MY REVIEW:
Not only is “To Everything a Season” the first book in Lauraine Snelling’s new Song of Blessing series, it is her latest in the ongoing saga of the Bjorklund family. Set in the town of Blessing, North Dakota, the story is a captivating illustration of life during the early 1900’s, especially among the Bjorklund family and friends. The narrative moves along at a leisurely and gentle pace for the most part but is punctuated by the excitement of a bank robbery, a few trials and tragedy, and choice bits of humor.
I have to confess that “To Everything a Season” is my first book featuring the Bjorklund family. I have read and enjoyed other novels by this talented author but somehow have missed any of the series set in Blessing. For this reason, at times I felt that there were things I should know about certain characters and that knowing this things would have made my experience all the richer. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the book as a whole.
Obviously, as the first book of a new series and a continuation of the series that have preceded it, “To Everything a Season” spent some time catching the reader up on the lives of the Bjorklund family members. For this reason, I found myself nearly halfway through it before the primary character of the book description made her appearance. Then as series are famous for, I was left with a large cliffhanger at the end. If I really want to know what happens with Trygve and Miriam, I will have to wait until the next installment. Oh well, I have become accustomed to waiting and there are many, many other books to read while I wait.
Truthfully, I loved my visit to Blessing and getting to know many of the Bjorklunds and their friends and neighbors. I may even go back and read the previous series (if I can find the time). Fans of Lauraine Snelling will definitely not want to miss this one.
This book was provided for review by the Book Club Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Beloved Author Lauraine Snelling Returns Again to Her Popular Red River Valley Setting
Trygve Knutson is devoted to his family and his community. With his job on the construction crew, he is helping to build a future for the North Dakota town of Blessing. Though he loves his home, he sometimes dreams of other horizons–especially since meeting Miriam Hastings.
Miriam is in Blessing to get practical training to become an accredited nurse. She’s been promised a position in the Chicago women’s hospital that will enable her to support her siblings and her ailing mother. Although eager to return to her family, Miriam is surprised to find how much she enjoys the small town of Blessing. And her growing attachment to Trygve soon has her questioning a future she always considered set in stone.
When a family emergency calls Miriam home sooner than planned, will she find a way to return? If not, will it mean losing Trygve–and her chance at love–for good?