Monday, April 14, 2025

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Land of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling with Kiersti Giron

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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Christian Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres. Land of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling with Kiersti Giron is the most recent book in this genre that I have read. It is Book 1 in the Home to Green Creek series.

I began reading this book and I knew I couldn't put it down anytime before I finished the book. The setting is 1888, Norway to America. The main characters in this story are Amalia Gunderson, Ruth and Absalom Karlsson. Amalia is a Norweigan immigrant who is making her way to America. Ruth is a 5yr old girl whose mother dies aboard the ship going to America. Amalia also lost her parents on the ship to America. She honors Ruth's mom wishes and takes Ruth on the journey to Iowa with her and care for her. Amalia and Ruth arrive in Iowa to begin cleaning up the boarding house that Ruth has inherited. Trials and Tribulations await them as they try to settle into life in Iowa. Amalia finds a friend in Absalom Karlsson. I really LOVE that Amalia finds faith in turning to God to help them overcome the obstacles they are facing. The relationship between Absalom and Amalia was heartwarming. I really LOVE how the book focuses on Immigration and the History of those times. The book is one of Faith, History, Family and Relationships. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Fiction. FANTASTIC BOOK!

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.