Synopsis:~
Ellie Craig grieves the loss of three infant children, and when long-hidden secrets are brought to light, she must find a way to contact the family of her long-lost father. Meanwhile her husband, Matthew, faces controversy in his church and competition from a new arrival in Beldon Grove, who claims to be both a minister and the son of the town’s founder. Will Matthew find the courage to reclaim his church? And will his unexpected travel companion help Ellie’s heart mend?
My take:~
Ann Shorey’s second At Home in Beldon Grove novel again delves deeply into grief, shattered hopes and lives driven by insecurity and fear. Don’t expect a sweet prairie romance with The Promise of Morning as realism is the driving force in this series. Based loosely on the author’s own great-great grandparents, Ellie and Matthew’s painful journey through the loss of three of their children and the destructive force of a stranger determined to insinuate himself upon their marriage and Matthew’s pastorate, is thought provoking and emotional. Readers wanting real insight into the struggle that was living in the 1840s, Ann Shorey’s books will be more than satisfying.
With thanks to Revell for my review copy
Relz Reviewz Extras
Character spotlight on Ellie & Matthew
Review of The Edge of Light
Character spotlight on Molly
April 2, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Can't wait to read this second book.
April 2, 2010 at 4:06 pm
I liked The Promise of Morning much better that The Edge of Light.
http://cherryblossommj.blogspot.com/2010/03/promise-of-morning-by-ann-shorey-review.html
April 2, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Thank you for the thoughtful review, Rel! And thanks to Cherry Blossom who liked The Promise of Morning even better than The Edge of Light. 🙂
April 2, 2010 at 7:49 pm
The Promise of Morning is loosely based on my great-great-grandparents. I'm not quite that old–getting there, though! 🙂
April 2, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Oops! Sorry about missing the extra great! I'll fix that right away 🙂
April 3, 2010 at 12:39 am
Thanks, Rel! All those "greats" can be confusing. Sometimes I have to stop and count backwards to keep them straight.
November 4, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Although I love Ann Shorey, I found that "A Promise of Morning" to be emotionally difficult.
Being a Pastor’s wife myself, I find myself overly sensitive to the depiction of Pastors and their families. I did not enjoy the character of Pastor Matthew and did not like how he was such a “bull in a china shelf” and created judgements of others so quickly.
If you're interested, I have more to say on my site at http://www.tracysbooknook.com.
-Tracy