Sophie's Dilemma

This is a great read which took me back to my childhood. A reminder of a much simpler life even though difficult at times.

This was one of those books you start and can't put down. I enjoyed it so much - Some of the dilemma's she got into were so like today you forgot when the setting was. I would encourage others to read this book.

Lauraine Snelling takes us back again to Blessing, North Dakota. This time she tells us the story of Sophie Knutson, daughter of Kaaren and Lars and twin sister of Grace. When Hamre Bjorkland returns, Sophie finds her childhood crush has grown to love. Against her father's wishes, she convinces Hamre to elope and they move to Seattle. However married life is not all that Sophie thought it would be and she soon finds that her honeymoon is not paradise. Unfortunately disaster strikes and Sophie must return back to Blessing, alone and now pregnant. I really love the Bjorklund family. I've been reading the series for several years now and it's really cool to see the younger generation growing up. It seemed like yesterday that Ellie, Sophie, Grace and Astrid were all babies, now they're all grown women. Sophie is very headstrong compared with her twin. She is very young when she runs off with Hamre and learns from her mistake almost at once. I feel sorry for her because everything takes place so suddenly and she has no idea what to do. She is more feisty than Grace, who at first comes off as a "perfect" character. I'm glad though that Grace was portrayed being very angry with Sophie and took a while to forgive her. I didn't like Garth at first. I hate reading about men who abandon their children after their wife dies. I just don't like men who are so obsessed with their wives that they blame the new baby for killing her. He runs away without any thought for his children and thrusts them upon others to raise. It is not mentioned in this book but his relationship with his kids is going to be rocky from now on. One thing that was quite a shock was how two members of the Bjorkland family suddenly die in the middle of the book. It came out of nowhere and I was rather surprised. I also want to know why no one mentions about word getting sent to the oldest son still in Norway, did they forget about him? This is a wonderful book, an excellent adition to the Red River Saga. I'm looking forward to reading Grace's story and hopefully Astrid's as well.

Lauraine has a gifted way of upholding strong family values and the necessity of family connectedness. This novel carries on the message further, with a tasteful portrayal of a teen who allowed passion to go against her parents' counsel. When she returns after an unspeakable tragedy (you'll have to read the book to find out what!), like the Biblical Prodigal son, she finds forgiveness and support in rebuilding her life despite difficult circumstances. There's special charm in the setting of last-century Norwegian immigrant families....plus the strong lesson that families can strengthen their bonds when tragedy strikes. If you hail from Seattle (specifically Ballard), you'll enjoy revisiting history there. A minor character who is deaf might make this an uplifting book for someone with that disability.

For two years, Sophie Knutson waited in her hometown of Red River Valley for Hamre Bjorklund to come home and make her his bride. As the letters dwindle, Sophie begins to believe he will never take that first step until he suddenly comes home and proposes. Excited, she accepts as she finally can escape the over-protection of her father. Her dad demands and then pleads with Sophie to delay the wedding until after she graduates from school, but she and Hamre elope. They move to Ballad, Washington near Seattle where she finds herself alone as he is a fisherman always at sea. She misses her friends and family, feeling out of place in Washington state. When his vessel is lost, she is informed he died. Pregnant, Sophie heads home praying her family will take her back. The second Daughters of Blessing novel (see A PROMISE FOR ELLIE) is a wonderful character driven tale of seeking forgiveness, redemption and second chances. Sophie is the fabulous center that holds the strong story line together as her actions from eloping to returning home miserable and alone seems genuine. Lauraine Snelling provides a strong entry that insists that no matter what you might have done with the love of family you can go home. Harriet Klausner