Streams of Mercy
Snelling’s Songs of Blessings series continues in Streams of Mercy. In 1907, widowed Anji Moen returns to North Dakota from Norway with her children to find a new path for herself. As she settles back down in Blessing, old and new friends intermingle. In particular is Devlin Thomas, local pastor and potential love interest for Anji. But when a circus train stops in Blessing, bringing a contagious deadly disease, the townspeople are put in a dangerous situation. They work together to help the sick, protect their villagers, and pray for guidance.
The story shifts back and forth between the various townspeople, making it hard to follow at times. It took a long time to sort each family out, despite a helpful family tree at the beginning. While the back of the book describes this as Anji’s story, I think the main premise was really about Elizabeth, Astrid, and the struggles the town faces when struck with a diphtheria outbreak. These chapters were striking, rich in detail, and engrossing. Unfortunately, Snelling leaves many strings untied at the end, particularly Anji and Devlin’s romance, and mysterious stranger Clara’s story. I hope that these are resolved in her next book and I look forward to seeing what happens in Blessing next.
