Reviewed for THC ReviewsLove's Abiding Joy is another lovely addition to the Love Comes Softly series, but unlike the first three books in the series, this one is pretty much pure inspirational, historical fiction. There's really no romance to speak of. The story is primarily a continuation of Clark and Marty's relationship as they face more trials and joys with a side helping of Willie and Missie. There are no new budding romances, and even these two married couples don't so much as share a kiss on the lips, only extremely chaste pecks on the cheek or forehead. This was a tad disappointing, because the first three books had just enough romance for me to be comfortable categorizing them as such. However, it was still a wonderful book that is every bit as good as the Little House on the Prairie series, which it resembles, and fans of frontier stories are sure to enjoy it.In the last book of the series, Love's Long Journey, Missie and Willie headed west in a covered wagon to settle on the frontier and build a cattle ranch. They are now prospering in their new home, but Clark and Marty dearly miss their oldest daughter. With a new rail line now running through a town not far from Missie and Willie's ranch, Clark and Marty are finally able to go visit them. Although this part of the story moved a little slowly for me, I did find it interesting. Compared to modern-day travel, their week-long journey by stagecoach and train seemed downright primitive, but in many ways, Clark and Marty felt like they were traveling in luxury. Although it was still exhausting for them, I suppose when you consider the alternative of traveling overland by covered wagon it was luxurious. The accommodations in their departure city were as well, but from there on, not so much, which makes me very thankful for our modern hotels and travel conveniences. When Clark and Marty finally arrive, they couldn't be more thrilled to finally see Missie and Willie again and be introduced to the grandchildren they've never met. After a rocky beginning, Missie has settled into her life on the frontier very nicely, and they have built a wonderful group of people around them as a support system. Missie now loves life on the ranch every bit as much as Willie always did, and their two boys are as cute as a button. Clark and Marty only plan on staying for two weeks before heading back to the family they left behind, but a tragic accident, extends their stay for much longer. Just like the first two books of the series, a large part of this book is in Marty's perspective, but a decent chunk of it is from Clark's POV, which was a refreshing change. I've always adored Clark for his patience and gentleness, and I loved the way he teases Marty. He has always been the perfect foil for Marty's bluntness and impatience. We see a touch of that here, but it's mostly about her strength and resilience which I admire. What I've always admired more though, is Clark's quiet faith and optimism. When tragedy strikes, he does get upset to some extent, but only for a short time, and he doesn't allow himself to dwell on it too much. That's because he believes wholeheartedly that everything that happens to him, good or bad, has a purpose. He also believes everything will be OK no matter what, because God is watching out for us and wants the best for us. With that in mind, he also puts his sharp mind to work figuring out ways to overcome these new obstacles with which he is faced. The other thing I've always loved about Clark is how he quietly lives out his faith in a way that is easy for others to see but non-threatening. That's because he never tries to shove his religion down anyone's throat, but instead, is a good friend and gentle teacher to everyone, no matter where they are in their walk with God. In this way, he is able to reach many people in a positive and often life-changing way. Clark is such an easy man to fall in love with even when the book technically isn't a romance.Overall, Love's Abiding Joy was a very pleasant and heartwarming read. I love that the faith message is a more gentle one, and not preachy, like many inspirational books nowadays. It also paints a vivid picture of life on the frontier and many of the difficulties inherent in living so far from civilization. I very much enjoyed my time reading Love's Abiding Joy. It has earned a spot on my keeper shelf next to its predecessors, and I look forward to continuing the series.
Somehow, Janette Oke's characters get under my skin. This is the fourth bookin the 'Love Comes Softly' series about pioneer families in America. In this book, Marty and Clark make the long journey out West by train, to see their married daughter Missie and to meet their two grandsons. Their visit is unexpectedly extended far longer than they expect. Not the greatest of literature, but the characters are three-dimensional, and several times I found tears in my eyes as I read. Since this is American Christian fiction, here's the obligatory explanation of how to become a Christian included in a couple of places, but it comes fairly naturally during relevant conversations and is not pushed. Gives a good idea of what it might have been like for people like this in the early days of train travel, despite being a very light read that would be suitable for teens or children. It's not necessary to have read earlier books in the series, but it would probably help. There are quite a number of different characters, which could be confusing for someone picking this book up as a stand-alone read.
What do You think about Love's Abiding Joy (2003)?
The series is good reading with a heavy dose of Christian moral teaching added. I'm not sure if the Protestant perspective in the 19th Century, as portrayed in the novels, was quite as pronounced as the author presents it to be. I agree that people were probably more reliant upon their faith in frontier America than they are today and certainly the lessons are timeless, just as valid today as they were then, but I do feel that the author got a bit "preachy" in the story telling. Not that I mind so much but it does place her books into a smaller niche audience. She could back off just a bit on the preachiness and get a much larger audience to read her message.
—Rex Cluff
I am pretty sure this is my favorite book of all the ones in the Love Comes Softly series. Love's Abiding Joy is about the trip that Marty and Clark take to visit their daughter Missie and her family who have since moved far away to a cattle ranch. While they originally only planned on staying a couple weeks, their stay is extended to a year due to a tragic accident that happens when Clark goes to rescue some boys in a cave-in.For me the thing I liked about this book the most was how exciting it was! It was a real page-turner compared to Janette's well known slower steady pace of writing that is more laid back and somewhat slow. This exciting story was just what I needed to not get bored with the "same-old, same-old" since there are quite a few books in the series, and was a nice little twist in the series to keep it going. Another thing I loved was how Clark handled the tragedy. Most would have become mad at God or been very sour about it, but I loved Clark's godly example of trusting in God and instead of being mad for what happened to him, he praised God for saving his life.
—Bethany
I had seen Janette Oke books, but had never read one. A friend loaned me the book, so I felt I should read it. It was a good story. It had the "down home" feeling I associate with the time the story was portraying, the late 19th century. The story realistically portrayed the times, and I believe the people who farmed and began new communities in the west. The story also reinforced the importance of religion at that time. Church was the uniting feature of most towns at that time, and was the center of the social life people had. This story related how such a church would have been important, and how this particular church began. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good story, and one that can be shared with your children and family.
—Kim
