About the Book
Book: Land of Dreams (Home to Green Creek Series Book One)
Authors: Lauraine Snelling with Kiersti Giron
Genre: FICTION / Christian / Historical
Release date: April 1, 2025
From Norway to America, they must strive for resilience amid unpromising new beginnings.
On the ship to America, Norwegian immigrant Amalia Gunderson makes a solemn promise to a dying mother, vowing to watch over her five-year-old daughter, Ruth. Together, Amalia and Ruth trek to Iowa to claim the farm and former boardinghouse that Ruth has inherited, despite opposition from a difficult cousin. Struggling with an empty house and scarce resources, Amalia resolves to return the boardinghouse to its former purpose, aided by the kindness of strangers and the resilient spirit of her young charge.
As Amalia and Ruth fight for their new home, a trail of orphans shows up on their doorstep, and Amalia makes a promising friend in Absalom Karlsson, the magistrate’s son. With each challenge they face, Amalia and Ruth find hope in believing that faith and determination can overcome even the most daunting of trials.
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I really loved this book, and it kept me turning its pages. There were a few times my heart was saying Oh no, why and please don't let it be like this and I can say that sometimes it wasn't like that and sometimes it was, but I think this is going to be a fabulous series. "Land of Dreams" by Lauraine Snelling is a novel filled with love and faith and hardship. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
About the Author
Lauraine Snelling is the award-winning author of more than one hundred books, fiction and nonfiction, for adults and young adults. Her books have sold more than five million copies. She makes her home in Tehachapi, California.
More from Lauraine
Different stories come about different ways. One of the things I’ve learned through these years of writing is the value of slowly waking up and paying attention to what was going on in my mind. I saw a young woman standing at the railing of a ship tossing on rough seas. A gray day. And I heard the splash as her father’s body sank into the waves. I sniffed, mopped my eyes and settled back, hopefully to sleep awhile longer. But the dream, if that was what it was, continued. A little girl named Rut, or Ruthie, joined Amalia at the rail, slipped her hand into the young woman’s and asked if she could please come, her mother wanted to see her. And my internal game of what if continued for these people on a cholera attacked ship from Norway to Amerika.
I knew a new story had begun but had no idea where it was going. As I said, I treasure that time between sleeping and waking when I can part the curtains to my subconscious mind and see what it has been playing with. What a gift God has created in us.
Around about the same time, something brought a story that one of my aunts on my father’s side told me when I asked her what she remembered of her growing up years. Auntie Harriet chuckled and asked, “Have you heard of the rutabaga years?” I shook my head and settled in to listen. They were a family of eleven children, my dad being the eldest, they lived in a big two story house with a huge garden, a flock of chickens and bad weather. Late spring freeze, early fall freeze and much of the produce killed off. All but the root crops, and rows of rutabagas. Many were dug and stored in the cellar, lots left in the ground, to be dug up later. Rutabagas can be fried, boiled, mashed, grated, turned into soup and stew, mixed with other vegetables, added to pancakes, even turned into pie. Ah, yes, the rutabaga years, Auntie Harriet said she didn’t particularly care for rutabagas for a long time after that. But in the mean time, they became part of Amalia and Ruthie’s new life at a big house Ruthie inherited in Green Creek. North and West of Decorah Iowa in 1819. Come join a delightful cast of characters in Land of Dreams.
Blog Stops
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 12
Devoted To Hope, April 12
Life on Chickadee Lane, April 13
Texas Book-aholic, April 14
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 14
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 15
lakesidelivingsite, April 15
The Avid Reader, April 16
Girls in White Dresses, April 16
Pens Pages & Pulses, April 17
Bizwings Book Blog, April 18
Leslie’s Library Escape, April 18
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 19
Stories By Gina, April 20 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, April 20
Betti Mace, April 21
Books You Can Feel Good About, April 21
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, April 22
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 23
For Him and My Family, April 23
Cover Lover Book Review, April 24
Holly’s Book Corner, April 25
Jeanette’s Thoughts, April 25
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Lauraine is giving away the grand prize of a $25 gift card to the Baker Book House website and paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.