A Promise To Love by Serena B. Miller ~ review

• Paperback: 332 pages                                         
• Publisher: Revell; Original edition (October 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800721179
• ISBN-13: 978-0800721176

This book is also available as an e-book.

Publication Date: October 1, 2012

Ingrid Larsen, a young Swedish immigrant, arrives in Michigan in 1871 to search for her brother who has disappeared into the woods to work the dangerous lumber camps. Destitute and barely hanging on to hope, she encounters a newly-widowed farmer who is struggling to raise five children on his own. Marriage would solve both of their problems, and so Ingrid proposes to a man she barely knows. She will fight to protect her new family--but the hardest battle of all will be winning the heart of her new husband.

My take on this book:

The year is 1871, and even though Joshua Hunter is a strong man, who has faced several adversities, but feels helpless when it comes to his wife Diantha's unexpected illness, and death. Left with four little girls and a three month old baby boy to raise alone he really finds himself unsure what to do, added to his grief is the fact that his in-laws had started the rumor that he might be responsible for his wife's death. 

Ingrid Larsen isn't having an easy time of it. She works for George and Millicent Bowers who owns the mercantile  Thing is Millicent can be cruel. Ingrid decides that the answer to both her and Joshua's problems might be marriage to each other. Can marriage work between them, after all it's only been a few months since the death of Joshua's wife?

I really couldn't help but wonder at the pairing of Joshua and Ingrid. Totally different, she was from Sweden, looking for her brother, and really hadn't been treated very well at all. He was a farmer, who had fought in the war, and lost his wife. I really enjoyed the way this pair slowly came together. I always enjoy whenever the female character is strong, and we certainly had that with Ingrid. I enjoyed the relationship that we see between Ingrid and the children,the girls were totally longing for a mother.

I love reading historical fiction, and Serena Miller delivers in spades. She provides just the right amount of romance along with a great historical flavor to make for a great little inspirational read. Serena Miller is easily becoming one of my favorite authors,because she can deliver contemporary romance, or historical romance in a way that draws me in and has me remembering the characters long after I finish the final page. 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.