"The Christmas Prayer"
By Wanda Brunstetter
Genre: Historical Christmas Romance
Release date: September, 2018
Beloved, bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter takes readers on a journey in 1850 along the California Trail.
Only the brave—or foolhardy—would attempt a cross-country journey late in the season. Three wagons meet up in Independence, Missouri, in April 1850, and their owners decide to keep forging ahead despite many setbacks and delays. December finds them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when a sudden snowstorm traps them, obscuring the trail.
Cynthia Cooper is traveling with her mother and the man she has promised to marry. But as Christmas is upon them and they are hunkered down in a small cabin, she is forced to reevaluate her reasons for planning to marry fellow-traveler Walter Prentice. When a widowed father heading to a California ranch and a gold prospector both show an interest in Cynthia, she weighs her dreams for marriage alongside her responsibility to care for her mother. Can love win over her timid heart?
About the Author:
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda’s stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com
My Thoughts:
Wanda's new book takes us back to the year 1850, the setting in Missouri. It is based on a long journey in a covered wagon to the faraway state of California. This is a heartwarming romance dealing with strangers travelling many miles, all with their own pasts and hopes for the future. What a challenge!! The description was so vividly described, that the reader can feel the blustery , icy cold chilling their bones as they struggled toward their goal of reaching a new land.
The characters are realistically and well described, grabbing your attention, taking you alongside them on their difficult journey. the reader can easily feel every challenge, and hurt as well as each small success. Cynthia became my very good friend as she struggled to make sense of what God trying to do in her life.
The plot moved quickly, sometimes a bit too fast for me. It lost some of my interest as I needed or simply desired more from this tale. It would have been more to my liking if it was a longer more detailed plot. The rather abrupt ending left me wanting more. This being said, it was still a book worth reading. Wanda's style of pulling one into the character's lives makes each one of her novels unique and interesting.
The characters are realistically and well described, grabbing your attention, taking you alongside them on their difficult journey. the reader can easily feel every challenge, and hurt as well as each small success. Cynthia became my very good friend as she struggled to make sense of what God trying to do in her life.
The plot moved quickly, sometimes a bit too fast for me. It lost some of my interest as I needed or simply desired more from this tale. It would have been more to my liking if it was a longer more detailed plot. The rather abrupt ending left me wanting more. This being said, it was still a book worth reading. Wanda's style of pulling one into the character's lives makes each one of her novels unique and interesting.
This book was a gift. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.
Try this Exclusive Bonus Recipe Found Inside the Book!
Cynthia’s Fried Apples
Instructions:
Without peeling, quarter as many tart apples as you would like. Lay apples close together, skin side down, in frying pan with salt pork fat or butter. Cover until well steamed then uncover and brown both sides, turning and watching closely to prevent burning.
Blog Stops
Among the Reads, September 18
The Avid Reader, September 18
The Power of Words, September 18
Lighthouse Academy, September 18
Just Commonly, September 19
Carpe Diem, September 19
A Baker’s Perspective, September 19
Blossoms and Blessings, September 20
Britt Reads Fiction, September 20
Random Thoughts From a Bookworm, September 20
Connie’s History Classroom, September 21
Luv’N Lambert Life, September 21
Not Enough Time for Books, September 21
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, September 22
Lis Loves Reading, September 22
Literary Reflections Book Blog, September 22
Babs Book Bistro, September 23
Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 23
Janices book reviews, September 23
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 24
Mary Hake, September 24
Two Points of Interest, September 24
Inspiration Clothesline, September 25
Inklings and notions, September 25
Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 25
Fiction, Faith, and Fun, September 26
Girls in White Dresses, September 26
Book by Book, September 26
Splashes of Joy, September 27
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, September 27
The Morning Chapter, September 27
The Mimosa Blossom, September 28
Pause for Tales, September 28
Have A Wonderful Day, September 28
Miss Tina’s Amish Book Reviews, September 29
To Everything A Season, September 29
Cafinated Reads, September 29
Bibliophile Reviews, September 29
Quiet Quilter, September 30
Southern Gal Loves to Read, September 30
proud to be an autism mom, September 30
Texas Book-aholic, October 1
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 1
Bigreadersite, October 1
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Wanda is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a free copy of The Christmas Prayer with an autographed book plate inside!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d297/the-christmas-prayer-celebration-tour-giveaway
I always love stories about the Oregon Trail or those of others journeying West to settle. I guess it's just a fascination or amazement with their tenacity!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your review and for being part of the book tour for ""The Christmas Prayer" by Wanda Brunstetter.
ReplyDeleteSimply love this author's books and can't wait the opportunity to get my hands on this one. It sounds amazing. Love stories of this time frame. It definitely on my TBR list.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
I will be interested in the historical setting of this book. My ancestors moved to Monroe County, Missouri about 1836-37, and descendants live there today.
ReplyDeleteKarla,
ReplyDeleteThank you for being honest in your review. I know not everyone sees things the same, but I was surprised more people didn’t feel the ending was a bit rushed.