Elsa Anders's dream of marrying Peder Ramstad is about to come true. But as this independent, strong-willed woman discovers her own creative gifts--a love for travel, painting, and the sea--can she find happiness with a captain who insists upon leaving her safely on shore? Leaving their home in Norway behind, Elsa and Peder embark on a voyage to a new life in America with their closest friends, including- Kaatje Jansen, a woman seeking a new beginning for the sake of her marriage and for the child growing within her; Elsa's sister Tora, a sly young vixen who knows exactly what she wants--and exactly how to get it; and Karl Martensen, a man torn between his friendship for Peder and a forbidden, secret love for Elsa that threatens to ruin them all. From the gentle hills of Bergen, Norway, to the rocky coast of Camden, Maine, and across the crashing, danger-filled waves of the open sea, experience an epic saga of perseverance, passion, faith, and fidelity in the Northern Lights series.
I have read books written by Lisa before and enjoyed them but this book surpases them by far. I love the Norwegian history and the language, as it is my own heritage and it reminds me of my Great Grandmother. The tale of the Norwegian immigrants tells the story of more than one family and covers so many difficulties and hardships that the immigrants and so many families faced then and now. The characters come to life and are so intwined with each other, but still each have there own stories. I so appreciate the way the characters rely on God, but are still real people with the tempatations that we face. The learn that God's way is best, but not always the first time. I felt encouraged as I read the book. What a wonderful way to spend a lazy weekend. Thanks for the wonderful new style of writing that you have started in this book, Lisa. The history is great and I can't wait to read the next book.
Sail away on a sweeping adventure!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
Lisa Tawn Bergren at her very best! What an incredible tale of adventure, from Norway's sparkling fjords to the high seas of Cape Horn, to the rocky shores and plains of America in the 1880s. Even with such a panoramic backdrop, THE CAPTAIN'S BRIDE keeps its spyglass trained on the lives of people you'll care about deeply, from first page to last, as they wrestle with the temptations of spirit and flesh we all know too well. It's an old cliche, but I really could NOT put this book down until I hit the last page and THEN I couldn't wait to read the next in the series! Do yourself a favor and buy all three--The Captain's Bride, Deep Harbor, and Midnight Sun--so you won't have to say good-bye to these characters until their stories are fully--and wonderfully--told. I loved all three!
My first Lisa Tawn Bergren novel, but it won't be my last!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
It takes a skilled writer to seamlessly interweave the personal stories of so many characters into a novel that reads as well as this one. Rather than taking the saccharine-sweet route so many Christian novels choose to take (where all problems are neatly solved and a happy ending is reached in a mere 200 pages), this historical story provides true to life characters wrestling with and reacting to challenges many of us face today...frustrating siblings, marital discord, sexual temptations, financial complications, and loneliness. And true to real life, characters sometimes choose wisely and other times choose poorly, with natural consequences for each choice. Rather than a single storyline that points toward a single moral lesson, this work uses several believable characters to convey the truth of earthly consequences for our actions and divine help for our problems and trials. A page-turner with many intriguing plot twists, this work of Christian fiction will make the reader feel blessedly normal by conveying the truth that not all loose ends in life are guaranteed to be neatly tied in a bow, but faith will make those loose ends easier to cope with.
Great romance and adventure
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
I read this book in about two days. I couldn't put it down!! There were so many unusual twists and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Raises Christian romance to a new level
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
A really well-written romance novel. Lisa Bergren is mastering the craft of writing historical romance. This is a book that a woman age eight to eighty will enjoy in a pleasant kick-back afternoon of reading. Some wonderful things are happening in the genre of Christian romance writing and Lisa goes to the top of the class with a very classy tale.
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