From the Publisher:
Booklist says, “Inspired by [folk] lyrics, Richmond arrives on the inspirational fiction scene with a moving debut novel. Readers will be filled with hope that Susannah will learn the true meaning of love. Highly recommended where inspiring, romantic historical fiction is in demand.”
Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.
When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor’s brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she’s ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.
Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse’s confidence in her-and his faith in God’s perfect plan-slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.
When she miscarries in the brutal Dakota winter, Susannah’s fledgling faith in herself and in God begins to crumble. Still, Jesse’s love is unwavering. Just when it seems like winter will never end, Susannah finally sees the first tentative evidence of spring. And with it, the realization that more than the landscape has changed.
She looks to the future with a renewed heart. Yet in her wildest dreams, she couldn’t predict all that awaits her.
Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richard was an okay book. One of my big things is character development and this book kind of fell flat in that area for me. The ONLY character that really showed any change was Susannah and based on the story, even she may not have changed, but just stopped hiding her true self. On the flip side, I DID like the characters. I liked her husband, the neighbors, and the townspeople.
The setting was good and I liked the detail she gave to the houses, clothing & living conditions. There were a few things in the plot that could have been better developed. The husbands reaction to the grasshoppers seemed a little over the top. I think she could have used the war nightmares to illustrate more change or conflict. There were also a few characters who seemed to play such a bit part that I wonder if it could have been done without them (the Irish couple, for instance).
I never like to say that I don’t like a book. I didn’t DISlike this one, but I wouldn’t read it again. It’s a good clean vacation read & if you like historical fiction, this is a good pool or beach read.
Interested to know what others thought? Check out all the stops on the tour.
About the Author:
Catherine Richmond was focused on her career as an occupational therapist till a special song planted a story idea in her mind. That idea would ultimately become Spring for Susannah, her first novel. She is also a founder and moderator of Nebraska Novelist critique group and lives in Nebraska with her husband.
For more about Catherine, please visit http://www.catherinerichmond.com.
To celebrate her debut novel, Catherine and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have teamed up to give away a Spring For Susannah
One grand prize winner will receive:
* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen
* Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond (for KINDLE)
To enter just click one of the icons below and then tell your friends! But hurry, giveaway ends on June 27th. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, June 28th at 5 PM (6PM MST, 7PM CST, & 8PM EST) during Catherine’s Spring for Susannah Book Club Party on Facebook! Catherine is rustling up some fun for the party – she’ll be chatting about the story behind her novel, hosting a book club chat, testing your mail-order bride trivia skills, and giving away some GREAT prizes! Don’t miss the fun and tell your friends!
3 Comments on Spring for Susannah {Book Review}
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Cathy Richmond
24 June 2011 at 11:22 AM (13 years ago)Jen, Thank you for your review of Spring for Susannah. For Susannah to stop hiding her true self was an enormous change – she’d been hiding all her life. Blessings!
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jen Reply:
June 27th, 2011 at 5:17 PM
Thank you for stopping by my blog! I appreciate that you took the time to do so :).
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