Waiting For Summer’s Return

Author: Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publication date: June 1, 2006
Series: Heart of the Prairie #1
Pages: 356
Genre: Historical, Romance, Christian
Synopsis: All alone on the Kansas prairie, Summer Steadman has few options. With her husband and children lost to illness, she has no desire to continue on farther west to where she and her husband planned to build their future. Instead, she seeks employment in a small Mennonite community in order to be near the graves of her family.

Widower Peter Ollenburger, the local gristmill owner, needs someone to teach his young son. When he hears of a “learned woman” in town, he believes she is the answer to his prayers. He soon discovers, however, that helping this outsider may have troublesome consequences.

There is little this father will not do for his son, but as the boy begins to look at Summer as more than a teacher, Peter must make a choice. Does he marry this woman to give his son a new mother, or does he marry only for love?

Will Summer’s broken heart ever be able to love again?

Love Factor (How much I loved it):
Would I recommend it:
Would I read it again:

My Opinion

After browsing my online library for something to read, I came across this beautiful book. Aside from its lovely cover artwork (which I will admit was the first thing that lured me in), this story was just plain sweet an it drew me in within the first two chapters. Peter was a giant of a man but boy did he have a huge gentle heart. I loved him from the start. What also made him more real and appealing is how Kim wrote his (and the other Mennonites) dialog in broken English because it isn’t his first language – German is. Thomas whom is Peter’s son was also very sweet. He quickly grew attached to Summer while she tutored him – so much so that he wanted her to be his ma. Grossmutter (Lena ; Thomas’s great grandmother) was likeable too even though she wasn’t very verbal. Summer whom is the lead female character is great too. She is down on her luck after she losing her four children and husband to typhoid while traveling west to Oklahoma when Peter asks her to help his son with school lessons due to him injuring his ribs from a fall from a tree. Summer struggles with her grief but learns to cope with it with the help of Peter and his love for God. I have never read a book penned by Kim and lets just say this one captured my heart – so much so that I had to buy me my own copy so I could re-read it again. Another bonus with this book is, it taught me a few words in German. This one will without a doubt go on my favorite Christian reads list.