Lauraine Snelling is the second book in the Song of Blessing series. It picks up a few weeks after the first book (To everything A season) ended. The Bjorklund Family is deeply mourning the loss of their beloved Haakan and they are trying to find a new normal to their way of life. Miriam, a trainee at the blessing hospital, is also mourning the loss of her mother. She is torn with knowing where she belongs. Her siblings are all in Chicago and as the oldest she feels obligated to care for them, but her heart is beginning to tie her to blessing. Trygve has declared his love for her and she's starting to have feelings for him as well. She is struggling with her faith and now she must make some decisions for her future. Will she choose blessing or Chicago? I am always excited to get a 'blessing' book from Lauraine Snelling I've been reading about the Bjorklund family through Lauren's writings for years and I have come to love this family, getting a new book is like getting a letter from an old friend. But my review on the previous book in this series (To everything a season) could also apply to this book in the same way, it's a great book if you know the backstorys but otherwise you'll probably be majorly confused because there is a lot of characters to keep up with. All in all this is a great book -- fun, easy, lighthearted (for the most part) I'm looking forward to the next book in the series! I recommend this book if you are a fan of Lauraine Snellings Red River Valley series.

*I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

To read a chapter and for other links visit my blog www.buriedinabook96.blogspot.com

The story continues....of the Bjorkland family. Miriam Hastings is attracted to Trygve Knutson, but has some misgivings; is she really in love with this man? While serving her nurses training in the Blessing, North Dakota hospital, she misses her family in Chicago. She is called back home because of her mother's severe illness. Miriam is torn between wanting to stay in Chicago to be with her younger siblings or with following through with her year long commitment at the Blessing hospital. She returns to the hospital and her love begins to grow for Trygve.
There is more action in this second book of the series -- romance, family, and tragic events. This book/story is truly a favorite of mine. I am so pleased to see there is a 3rd book in the series. I am attached to the characters in the book and want to continue reading more of their story --to me, a sign of a good author and book!

This book gives a wonderful glimpse into the lives of people who populated the small towns in Mid-America in the early 1900s. Miriam Hastings is torn between her brothers and sisters she left behind in Chicago and her new life as a nurse at the hospital in Blessing, North Dakota. She is blessed as she is introduced to the wonderful Bjorklund family and discovers romance and purpose. She is amazed at how her nursing skills are expanded and tested in this small town.

This is the second book in “The Song of Blessing” series. You will fall in love with the characters of Blessing and experience the happenings of their lives as they live through fires, robberies, illness, and death. Yet the negative is overcome through Christ as shown in the lives of this wonderful Bjorklund family. There are twists and turns that will keep you guessing, and if you enjoy historical fiction, you’ll love this book as well as other books about the Bjorklund family.

I truly enjoy all stories in Blessing around the Bjorkland clan. and if you have read any of the previous , I believe you will enjoy this just as much.

My only disappointment is that we are 2 books in revolving around Miram and Trygreve and there is not yea a wedding... but perhaps this will raise up the next generation and solidify many good reads yet to come from this author, as Miram's family hopefully will finally come to blessing and seeing how we have already read about Thorliff and Astrid. these books keep us apprised of the on going of the family and the town while delving deeper into the stories of those who were not previously main characters, much like God does with our own lives at times.

Minus the lack of a wedding I do not think you will be disappointed either

I have greatly enjoyed this series of books and following the Knutson family and how the have helped to grow the town of Blessing. Miriam has come back to complete her nursing training and to see what else is in store for her here. She finds herself torn between her family back in Chicago and this new life and possible new romance in Blessing. She realizes how much better it is in Blessing, but still feels torn.
She finds herself growing as both a person and nurse as she finds herself taking on more responsibilities. I have enjoyed watching her grow as both a person and nurse and can't wait to see where her journey takes her next.
I received this book free to review.

A Harvest of Hope by Lauraine Snelling is the second book in the Song of Blessing series. It is just wonderful. It picks up a couple of weeks after the first book (To Everything a Season) ended. Miriam is still in Chicago after the death of her mother. She is making sure that her family will be okay while she returns to Blessing to finish her training.

Trygve Knutson is in love with Miriam and cannot wait for her to return to Blessing. He writes to her while she is away and is working on a house for them (as well as her siblings). After Miriam returns to Blessing, a fire destroys the grain mill and harms many buildings in the town. A meeting is called to assess the damages and see how much money is available through the bank to help with rebuilding. Something fishy is going on at the bank. The banker and his wife are acting strangely. The members of the town set out to see what is happening and how to fix the problem.

Ingeborg is still recovering from the loss of her husband, Haakan. It is harder than she thought to keep going and get through each day without the love of her life. It helps that she has such a loving family as well as Inga, Emmy, and Manny.

A Harvest of Hope is such a good book and I enjoy returning to this wonderful community. I enjoyed A Harvest of Hope very much and eagerly look forward to the next book in the Song of Blessing series. I give A Harvest of Hope 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love all of Lauraine Snelling's books, especially the historical fiction. Love the Red River Valley series and any of the follow-up series based on the same family. I loved the book #2 of A Harvest of Hope and I'm wondering when the next book will follow. Several of the stories of some of the people are still untold. I hope Ms. Snelling has another book about this family and the town of Blessing in the oven and it will soon be done! Thanks. Margrette E. Brent

The author has created a web of families that love each other. The story is full of their experiences. It is addictive, and you do not want to stop reading. God's love is everywhere, and it is so refreshing to have it present.

I recommend this book to pre-teens, teens, and adults. The characters are realistic. The setting is realistic. Everything about the book is realistic. ENJOY!!!

love love love this entire series! Have already ordered book 3 will be reading on the beach in s Caroline. I have read just about everything lauraine smelling has out. I cannot say enough about her books! Great!