Rating: 
Summary: Surprise Ending!
Review: This is one of the best Janette Oke books I have read so far. It is so sweet and romantic, as Laramie and Ariana find their real past. I was really encoraged to know that if I trust like Ariana did in the book, God will honor my heart and give me THE BEST- which is His best for me. I recommend this book especially to young girls who seem they will lose hope for a future husband- know God is in control!!
Rating:
Summary: one of my favorite jannete oke's!!
Review: This was a great book. I LITERALLY COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!! Anyway, Ariana Benson is a sweet and beautiful little school teacher. She was adopted by a minister, for her parent's were killed in an indian raid on the wagon train. Meanwhile, Laramie Russel is a handsome young man who doesn't fit in with the gang of desperadoes he lives with. He was also adopted; his parents were killed in an indian raid to. Well, Laramie's father, "the boss," is upset with his son because he has never killed anyone, which is a shame to the life of a desparadoe. See, Laramie is the best gunman, but he doesn't shoot to kill. The Boss decides that a woman is the only way to get Laramie to kill, so he kidnaps Ariana, and orders Laramie to be her prison guard. Well, over time, Laramie discovers a Bible and begins to read it. He realizes how wrong his life in the gang is, and decides to escape, and take Ariana home. Throught the ordeal, the two fall in love, but later on, discover a secret that threatens to tear them apart. Can the ending hold a happiness for them?? READ AND ENJOY!!
Rating:
Summary: Jannette Oke's best book ever
Review: This was my all time favorite book by Jannette Oke. It is very engrosing. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Ariana is the perfect example of a Christian woman. The ending is the best part. I love the part when Laramie reads his mom's journal and finds out that he and Ariana were in the same wagon train and that their mom's were best friends. I cried when he found the lace cuff in the little box. I again cried at the end when he read the journal. Laramie is the kind of character you could fall in love with, I did!! Thanks Jannette for writing such wonderful books, I love them all.
Rating: 
Summary: Expect to be surprised. I was!
Review: This was my first foray into the genre of Christian historical romance. I must confess that I wasn't expecting much. What do you expect from an author who has filled bookshelves with titles like "Love Comes Softly" and "Love's Enduring Promise"? Rightly or wrongly, I was expecting a sappy secular type romance with a superficial Christian sugar coating. I was pleasantly surprised.Not surprised about the romance. In fact the romance is a key aspect of the plot. Most of the suspense revolves around the romantic developments in the relationship between Ariana and Laramie. Ariana is a young Christian girl who is orphaned by an Indian raid, leaving no connection with her birth parents aside from a wedding dress inherited from her mother. But the likelihood of her ever wearing this dress becomes remote when she is kidnapped by a bunch of Wild West outlaws (oh yes, be prepared to read dialogue in the language of the old West!) Laramie is the son of the gang's boss, and is commissioned to guard Ariana. Laramie's father is concerned that his son doesn't have the makings of a true outlaw because he shoots only to wound, and is convinced that Laramie will learn to shoot to kill when he is forced to fight over a woman - Ariana (p.24-27). But the anticipated showdown (p.125) doesn't eventuate, because Laramie decides to spirit Ariana off to freedom instead. The reader is left to beg the burning question: how will the relationship between Laramie and Arian develop, and what will be the consequences? And just when the outcome appears to be clear, a sudden twist in the plot unravels a surprise by launching the story in an entirely different direction, not just once, but twice! But even though plot hinges on romance, the romantic element never becomes offensive or unbearable. Here I was surprised. Oke's treatment of the love relationship is markedly different from the way secular writers and even some Christian writers deal with romance. Thankfully, we are spared graphic details about impossibly good looks, sickening physical attraction and burning passion. This romance is definitely Christian: loving, but sober. In fact, the whole intention of Oke with this book is to convey a solidly Christian message. As she states in the preface, her aim is "to honestly present the ruthless mind-set of the outlaws ... as to show the hopelessness and helplessness of those who choose to live without law - without compassion - without God." (p.8). In this sense, Oke certainly portrays that the pioneer Wild West was not all romance, but that it was inhabited by wild characters who recognized only destructive emotions. "Hate - bitterness. Envy and greed. Those were the passions he had grown up with." (p.173). Oke effectively shows the destructive effect of such sin and lawlessness - "The whole camp was like a powder keg - about to explode. Given time they would all destroy one another - and the girl too." (p.124) But Oke also shows that redemption from such a destructive lifestyle is possible - through Jesus Christ. The change experienced by her characters is one that can also be experienced by her readers in the same way - by the power of the gospel of Christ. Weaknesses? Maybe a few. Oke appears to present Laramie as a pure victim of circumstances, and I wondered whether she is rather too optimistic about sinful human nature (p.185,196). Furthermore, towards the end of the book, Oke presents it as a duty for a Christian to right his wrongs, and thus sends Laramie off to apologize to his father and beg his forgiveness (p.202-4). The theology is correct, but the application is incorrect - it plainly contradicts the first part of the book, where Oke presents Laramie's plan to free Ariana as an obvious "right", not as a "wrong." If it was right, surely no apology was necessary! But these minor ripples aside, this is an enjoyable book, full of surprises. Before reading this book, I didn't think the Christian historical romance genre had much to offer. Oke has shown me otherwise. No it's not literary fiction like Frank Peretti, Francine Rivers, or Randy Alcorn, where the theology carries the plot. This is primarily entertainment fiction, where the plot carries itself. But as such it is a successful execution, and a good read. And as a bonus, the theology that does accompany the plot is warm, upbuilding, and not superficial or unnatural. Oke has surprised me in more ways than one - and pleasantly so. Expect to be surprised! I was!
Rating:
Summary: Expect to be surprised. I was!
Review: This was my first foray into the genre of Christian historical romance. I must confess that I wasn't expecting much. What do you expect from an author who has filled bookshelves with titles like "Love Comes Softly" and "Love's Enduring Promise"? Rightly or wrongly, I was expecting a sappy secular type romance with a superficial Christian sugar coating. I was pleasantly surprised. Not surprised about the romance. In fact the romance is a key aspect of the plot. Most of the suspense revolves around the romantic developments in the relationship between Ariana and Laramie. Ariana is a young Christian girl who is orphaned by an Indian raid, leaving no connection with her birth parents aside from a wedding dress inherited from her mother. But the likelihood of her ever wearing this dress becomes remote when she is kidnapped by a bunch of Wild West outlaws (oh yes, be prepared to read dialogue in the language of the old West!) Laramie is the son of the gang's boss, and is commissioned to guard Ariana. Laramie's father is concerned that his son doesn't have the makings of a true outlaw because he shoots only to wound, and is convinced that Laramie will learn to shoot to kill when he is forced to fight over a woman - Ariana (p.24-27). But the anticipated showdown (p.125) doesn't eventuate, because Laramie decides to spirit Ariana off to freedom instead. The reader is left to beg the burning question: how will the relationship between Laramie and Arian develop, and what will be the consequences? And just when the outcome appears to be clear, a sudden twist in the plot unravels a surprise by launching the story in an entirely different direction, not just once, but twice! But even though plot hinges on romance, the romantic element never becomes offensive or unbearable. Here I was surprised. Oke's treatment of the love relationship is markedly different from the way secular writers and even some Christian writers deal with romance. Thankfully, we are spared graphic details about impossibly good looks, sickening physical attraction and burning passion. This romance is definitely Christian: loving, but sober. In fact, the whole intention of Oke with this book is to convey a solidly Christian message. As she states in the preface, her aim is "to honestly present the ruthless mind-set of the outlaws ... as to show the hopelessness and helplessness of those who choose to live without law - without compassion - without God." (p.8). In this sense, Oke certainly portrays that the pioneer Wild West was not all romance, but that it was inhabited by wild characters who recognized only destructive emotions. "Hate - bitterness. Envy and greed. Those were the passions he had grown up with." (p.173). Oke effectively shows the destructive effect of such sin and lawlessness - "The whole camp was like a powder keg - about to explode. Given time they would all destroy one another - and the girl too." (p.124) But Oke also shows that redemption from such a destructive lifestyle is possible - through Jesus Christ. The change experienced by her characters is one that can also be experienced by her readers in the same way - by the power of the gospel of Christ. Weaknesses? Maybe a few. Oke appears to present Laramie as a pure victim of circumstances, and I wondered whether she is rather too optimistic about sinful human nature (p.185,196). Furthermore, towards the end of the book, Oke presents it as a duty for a Christian to right his wrongs, and thus sends Laramie off to apologize to his father and beg his forgiveness (p.202-4). The theology is correct, but the application is incorrect - it plainly contradicts the first part of the book, where Oke presents Laramie's plan to free Ariana as an obvious "right", not as a "wrong." If it was right, surely no apology was necessary! But these minor ripples aside, this is an enjoyable book, full of surprises. Before reading this book, I didn't think the Christian historical romance genre had much to offer. Oke has shown me otherwise. No it's not literary fiction like Frank Peretti, Francine Rivers, or Randy Alcorn, where the theology carries the plot. This is primarily entertainment fiction, where the plot carries itself. But as such it is a successful execution, and a good read. And as a bonus, the theology that does accompany the plot is warm, upbuilding, and not superficial or unnatural. Oke has surprised me in more ways than one - and pleasantly so. Expect to be surprised! I was!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best!
Review: Wow! I have never read a book like this one. This book kept me reading all night long. It's very intersting and it is hard to predict. It's a must read book!! One of Oke's best!
|
