The Seeds of Change (Leah’s Garden)
After storming out of church due to Deacon Wiesel’s infuriating sermon, and a few lucky hands of poker with that cheat Slade Ringwald at the saloon, Larkspur Nielsen and her three sisters make the hurried decision to head West in May 1865. Mrs. Nielsen, known for her flower and vegetable gardens, has named the sisters Larkspur, Forsythia, Delphinium, and Lilac. Christian fiction authors Lauraine Snelling and Kiersti Giron have given them characteristics of children raised in a loving, Christian home: they are patient, forgiving, and kindhearted. They demonstrate how difficult it is to “walk the walk” that their parents have modeled for them through musings and memories of wisdom as each sister encounters obstacles and dilemmas along the trail.
Larkspur is hoping to join a wagon train in Independence, Missouri, and readers know from the start that she retrieved their oldest brother, Anders, during the war by disguising herself as a young man. She takes on the same difficult role of “Clark” Nielsen as the wagon of sisters departs Linksburg, Ohio. Readers get comfortable jostling along the trails, but soon enough Snelling and Giron incorporate dangers lurking around each bend in the Kansas River. Inspired descriptions of “fish sizzling and stars as a canopy around the campfire” evoke a cozy, nostalgic atmosphere, in contrast to the suspense of disease, childbearing, and threats from the stalking gambler. Romance plays a part when the recently widowed Dr. Brownsville makes a pivotal decision, and the authors include lessons on how to improve relationships and understanding through listening, kindness, and trust. The incorporation of music, hymns, prayers, and scripture provides comfort and encouragement to readers. As the sign “Leah’s Garden” is hammered into the ground, readers will be anxiously awaiting book 2 in the Leah’s Garden Series.
