A Promise to Love ~ Review

A Promise to Love
by Serena B. Miller

1871 Michigan is no place to be an immigrant woman without funds and Ingrid Larsen finds herself in an unbearable situation when she is unable to meet up with her twin brother Hans.  Unfortunately the job that Ingrid finds is impossible - Millicent Bowers is a cruel, hard-hearted woman who feels justified in denying Ingrid food or taking a crop to her.

Joshua Hunter's wife Diantha died under unusual circumstances less than two months ago.  For reasons Josh can't fathom his in-laws blame him for the death of their daughter.  But when they are unable to convince a judge of Josh's guilt, they make an effort to gain custody of his 5 children.  But just as the judge is about to give custody to the Youngs Ingrid speaks up offering to care for the children and to marry Josh.  

Torn between his love for his dead wife and his children, Josh accepts Ingrid's offer reluctantly.  Ingrid is nothing like Diantha and Josh is sure that love will never happen between them.  But something in Josh has drawn Ingrid to this man who is desperate to provide a home, even to the point that he would marry a stranger he met the day before.

Ingrid's influence on Josh's daughter's is almost instantaneous, as they were starved for a mother's love.  Ingrid transforms the house into a place of comfort and cleanliness, something that Diantha neglected.

Can Josh ever see past his misperception of his late wife and see the promise of love that awaits him in his new bride?  Or will the drought that is slowly destroying his farm, dry up his heart as well?

A Promise to Love is more than it first appears.  It is a romance yes, but it is also a historical fiction.  A Promise to Love also takes a look at issues that are still of concern in the world today.  I always judge a book to be well written when it makes me want to learn more about a topic that it touched upon and A Promise to Love has sparked my curiosity in a couple of topics.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review and all opinions are my own. 

Available October 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.