Love's Unfolding Dream (Love Comes Softly Book #6)

By Janette Oke

Book 6 of the bestselling Love Comes Softly series. Belinda, Marty and Clark Davis's "surprise child," has always had a tender and compassionate heart toward anything hurt and broken. Her parents watch with both misgivings and genuine pride as Belinda's older brother, Doctor Luke, influences her toward nursing. Will she have the inward strength to face the "hurt and broken" people whose bodies, minds, and emotions need mending? Belinda's niece, who is also a teenager, comes to live with the Davis family to finish her schooling. How will Melissa's arrival affect Belinda's lifelong friendship with Amy Jo? And what happens when all three fall for the same nice fellow?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: Feb 1, 2004
• ISBN: 9781441202918

Janette Oke

Bestselling author Janette Oke is celebrated for her significant contribution to the Christian book industry. Her novels have sold more than 30 million copies, and she is the recipient of the ECPA President's Award, the CBA Life Impact Award, the Gold Medallion, and the Christy Award. Janette and her husband, Edward, live in Alberta, Canada.

Book preview

child.

ONE

Belinda

Mama! Look!

At the cry from her youngest, Marty turned quickly from the biscuits she was shaping toward the kitchen doorway. She knew by the tone of her daughter’s voice that there was some kind of trouble—Belinda’s cry trembled in the air between them as she stood before her mother. A chill gripped Marty’s heart. What is wrong? Is Belinda hurt?

Her eyes quickly traveled over the slight body of young Belinda, expecting to see blood someplace. Belinda’s dress, which had been clean and neatly pressed when she had gone out just a short time before, was rumpled and dirty. One of her long, carefully plaited braids had come loose from its ribbon and hung in disarray about her shoulders. Her face was smudged and tearstreaked. But to her mother’s practiced eye, she seemed whole and unharmed. Marty, unconscious of the small sigh of relief that escaped her, gazed into the blue, troubled, and tear-filled eyes.

Look! Belinda cried again in a choked voice.

Marty’s eyes went to Belinda’s outstretched hand. In it lay a small sparrow, its feathers ruffled and wet, its head dipping awkwardly to the side. Even as Marty watched, she saw the small body quiver, and Marty shivered in sympathy.

Why Belinda? mourned the mother-heart. Why did she of all people have to find the bird? Marty knew the tender heart of her daughter. She would sorrow over the bird all day long.

Marty wiped floury hands on her apron and reached out to draw Belinda close. She made no comment on the dirty dress or the messy hair.

Where did ya find ’im? she asked instead, her voice full of sympathy.

The mother cat had it! Belinda wailed. I had to chase her all over the barn and then . . . then . . .

She could not go on. Tears fell uncontrollably, and the small girl buried her head against Marty and let the sobs shake her.

Marty just held her until the crying subsided. Then Belinda turned those large blue eyes to her mother’s face.

It’s gonna die, isn’t it? she quavered. She looked back at the tiny bird still held carefully in her hand.

Well, I . . . I don’t know, stammered Marty and took another look at the injured bird. Yes . . . it would die. Barring a miracle, it would die. But it was difficult for her to say those words to Belinda. Besides, she had seen miracles before. Oh, God, she inwardly prayed, I know it’s jest a sparrow, but ya said that ya see each sparrow thet falls. If yer heart is as heavy as Belinda’s over this one, then could ya please make it well again?

We need to make it warm, Belinda was saying hopefully.

There’s an empty basket on my closet shelf. I’ll get a flannel rag from the ragbag, Marty responded.

Belinda hurried off to get the little basket, and Marty went to her pantry, where she kept the supply of old garments and sheets for cleaning purposes. She found a soft piece of flannel and returned to the kitchen just as Belinda ran back into the room.

Together they made a warm bed, and Belinda carefully deposited the tiny bird. It was in even worse shape than Marty had feared. Its little head flopped uncontrollably as it was moved, and except for a slight tremble, there was little sign of life. Belinda’s tears began to flow again.

Can we take it to Luke? she pleaded.

Oh my, thought Marty. A trip to town for a dying sparrow. How many of Belinda’s casualties had Luke doctored over the years? Yet he was always so patient, doing all in his power to save each tiny animal. But this one . . . this one is beyond his help, Marty was sure. But she didn’t say so to Belinda. Instead, she said, We’ll ask yer pa. He’ll be in soon.

Marty’s attention returned to her biscuits. Clark would be in soon, and he’d be hungry and looking for his supper. She went to wash her hands so she could get the biscuits into the oven.

Belinda took the basket with its injured sparrow and settled into her favorite corner by the kitchen stove. Marty noticed the little girl’s tears had stopped, but her eyes were still red and shadowed with the horror of it all. Why do cats have to kill birds? Marty wondered silently as she slid the biscuits into the oven. She knew it was a foolish question, but her heart ached over her daughter’s sorrow. Actually, Marty knew Belinda loved the farmyard cats, too. She would have fought just as hard to save the life of one of them—and had at times, along with big brother Luke’s help. But they did insist on hunting the little birds.

It just isn’t fair, Ma! Belinda’s voice burst out as her finger gently traced the curve of the feathers on the small body. It no longer even trembled.

The outer door opened and banged shut, and Marty knew before she heard the voice that Clare and Kate’s oldest child was on her way in.

Gramma? Amy Jo called before she even entered the kitchen. Gramma, do you know where Lindy is?

Amy Jo was the only one who called Belinda Lindy. In fact, Marty was quite sure Amy Jo was the only one who could have gotten away with it. Belinda was always very careful to pronounce her own name in full, but the laughing, teasing Amy Jo disregarded such personal preferences and called Belinda after her own whim.

She’s right there by the stove, answered Marty without turning from the pot she was stirring.

Marty could hear little gasps for breath as Amy Jo entered the room. She had been running again, but Amy Jo always ran.

Do you want. . . ? began Amy Jo as she approached Belinda’s favorite corner. Then she hesitated. What’cha got now? she asked without too much interest. Another mouse?

It’s a bird, replied Belinda, her voice taut with sorrow.

What happened?

The mother cat.

Is it hurt bad?

Real bad.

How come ya didn’t take it to Uncle Luke? Amy Jo was well aware of the usual procedure when Belinda found an injured creature.

We’re waitin’ for Pa.

Belinda moved her hand slightly so Amy Jo could get a look at her newest casualty. For a moment Amy Jo’s violet eyes widened with dismay. It was so tiny, so helpless, so . . . so crumpled.

I . . . I think it’s already dead, she whispered, now in genuine sympathy.

Belinda was about to burst into tears again when the small bird shuddered once more.

Is not, she argued fervently. See!

Marty checked on the biscuits in the oven, disturbed Belinda and her precious burden for a moment to add more wood to the fire, then turned back to set the table just as the farm dog announced that Clark was on his way in. Marty’s eyes swung to the clock on the shelf. She was behind schedule, but Clark was a bit earlier than she had expected.

Grandpa, Amy Jo called to Clark from the door, but before he could even greet her, she burst out, Lindy’s got a hurt thing again.

Concern was evident in Clark’s expression as he entered the room. His gaze traveled quickly over the kitchen to the young girl crouched in her corner by the stove, holding the basket tightly in her hands. His eyes went on to meet Marty’s. What now? he silently asked. Is it serious? And Marty answered with just a slight movement of her head back and forth. It won’t make it. It’s hurt bad.

At the sight of her father, Belinda’s eyes had filled with tears again. It’s a sparrow, Pa, she answered his unasked question. The mother cat had ’im.

Belinda’s disheveled appearance made clear she’d had quite a chase to retrieve the small bird, which no doubt told Clark as well as anything what shape the bird must be in. He hung his jacket on the hook and crossed to the two girls crouching over the basket.

Clark began to reach for the bird, but he stopped and said instead in a soft voice, It’s hurt real bad, ain’t it?

Clark’s hand changed directions and went instead to their youngest daughter. He smoothed her tangled hair, then gently brushed a smudge of dust from her cheek.

I dunno, he said hesitantly. I think anything thet we try to do fer this little bird will only bring it more pain.

Fresh tears began to course down Belinda’s cheeks. But Luke—

Yer brother would do all he could—you know thet an’ I know thet.

The door banged open again. This time Dan, another of Clare’s children, burst into the house. He was breathing hard from running and called before he was even into the kitchen, Amy! Ma wants ya home. It’s suppertime.

Amy Jo stood slowly to her feet, obviously loathe to leave the little drama and probably hoping that if a quick trip were to be made to Dr. Luke’s office, she would be asked to go along.

Are ya goin’ to town, Grandpa? she asked quickly.

Clark shook his head. I don’t rightly know. We’ll need to talk ’bout it. I’m afraid . . .

What’s wrong? asked Dan, who had by now crossed to squat beside his grandfather and peer into the small basket.

Oh! A dead bird, he said, not waiting for an answer.

It’s not dead, cried Belinda. It’s just hurt.

Dan’s eyes moved from Belinda’s face to Clark’s. Had he said something wrong? Was the bird. . . ?

Clark reached out a hand and laid it on the boy’s shoulder.

It’s hurt pretty bad, he said, but it’s still hangin’ on.

Marty checked her biscuits, which were browning nicely. Supper would soon be ready, yet she could hardly get near her stove. Four people huddled there—all in sympathy over the injured sparrow. Marty felt sympathy herself. She did not like to see a small creature hurt and suffering. But it was, after all, the way of nature. Animals killed and were killed. It was a fact of life. Nature’s food chain required it. The mother cat has babies to feed, Marty reminded herself. She needs—

But any further thoughts on the matter were interrupted.

Are ya gonna take it to Uncle Luke? asked Dan, his eyes round and questioning.

Clark slowly shook his head, but before he could speak, Dan commented, Bet he could fix it.

Yer uncle Luke is a good doctor, I’m not denyin’ thet none, said Clark in a low voice, but even good doctors have their limits. This here little bird is hurt bad. I don’t think—

Luke says thet ya never, never give up, broke in Belinda passionately. He says as long as there’s still life, then ya fight to save it.

To be sure, agreed Clark. To be sure.

Then we can go? pleaded Belinda.

Across the heads of the youngsters, Clark’s eyes met Marty’s.

Surely yer not gonna. . . ? Marty’s expression asked, but Clark’s shoulders shrugged slightly. What else can I do?

Marty looked at her husband—weary, she knew, after spending a full day in the fields. True, it was easier for him now, easier with the artificial limb Luke had insisted on getting for him. But even so, planting was hard work for any man. He still had chores ahead of him, and here he was about to make a trip into town for a dying sparrow. It made no sense—no sense at all.

Marty looked back at Belinda. Surely the youngster should be able to understand reason. A girl of eleven should know by now that nature provided for its own by allowing death. But no—Belinda didn’t understand. She fought death with every ounce in her tiny body, and her main ally was her older brother Luke—Luke the doctor, Luke the compassionate. Luke fought death, too. If anyone would understand a trip to town to save a sparrow, it would be Luke.

I’ll git the team, Clark was saying.

But . . . but yer supper, put in Marty. Yer—

It’ll wait, answered Clark, and his eyes asked Marty to understand.

She did understand. It was not for the small bird that Clark would take the trip to town. It was for the child whose heart was breaking.

I’m sorry . . . sorry to make ya the extry work, Clark murmured. Don’t fuss none. I’ll help myself when I git back.

It wasn’t the work that concerned Marty. It was Clark. He needed supper. He needed the rest. And yet—

Once again the door banged opened and four-year-old Dack bustled into the kitchen, his red hair bright and standing in disarray as usual. He was the youngest member of Clare’s household and a favorite with everyone. His chubby, freckled face crinkled into a big grin as he spied his grandfather shrugging into the jacket he had removed just a short time before.

Dack’s round little arms wrapped around the legs of the tall man, and he grinned impishly up at him. One small fist began pounding on Clark’s leg.

Knock, knock! he cried playfully. Knock, knock on wood.

Clark could not resist the small boy. He reached down and lifted him up into his arms.

Who’s knockin’ on my wood? With mock seriousness he asked the question expected of him in their little game.

It’s me. It’s Dack, he announced gleefully.

"Dack who?" his grandfather responded next, on cue.

The little boy paused a moment to get the words right. Dack be nimble, Dack be quick, Dack . . . Dack jumped over the candlestick! he finished in a triumphant shout.

They both laughed together as Dack’s pudgy arms squeezed Clark’s neck.

And what is Dack doin’ at my house? inquired Clark.

Dack’s eyes immediately turned serious. He squirmed to get down.

Mama sent me, he said. I’m ’posta git Amy an’ Dan fer supper.

Clark looked at the two, who were still peering into Belinda’s basket.

You’d better all git, he said. Iffen yer pa has to come fetch the three of ya, he might not be too happy.

The three got—Amy Jo, taking the hand of her little brother after one last glance at her grandpa in case she might be invited to go along.

Clark turned back to Belinda. I’ll be ready in a minute, he informed her. Better grab a coat. Then he was gone.

With a sigh, Marty turned to remove the biscuits from the oven. They were crispy brown and piping hot, just the way Clark loved them. But Clark wouldn’t be eating them the way he liked them. By the time he returned, the biscuits would be cold.

Just as Marty finished taking the biscuits from the pan, Belinda gave a little cry. Marty whirled to see what new calamity had befallen.

I think it’s already dead, she said in a sobbing whisper. Look! It’s gittin’ stiff.

Marty looked. Belinda was right. The sparrow was already past the help of even Dr. Luke.

Belinda burst into fresh tears, and Marty put her arms around her to comfort her.

I need to catch yer pa before he hooks up the team, she murmured, more to herself than to the weeping girl, but griefstricken Belinda nodded her head.

Marty took the nod as consent and hurried to the barn for Clark, sighing deeply as she walked. She was glad Clark was spared the trip to town. She was glad the injured little bird was no longer in pain. But she was sorry that Belinda had to suffer so deeply every time some little creature suffered. It was good and noble for her daughter to be compassionate—but Belinda really took it too far. In many ways she was so much like her big brother Luke. So much! Yet she was even more tenderhearted than Luke. Life is going to be so painful for Belinda, Marty lamented. How many hurts—deep hurts—lay down the road for their youngest child? She trembled at the thought.

Clark was just leading the first horse from the stall.

It’s too late, said Marty. The bird’s already dead. Ya can have yer supper now.

Concern rather than the relief one could have expected was in Clark’s face.

She’ll git over it, Marty assured him. She’ll cry for a while. Then she’ll have her little buryin’ and put the sparrow to rest in the garden with her other little creatures. By tomorra she’ll be herself again.

They both knew the truth of it. Belinda would feel the pain of the loss for a time, but she would soon bounce back. They had seen it happen before. While Marty returned to the house, Clark took King back to his stall, the horse no doubt relieved that his supper would not be delayed either.

As Clark removed the harness, hung it on the peg and started for the house, he realized just how hungry and tired he was. But his walk was even and steady with hardly the trace of a limp. Again, Clark had a moment of thankfulness for the wooden limb that functioned almost as well as his own leg had. It was good to have his hands free. It was good to be able to throw aside his crutch. But he did get weary and sore. Right now the whole side of his body protested against the pressure of the artificial limb against the stub of leg remaining. He was anxious to take it off and stand it in a corner for the night.

But he couldn’t—not for a while. He still had chores to do. He wouldn’t remove it even when the chores were all done. He knew Marty watched him carefully for signs of pain or weariness. To remove the leg before bedtime would tell Marty he was in pain. Marty worried enough about his well-being without adding this to her concern. He’d rest the leg a bit while he had his supper. By the time he went to chore, perhaps it would be feeling better.

Clark sure was glad he would not have to make the long trip into town—with a sparrow. He smiled slightly as he thought of the many times he had wished he could rid the whole world of sparrows. Such pesky little nuisances they were, even when Belinda wasn’t fussing over one! And yet . . . they were God’s creatures, too, and Clark would have cheerfully aided Belinda in the fight to save one little life.

TWO

Dr. Luke

Just as Clark and Marty predicted, Belinda grieved over the dead sparrow, carefully made and lined a small box for it to be buried in, called on Amy Jo and the three boys to join her in the little ceremony after supper, and wept as the small bird joined a number of other small graves at the far end of the garden. Then it was over and the girl’s thoughts returned to childhood play. The Saturday evening hours ended with a boisterous game of tag, in which all five children joined.

Marty drew a sigh of relief as she threw the dishwater on her rosebush by the door. Belinda was usually a happy, well-adjusted child. If only she did not grieve so when she found little creatures dead or dying, Marty lamented for the umpteenth time. She did hope Belinda eventually would learn to face the realities of life with a bit less emotional turmoil. No one approved of suffering. But some pain was inevitable.

Clark came toward the house, the pail he carried brimming with white foaming milk.

She looks fine now, he stated, nodding his head slightly in Belinda’s direction with a look of relief.

Oh, she usually comes out of it fairly soon—but, my, what a storm of tears in the meantime, responded Marty as they entered the house together.

Guess I’d rather have her on the tender side than calloused an’ uncarin’, Clark commented, but Marty shook her head and sighed. More than once she had found Belinda’s tender heart a very difficult characteristic with which to deal.

She’ll grow out of it as she gets older, Clark comforted. Jest hope she doesn’t go off to the other extreme.

Marty could not imagine Belinda

Reviews for Love's Unfolding Dream (Love Comes Softly Book #6)

[Cassie Ripley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing! The books in this series are so well written that you get so drawn in that you feel like a part of the story. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend!

[beckygandee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“Love Comes Softly has a special place in my heart, growing up, I was very limited on what I was allowed to read. The Love Comes Softly series was always a favorite, it has been awhile since I've read them.I just love Marty and Clark's story, they both suffered so much heartache and were able to continue on with the help of each other and God. It's so refreshing to read a book with Bible verses and praying on a daily basis to God. The circumstances they're under are pretty unusual, but I guess back in the day that is what they did to care for themselves and their children.The books aren't very long so they're pretty easy to ge through .I got the whole series on ebay for pretty cheap, I was pretty excited about it, especially knowing that I can pass them on to my daughter one day. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series.”

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this book (and the series) years ago when a friend introduced me to Janette Oke. The book recently came up as a free offering for Kindle so I decided to read it again. I enjoyed it both times.The title seems to refer to the fact that most of us think that love is some frisson of energy or fireworks whenever we're together or something like that, but in reality, sometimes, love sneaks up on you. It might be that after a time of being together as friends etc. that the relationship deepens into love without ever having that initial spark. In this case, Marty and Clark end up getting married for convenience: Marty's just lost her husband to a sudden illness and is pregnant with his child. Clark lost his wife within the past year and has a young daughter whom he feels needs a mother. The area preacher is a traveling one who is due to leave the next day, so for propriety's sake, they get married, even though they don't live together as husband and wife. Over time though, Marty grows to realize that she loves Clark.

[sarahgracegrzy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well, that ended up being better than I thought.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It was very sweet and well-paced. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Oke's writing style. (Please nobody hit me.) It's very stripped down, and doesn't really delve much into the characters emotions. Very prosey. I prefer something with a little more "life" to it. And the dialogue . . . I wanted to hit myself over the head with the book a few times because of it. Each character has a very thick backwoods accent, and whether that was realistic or not, it really drew me out of the story. I had to reread a bit of dialogue two or three times just to know what the character was saying. While I often times like the authentic feel accented dialogue gives a character, I think it was too much in this case. I couldn't focus on the story because of it. That was probably my main beef with this book.

The characters were very lovable and sweet, and the story was intriguing and interesting.

All in all, this was kind of a "meh" book for me. I may or may not read more in the series.

[harleyqgrayson02 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love this book. It is set in the Little House era. It tells of a young woman hardship and how she lives through it.

[clare.davitt · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had to read this for a class called Librarians and Popular Culture. It was all I feared it might be. Insipid comes to mind first... It's a Christian romance set in the Wild West. As one who grew up idolizing Laura Engles Wilder I did find some affection for the plucky young woman striking out on the homestead. The paternalistic nature of the story can be assumed although the author is, of course, a woman. Suited for 77-year-old maiden aunts who attend noon Mass on Fridays.

[mom2lnb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I first read Love Comes Softly when I was only about 15 or 16 years old, and if memory serves, it was my very first romance novel. It seems I must have picked well, because not only is it an appropriate story for younger readers content-wise, but it has stood up to the test of time. I still enjoyed it every bit as much today as I did 25 years ago, perhaps even more because I'm seeing it through more mature eyes. Love Comes Softly is something of a Little House on the Prairie story aimed at a slightly older audience. Janette Oke captures that same spirit of the pioneers, depicting their day-to-day lives in a way that made me feel like I was there with them. It amazes me how hard-working and courageous these people were. Ms. Oke paints a picture of joys and sorrow, hardships and laughter against the backdrop of the frontier where close-knit communities of people existed who were willing to help each other in any way they could. She also really brings home the harsh reality for people in that time period, especially women, and how few choices they had. Marty would have been in unbelievably dire straits, and could possibly have even died, if Clark, a stranger to her, hadn't proposed a marriage of convenience. Under the circumstances, it couldn't have been an easy thing for him to do either, but he needed her almost as much as she needed him, even though she didn't want to admit it.The vast majority (probably more than 95%) of the story is told from Marty's third-person point of view. Marty was a great female lead, but she was also a character who had to slowly grow on me. The author did a wonderful job of palpably expressing Marty's grief over the loss of her first husband. Then Clark came along immediately after her husband's funeral with his proposal. After some thought, Marty, being a practical woman, realized that she really had no other choice, but it didn't stop her from stubbornly resenting Clark for it. Although Marty never gave voice to her angry thoughts in Clark's presence, the reader is certainly privy to them. There were times when I felt like she was being ungrateful for this man taking her in and treating her with kindness and respect, and that she was rather selfish in not even considering the fact that he too might still be grieving the loss of his wife. In her defense though, I carefully considered what it would be like to be in her shoes, and decided that she was for the most part simply having a fairly normal human reaction to being placed in such an untenable position. During these times, I wish that a little more background information had been given about Marty so that I could better understand her reluctance to be beholden to a man, her being suspicious about Clark's kindness, and her inability to perform some of the simplest household tasks. I did admire her determination to uphold her end of the bargain (one way in which her stubbornness served her well), her willingness to learn, and that she always tried her best even when it didn't turn out right. Marty's initial ineptness at cooking and doing household chores could be pretty funny at times. As I continued to read, I realized that the story was really all about Marty's journey back to wholeness and being able to open her heart to love again, and I really enjoyed watching her learn, and change, and most of all grow as a person.There is a part of me that wishes we could have had a little more insight from Clark's point of view. There were only a handful of times in the entire book where we get to see things from his perspective, and they only last for a couple of paragraphs. However, I think that the author meant for the reader to experience Clark through his actions, and the message that actions speak louder than words came across very clearly through his character. Clark was an incredibly kind and gentle man. He only asked for a mutually beneficial marriage in name only, and even offered Marty an out if she chose to take it. He gave her the space she needed to grieve the loss of her husband. He was never mean or demanding like she expected, but instead treated her with respect and patience when she burned dinner or made a mess of her attempts at cleaning. He even ate pancakes every meal for several days without complaint, and helped with some of the cooking and other chores until Marty got her feet under her. Clark was always caring, thoughtful and understanding, especially after he found out that Marty was expecting. He was an amazing father to Missie, and later, to Marty's child as well. Even Marty realized that Clark always did what was right and best for others, even if it hurt him to do it. I think that the best thing about Clark though was how he quietly “lived” his faith in God through example. He never, ever used it to beat Marty over the head. He just accepted her as she was. It would have been impossible not to love a romantic hero like Clark, and slowly but surely his love (as well as God's love) stole into Marty's heart softly and unexpectedly.There were a couple of other elements in Love Comes Softly that really drew me in. First was the marriage of convenience which I haven't really read much of in romance before, and I guess had never really thought much about either. After reading this book, I am quite curious to try more romances with this theme. The other was simply the underlying Christian message of the story which I found to be utterly inspiring. I've been very reluctant to read inspirational romances lately because of the preachiness I often find in them, but Love Comes Softly was a truly uplifting novel that brought me back to some simple spiritual truths that had somehow gotten lost in the busy hustle and bustle of everyday life. For that reason alone, I am so grateful that I decided to re-read this book. In fact, the one and only small problem I had with the story was the author's use of backwoodsy vernacular that seemed a little extreme even for the frontier. In my opinion, it made the characters seem somewhat unintelligent which they clearly weren't. Overall though, it was a minor issue, and otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the book. Love Comes Softly is the first volume in the series of the same name. I can't recall how many of the books I read as a teen, but since the latter three were published several years later, I know that I never made it past #5. This all makes me very eager to revisit/discover the rest of the series soon.

[praisemusictlp · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Janette Oke did an amazing job on this book. This is probably my favorite book. I read it about once a year. It is heart-felt and hard to put down. I love it! It's funny, moving and shares the gospel.

[beanyncecil_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book is excellent with only one flaw that I see: the dialect. Makes reading more difficult.

[inkstained · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a quick read, not precisely a page-turner, but a nice way to end the day. The first book is largely about the main character's process of overcoming grief and coping with the consequences of the loss of her husband. Such a topic naturally runs the risk of becoming a sob story, and while you should certainly keep the tissue nearby, the author is not heavy-handed with the grief. I thought she captured the experience quite accurately, and also has provided a well-thought-out character from whom we might find inspiration for our own difficult experiences. I would recommend this for anyone looking for something inspirational and easy to read, or anyone grieving the loss of a loved one. I think it might be especially interesting to someone looking for an unusual love story that's different from your typical romance.

[rampeygirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Janette Oke does a splendid job portraying the life of a frontier family, and the role that women had during this time period. Marty's stubborness and anger fade away to determination and love. Marti succumbs to what God has placed before her and to God himself.

[kathleen586 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't sure how I'd like this book, but I pretty much loved it! I thought it was better than the movie, which is only about 50% the same. The only thing I didn't like was the awful hick dialect almost everyone speaks. It made everyone sound extremely uneducated. (Was that intentional?)

Any other faults this book has may be due to its being the author's first novel. One example is Marty making a jumper for little Missie, which is very historically inaccurate.

[seoulful · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lovely frontier story with an interesting plot. A young woman heading west in a wagon train becomes a widow after her husband accidentally dies. A widower with a small child proposes a marriage of convenience--she cares for his child and he provides her with the protection and home she needs until the next wagon train going east comes in the spring. We then follow their first difficult year of marriage as Love Comes Softly. Woven into the story is Clark's faith as he shares it with Marty and she slowly accepts it.