Promises, Promises (Delaware Dawning, Book #1, HP #784)

Amber Miller has written a very sweet, touching, wholesome story in Promises, Promises. She has done her homework in bringing to life the historical setting and time period. The characters are believable in working through their problems. Amber weaves throughout the story the struggles of faith and how God keeps His promises and of His goodness. I highly recommend this book--and look forward to reading the next in the series.

"Promises, Promises" by Amber Miller is the sweet story of Raelene, a young woman who has lost her parents in a tragic accident in 1700s Delaware. Gustaf, the neighbor who has adored Raelene from afar, has promised her dying father that he will take care of her and find her a husband. The Swedish phrases are charming. Gustaf's insecurity around Raelene is adorable. The refusal of the town's businessmen to deal with a woman really frustrated me, but transported me to the time and place in history where this actually took place. This is one talented author! The spiritual message in the novel is of critical importance - Raelene has abandoned her faith in God because of her parents' deaths. She is consistently exposed to God because of Gustaf's faith. Amber Miller has beautifully crafted Raelene's return to faith as a woman who has been there and knows the desperation of questioning her own faith. It truly inspired me to hang on tighter to God when I actually felt the temptation to give up. I also appreciated the natural development of the love story - there were no contrived conflicts and minimal ignorance on the part of the characters. Bravo, Amber! This is a worthwhile and inspirational read.

Every author makes a promise to the reader that their story will be worth the reader's while. So the title of this book is most appropriate because Miller amply fulfills that promise with this moving debut novel. Promises, Promises is set in the 1730s in the lower counties of Pennsylvania, which later separated to become the state of Delaware. Raelene Stratford turns her back on God after the tragic death of her parents. Believing he is beneath her, she rejects handsome Gustaf Hanssen's efforts to court her. She even rejects his offer to help with the daunting task of managing her parents' farm--until the restrictions of colonial society leave her with no other choice. In spite of the sting of her rejection Gustaf's quiet love remains faithful, as do his attempts to gently lead her back to God, attempts Raelene spurns. The complication is that when he becomes her overseer, he is also bound to find her a husband before her eighteenth birthday or she will forfeit her land. Complications abound and kept me turning the pages, hoping that the heartsore Raelene will finally let down her defenses and find healing, turn back to the God who loves her, and open her heart to the only man who cherishes her for herself instead of holding ambitions to gain her land. Miller does not disappoint. The characters' emotions are sympathetically drawn and believable. The plot twist and turns kept me guessing. I'm giving this story 4 stars because I suspect the next book in the series will be even better.