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Read Land Of My Heart (2004)

Land of My Heart (2004)

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Rating
4.02 of 5 Votes: 3
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ISBN
0764227696 (ISBN13: 9780764227691)
Language
English
Publisher
bethany house publishers

Land Of My Heart (2004) - Plot & Excerpts

Dianne Chadwick is a capable and efficient 16 year old and she helps her father in their town store alot because her elder brother doesn't enjoy being inside. Her older brother, Trenton, doesn't enjoy book learning or reading so she runs errand for his father and prefers to be out and about. The 3 older boys carry no interest in their store and like many boys their age crave adventure and the wild outdoors. So one afternoon her brothers being no where around to run to the bank for Mr Chadwick he reluctantly allows Dianne to make the errand with no idea of the consequences to his family. On her return trip from the bank she is accosted by a burly man, while her father rushes to her aid along with a local captain for support. During the tussel Mr Chadwick is killed during the crossfire. There was no much confusion the Chadwicks never learned who actually shot their father. Diane works hard convincing her mother and brothers that is best for them to leave New Madrid, Missouri and join a wagon train heading to Idaho Territory. She convinces her mother it is best because this will prevent her older brothers from joining sides of the war. Captain Seager is constantly badgering them to join the Union as soon as they're of age. Mrs Chadwick is convinced and decides to head ut to her brother's who settled in Montana territory. The eldest son Trenton refuses to leave as he plans venegeance in his hear against the Yankees. Dianne heads out with her mother (who is pregnant), brothers and younger sisters with hope in their heart that they will find Uncle Bram and start a new life. Despite the fact they are city women they are willing to work hard and try to learn from the other women on the wagon train. Along the way Dianne realizes her mother blames her for her father's death and is distant with her. She carries guilt and doesn't know how to talk to her mother about the incident. She does her best struggling learning how to start a fire and to cook outdoors, to sew and milk their cows. She feels isolated and her mother discourages her from making friends with the other ladies. Her mother especially dislikes Faith who used to be a slave and scolds her daughter for speaking to her and spending time with her. Dianne encounters Cole Selby who is one of the wagon master's assistants because he rescued her when her skirt caught on fire while she was cooking. She finds his attitude condescending and avoids his company. Despite her distance Cole routinely comes to her aid which annoys Dianne to no end. Meanwhile, her elder brother Trenton stays in New Madrid and joins a gang of ruffians who he doesn't realize that they will lead him into bank robbery and hurting people. Trenton is lost and doesn't really know what he wants to do with his life he just knows he wants to avenge his father's death. He always felt like he left his father down by not taking interest in the family store so this is his way of alleviating his guilt. Dianne eventually makes it to her uncle's ranch and she easily settles into ranch life with her uncle and his half Indian wife, KoKo. She realizes that she loves the mountains in Montana and she wants to eventually file for a land claim herself when she reaches 21 years of age along with finding a husband. There were some parts that were slow but on the whole it was an enjoyable read and I actually would give it 3 1/2 stars if the rating system would have allowed it.

Amazon blurb: Book 1 of Heirs of Montana from bestselling author Tracie Peterson. Adventurers, families, outlaws...all driven west in the 1860s by a longing for endless blue sky along with wild and wide-open spaces. Tracie Peterson, from her own Montana home, paints an unforgettable portrait of this rich, rugged landscape, populated by strong and spirited characters. When Dianne Chadwick urges her family to move west to her uncle's ranch in the Montana Territory, she has no idea that her new life in the rugged frontier--and even within her uncle's home--will not be the idyllic adventure she expects. But first she has to survive the arduous wagon journey with the help of guide Cole Selby, whose heart seems to be as hard as the mountains he loves.NO where in the blurb does it say that this is Christian fiction (and my word WAS it Christian fiction!!) Towards the end there was more God than plot.Seriously, I have no objection to reading about religion, but I do like to be informed that a book is Churchy-preachy-God-loves-you-all-and-will-solve-all-your-problems. And, please, don't tell me to look up the publisher. I expect a book's blurb to tell me what the genre is - sci-fi, western, romance, etc. Is it that hard to add 'Christian Fiction to a blurb?Anyway... I read it. If the Church-preachy aspect was removed this would be about 25% shorter and far punchier. There was an incredible amount of waffle and unnecessary deaths. (view spoiler)[ What purpose was served in killing off the father, then two young sisters and finally the pregnant mother? Or was that just to show us how loving God is? (hide spoiler)]

What do You think about Land Of My Heart (2004)?

I feel like I keep running into Tracie Peterson books and have been meaning to check her out for quite a while. Unfortunately, I started with the wrong book. This one just didn't appeal to me. It was soooo slow. The family decides to head west in a lengthy conversation that really could have been summarized. Then the heroine packs and packs and has a drawn out scene saying goodbye to her friends (that we haven't seen before and assume we won't see again so it was difficult to feel anything about the departure). I thought it would pick up once the journey began and there were a few parts that I enjoyed. But the journey was, in my opinion, dry. The heroine experiences a lot of loss, but the characters felt superfluous (and in one case in the way) before they were written out so there was little mourning. And so many conversations seemed like a chance for the author to show off her research and give a history lesson rather than adding to the characterization or the story. I'd be less negative if there had been a satisfying conclusion to the book. But in the end, I kind of felt like I read it for nothing.
—Amanda

This is Christian Fiction, which is frequently written at an 8th grade level so I don't expect it to be too weighty but Tracie Peterson missed the mark with Land of My Heart. Wagon Train stories are usually pretty digestible if you like that genre which I do, but Ms. Peterson didn't make the effort to develop any of her characters well. In this novel the reader can't identify with any of the characters which makes it difficult to care about the story. There isn't a character who makes a normal decision and the reader knows ahead of time exactly where the story is going each time the author advances the plot with another unlikely event. I hate to bad mouth authors but why would Petersen take the time to churn out such drivel when with just a little more effort she could have made this book enjoyable?
—Donia Hunter

"Land of My Heart", by Tracie Peterson, begins in the Spring of 1864, in New Madrid, Missouri. Dianne Chadwick's family is much affected by the ongoing War Between the States. Her father, Ephraim, a store owner, does business with the entrenched Union Army, much to the outrage of the many loyal Confederate sympathizers in the town. There is much unease and lawlessness due to the continued conflicts and losses from the war. When Ephraim is killed in the crossfire of a shoot-out in front of his store, Dianne urges her mother to join a wagon train heading to the Idaho territory. After much discussion, the family decides to move forward, hoping to connect with their mother's brother, Bram. The oldest son, Trent, stays behind with plans to join the Rebel Army. Just before they begin the journey, their mother, Susannah, discovers that she is pregnant. Becoming a widow, learning of an unexpected pregnancy, and uprooting the family for a long and perilous journey takes a sad toll on Susannah. Through all the hardships and unimaginable loss endured by the Chadwick family on their way to their new life, it is Dianne who becomes the head of the family. She is truly an admirable heroine, a young lady who takes much responsibility upon herself as the family situation becomes increasingly trouble-filled. Susannah slowly loses her grip on reality, a situation worsened by an addiction to laudanum. Her grief over her tragic personal losses combines with her innate prejudices and she is often irrational and prone to rants. Much to her mother's dismay, Dianne becomes good friends with a freed slave and her husband. Later, when the family finally connects with Uncle Bram, he is reluctant to offer them much assistance, not wanting them to join him at his home place. His wife is a Native American, and he knows that his sister has strong prejudices. At the start of the wagon train journey, Dianne had been somewhat at odds with the wagon master's assistant, Cole Selby. Though Cole is a loner, almost taciturn, he somehow manages to rescue Dianne on more than one occasion. An attraction grows between them, but it is a tumultuous time in both their lives. Back home, Dianne's brother Trent begins a series of misadventures which leaves him wondering if he will ever see his family again. Nothing has gone according to plan. Each character faces more than one crisis of faith, and life is harsh, with disaster and death coming on swift horses. This is the first book in Tracie Peterson's "Heirs of Montana" series, and there are three more books which detail the continued life adventures of Dianne Chadwick and her family and friends. If you like historical western romance, and enjoy story lines with strong heroines, then you will greatly enjoy the "Heirs of Montana" saga.
—Virginia Campbell

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