{"id":10743,"date":"2012-02-06T22:49:26","date_gmt":"2012-02-07T03:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=10743"},"modified":"2012-02-06T22:49:26","modified_gmt":"2012-02-07T03:49:26","slug":"winter-promise-by-martha-rogers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=10743","title":{"rendered":"Winter Promise by Martha Rogers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Martha Rogers<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Winter Promise (Seasons of the Heart) <\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
Realms (January 3, 2012)<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

***Special thanks to Jon Wooten of Charisma House for sending me a review copy.***<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n

Martha Rogers is the author of Becoming Lucy; Morning for Dove; Finding Becky; Caroline\u2019s Choice; Not on the Menu, a part of a novella collection with DiAnn Mills, Janice Thompson, and Kathleen Y\u2019Barbo; and River Walk Christmas, a novella collection with Beth Goddard, Lynette Sowell, and Kathleen Y\u2019Barbo. A former schoolteacher and English instructor, she has a master\u2019s degree in education and lives with her husband in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>A painful past has left Doctor Elliot Jensen uninterested in love.<\/p>\n

Until he meets Abigail.<\/p>\n

Single, educated, and looking for a new start, Abigail Monroe decides to join her brother and his wife in Portersville, Texas. Near her twenty-fifth birthday and without a suitor, she fears she will become a spinster if she stays in Briar Ridge, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

A sprained ankle sends Abigail to the new doctor in town, Elliot Jensen. He is smitten, but tragedy in his past has left him bitter, guilt ridden, and afraid to fall in love again.<\/p>\n

When the town\u2019s deputy sheriff rescues Abigail after a robbery, Elliot\u2019s feelings for her get stronger. He is jealous of the attention Abigail is getting, but he fears he can\u2019t compete with the handsome deputy sheriff and his heroic deeds.<\/p>\n

Has he waited too long to share his feelings for her? Or will Christmas bring them both the gift they seek?<\/p>\n

Set in the late 1800s, the Seasons of the Heart series follows the lives of four women and their families, weaving together their stories of faith, life, and love as they bond in friendship only God could orchestrate.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $13.99
\nPaperback: 304 pages
\nPublisher: Realms (January 3, 2012)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 1616384980
\nISBN-13: 978-1616384982<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Porterfield, Texas, 1890<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

P<\/em><\/span>orterfield, next stop in ten minutes.\u201d The conductor\u2019s announcement sent the butterflies to dancing again in Abigail Monroe\u2019s stomach. Ever since they entered the state of Texas, her mind had flitted from one thing to the next in a series of images that blurred one into the other. What she remembered from her visit last spring had been enough to give her the desire to return as a permanent resident.<\/span><\/p>\n

All around her passengers began gathering their belongings and preparing to leave the train. Mrs. Mabel Newton, who had accompanied her on the trip, adjusted her hat and picked up her handbag. \u201cWell, your adventure will begin shortly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail grinned at the elderly woman. If it had not been for Rachel\u2019s aunt\u2019s desire to come west to visit her daughter, this trip may have been delayed indefinitely. \u201cThank you so much for coming with me, Aunt Mabel. You know how Father worried and didn\u2019t want me to travel alone.\u201d Abigail had fallen into calling the woman \u201cAunt Mabel\u201d due to her close friendship with Rachel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd well he should have been. It isn\u2019t safe for a young woman of your standing to be crossing the country by train without an escort.\u201d She tilted her head toward Abigail, and the feathers on the black hat covering her gray hair quivered with the movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her parents had at first refused to even consider such a move for their only daughter, but as they began to realize that she was almost twenty-two years of age, their objections lessened.<\/span><\/p>\n

They had been in Porterfield a few months earlier for the wedding of Daniel, Abigail\u2019s brother who came to Porterfield a year ago as the town\u2019s only attorney. Now he served as county attorney and prosecutor. When Mabel Newton had said she wanted to visit her daughter and niece, Father had finally agreed to let Abigail go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another factor in her decision to leave Briar Ridge had been Rachel Reed, her very best friend since childhood. Rachel\u2019s husband, Nathan, had taken Daniel\u2019s place as an attorney for the citizens of Porterfield, and now they too lived in the Texas town. As far as Abigail was concerned, God had orchestrated a great symphony of opportunities, and she had seized the score to become a part of the music.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Mabel, do you think my plan for establishing a library is a sound one? Nathan and Daniel have found a building they think is suitable and will negotiate the purchase of it if I approve.\u201d \u201cEvery town needs a library whether they know it or not. Your brother and Nathan have good judgment, so the place must be about perfect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A snicker escaped Abigail\u2019s throat. Daniel had always been her protector, and if the building suited him, it most definitely would suit her. She\u2019d been so angry with him for leaving her behind in Briar Ridge last year. Of course he thought it was because she\u2019d miss him, but it was really because she\u2019d been jealous of his new adventure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry things didn\u2019t work out for you and that young Wentworth. He seemed very interested in you when you and Rachel were in Boston.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail had been interested too at first, but when she realized what all would be expected of her as the wife of a Wentworth, her interest cooled, and so had his. Now she had this new adventure ahead of her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt worked out for the best, but life became so dull in Briar Ridge without Rachel or Daniel that I could hardly bear it. I\u2019d grown tired of entertaining with Mother and taking part on church committees. I want to do something on my own for a change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see. So the fact that Porterfield has an overabundance of single men of all ages didn\u2019t have anything to do with your decision.\u201d Aunt Mabel\u2019s blue eyes sparkled with merriment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail\u2019s cheeks filled with heat. She truly wasn\u2019t interested in finding a husband anytime soon, even if other people thought so. The train whistle screeched through the early<\/span><\/p>\n

afternoon air. Abigail clutched her handbag and closed her eyes. <\/span>Please, Lord. Don\u2019t let this be a mistake. Help me to do the things I want to do for Porterfield with books and accept whatever else You have planned for me.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The train stopped with a jolt that sent her forward with a lurch. She assisted Aunt Mabel with her bag then followed the older woman down the aisle. Dozens of people lined the platform waving as the train emptied itself of its load of passengers.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

As she stepped from the train car, Abigail scanned the crowd, and her heart leaped with joy when she spotted Rachel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rachel rushed forward and grabbed Abigail. \u201cOh, I\u2019m so glad you\u2019re finally here. I thought the last three months would never end.\u201d Then she turned to hug her aunt. \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re here too. With Seth, Sarah, Abigail, and you, I won\u2019t feel at all lonesome, not that I could the way the Muldoon clan has taken us in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I met them at Daniel\u2019s wedding, I knew they would make all of you feel right at home. I\u2019m anxious to talk with Mrs. Sullivan again.\u201d Abigail had been impressed with the\u00a0 boardinghouse and looked forward to living there.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll get to see her soon enough. She\u2019s waiting for you and has your room all ready. The Muldoons are having us all for dinner at the ranch tonight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That meant a quick study of the members of the Muldoon family would be in order before the trip out there. She hugged Rachel again and noted the glow in her eyes and face. \u201cYou must really be happy here with Nathan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Before she could answer, Aunt Mabel stepped back and eyed Rachel. \u201cMy dear, are you in the family way?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Heat flooded Rachel\u2019s cheeks, and she grinned. \u201cYes, I am, and so is . . . \u201c She clapped her hand over her mouth. \u201cOh, I almost slipped. She wants to tell everyone herself at dinner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail ran through the list of possibilities. Kate? Erin? Sarah again? Whoever it was, the baby would be welcomed by many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arms wrapped around her shoulders from the back, and she craned her neck to see who it could be. \u201cDaniel!\u201d She turned and hugged her brother. \u201cIsn\u2019t this exciting? I\u2019m here at last. We had a delightful train trip, and I can\u2019t wait to see your new house. And where\u2019s Kate?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, slow down, little sister. No need to get it all out at once, but to answer your question, Doc Jensen and Elliot had an emergency at the infirmary, so she\u2019s there. She said she\u2019d meet us wherever we were when she finished.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe Aunt Mabel will be staying with Sarah and Donavan. At least that\u2019s what she plans on. Mrs. Sullivan said she has a room for me at the boardinghouse, so that\u2019s where I\u2019m headed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel frowned and peered at her. \u201cBut Kate is hoping you\u2019ll live with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Daniel, you two are newly married. Besides, I\u2019d rather be closer to town so I can take care of the library.\u201d Kate and Daniel didn\u2019t live far from town, but her staying at the boardinghouse would be less of an intrusion on their new marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

They headed toward the cart where the baggage had been unloaded. Aunt Mabel busied herself with telling Rachel all about the trip cross-country. Abigail gazed at the town beyond the depot. Porterfield, Texas, would be her home now, and it looked just as friendly and nice as it had when she\u2019d been here in the spring. A little more primitive than Briar Ridge, it still had all the stores and businesses one could need, including a delightful bakery.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel heaved down a trunk and headed to his surrey with it. Abigail walked along beside him and noted how the men stopped to stare. Her cheeks filled with heat. She may as well be on display in a store window.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t realize . . . never mind.\u201d She grinned and hopstepped to keep up with her brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

He pushed the trunk onto the floor behind the front seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBy the way, the building Nathan and I have in mind for you is across the street from the infirmary. It\u2019s where the land offices were until the new courthouse opened. Now it\u2019s vacant, and it\u2019s just about the size you\u2019ll need for the library.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it will be fine if you and Nathan think so.\u201d She shook her head and giggled as they headed back for more of her things. \u201cI still can\u2019t believe he and Rachel moved away from Connecticut. I always figured that when they did move, it would be to North Carolina, his home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Another man had joined the group and helped unload Aunt Mabel\u2019s bags. She recognized him as one of Kate\u2019s older brothers she had met at the wedding. What was his name? Oh, yes, Cory, the lawman and only single male in the Muldoon family, as well as one of the most handsome men Abigail had ever met.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel grabbed her arm and took her over to greet him. \u201cYou remember Cory, one of Kate\u2019s brothers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abigail smiled and extended her hand. \u201cI certainly do. You and your brothers were quite the pranksters at the wedding.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Red tinged Cory\u2019s well-tanned face. His eyes, more green than blue, sparkled with humor. He pushed his white Stetson back on his head, revealing sandy red curls on his forehead, much like her brother\u2019s dark ones. \u201cGuilty as charged, but we had to make up for not doing anything at Erin\u2019s. Didn\u2019t want to play tricks on the reverend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting to know the Muldoon family would be fun, but getting to know Cory might be even more so. Perhaps she should reconsider her decision not to become involved with any of the eligible young men in Porterfield.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elliot finished the stitches to close the wound on the balding head of Cyrus Fuller. He\u2019d tripped coming out of the bank and fell, cutting his head on the edge of the boardwalk. Elliot used five stitches to close it. \u201cThere, now, Mr. Fuller. You\u2019ll be right as rain. Come back to see me in a few days and let me check on the stitches. Don\u2019t get it wet for a while.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He pushed back his rolling stool and picked up a bottle. \u201cIf you experience any pain, take a few drops of this and it should be all right, but don\u2019t take more than a few drops. Understand?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The bank teller nodded and took the bottle. \u201cI do, and I won\u2019t take it unless I really need it.\u201d He stood and grasped the edge of the bed for support.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kate Monroe picked up the tray with the suturing supplies and equipment. \u201cAunt Mae will make certain you\u2019re comfortable, Mr. Fuller. She\u2019ll take good care of you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The man\u2019s face, including his bald head fringed in gray, turned a bright red. \u201cI\u2019m sure she will, but I don\u2019t want her to go to any trouble.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kate laughed. \u201cIt won\u2019t be any trouble. You know that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Elliot turned to put the bandages back in the cabinet to hide his smile. Everyone in town knew Cyrus Fuller was sweet on Aunt Mae, and she didn\u2019t spurn his attention either. This was one patient he wouldn\u2019t have to worry about.<\/span><\/p>\n

He walked with Mr. Fuller to the front door of the infirmary just to make sure the man was steady on his feet. At the door Cyrus shook Elliot\u2019s hand. \u201cCan\u2019t thank you enough, Doctor Jensen. You did a fine job, and it hardly hurts at all. Tell your uncle I said hello.\u201d He lifted his hat to set it on his head, felt the stitches, and promptly put his hand down, still holding the hat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Fuller took off in the direction of the boardinghouse, a few blocks down the street. Elliot continued to observe the man as he made his way home. Satisfied that he was all right, Elliot turned to walk back inside when he spotted Daniel in a buggy with a young woman beside him. Her golden brown hair peeked from beneath a black hat trimmed with yellow flowers, which matched the yellow dress she wore. She shifted her gaze toward him and locked with his. Something inside Elliot clicked, and a feeling he hadn\u2019t experienced in a long time came over him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elliot looked away and forced the emotion back into the deep recesses of his soul. He\u2019d never let those feelings back into his life. They hurt too much.<\/span><\/p>\n

A voice beside him caused him to blink his eyes and turn. \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kate stood beside him. \u201cI said that\u2019s Abigail, Daniel\u2019s sister. She was at his wedding, and she\u2019s come to live here in Porterfield. Remember I told you about her coming to set up a library for the town?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember.\u201d But he never expected her to be so pretty. He cleared his throat and hurried back into the infirmary. He needed to clean up the room where they\u2019d just worked on Mr. Fuller, and it would help him forget the girl in yellow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kate\u2019s voice followed him. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have anything else for me, I\u2019m going to run down to Aunt Mae\u2019s and meet up with Daniel and Abigail. I\u2019ll be there if you need me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He waved her out. Kate was a good assistant. He and his uncle had come to depend on her for so many things at the infirmary. Doc should be back shortly, that is if everything went well at the Blalocks\u2019 place. Mrs. Blalock didn\u2019t usually have trouble with her deliveries, and as this was the fifth one, no problems were anticipated today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cleaning up didn\u2019t take long, and when he\u2019d finished, Elliot went to the desk to fill out a report for Cyrus Fuller\u2019s medical file. The image of Abigail Monroe swam before his eyes. Porterfield sadly lacked young women of marrying age, so Elliot had no trouble staying away from what social life existed in town. He\u2019d left Ohio with the vow that he\u2019d never become involved with a young woman again. Everything had been fine until today when that little spark had jumped in his chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hear Cyrus Fuller had an accident. Get him all taken care of?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Elliot jumped and dropped his pen. He greeted his uncle. \u201cWhen did you come in? Yes, he\u2019s fine. How did things go at the Blalocks?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His uncle grinned and set his bag on the desk. \u201cJust like it should. This little boy decided to take longer than necessary, but he\u2019s good and healthy.\u201d He removed his hat and hung it on a hook then removed his coat. \u201cI saw Daniel Monroe with a pretty young woman down at Mae\u2019s. Must be his sister from back east.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is. Kate was here to help with Cyrus, and then she left to go meet them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a pretty little thing from what I remember of last spring. It\u2019ll be nice to have a young woman like her around her for a change. You, Cory, and Philip Dawes are about the most eligible young men in town, and one of you ought to set your sights on her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of men over at the sawmill, and many more on the ranches. That\u2019s why Frank Cahoon and Allen Dawes sent off for those brides. Remember?\u201d So many other men in town would take an interest in Abigail and keep her busy. He\u2019d managed to stay clear of any kind of relationship so far, and that was just the way he wanted it. Never again did he want to feel the pain he\u2019d experienced in Cleveland.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>MY REVIEW:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Winter Promise<\/a> is another romantic western historical novel set in Portersville, Texas. Heroine Abigail Monroe is a petite but gutsy young woman whose desire for a little adventure and her dream of establishing a library lead her to move to the small town in Texas where her older brother and her best friend have married and settled. Somewhat impulsive and\u00a0 a bit accident prone, Abigail soon attracts the attention of two confirmed bachelors. Doctor Elliot Jensen had moved to Portersville after the tragic death of his fiance for which he blamed himself and had determined that avoidance of relationships was the only way to prevent further heartache. The tragedy had left him with very little self confidence and no trust in God. Deputy sheriff Cory Muldoon’s ambition for a career in law enforcement has him convinced that there is no place for a woman in his life. Abigail is attracted to both men but finds herself thinking about one of them way too often.<\/p>\n

A vividly described setting is the backdrop for the strong characters of Winter Promise<\/a>. Life in Portersville is full of caring and friendly neighbors, good friends and family, and frequent community events. Abigail’s experience there is punctuated with several mishaps and becoming an unexpected victim of a serious crime. The story contains plenty of action, drama, and suspense that is relieved by humorous and romantic moments. Rogers has woven a strong message of faith through the pages of the novel with an emphasis on trusting God. Although part of a series,\u00a0Winter Promise<\/a> can stand on its own without leaving the reader confused.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,34,41,106,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","category-historical","category-romance","category-texas","category-western"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10743"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10743"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10754,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10743\/revisions\/10754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}