Land of Dreams, a frontier historical novel by Lauraine Snelling is Book 1 of “Home to Green Creek” series. The story takes place in Iowa, 1889.
The sea voyage from Norway to America was a nightmare. A cholera epidemic aboard ship took many lives, including Amalia Gunderson’s parents. Also stricken were the parents of five-year-old Ruth. On her death bed, Ruth’s mother asks fellow passenger Amalia to be Ruth’s legal guardian and insists that the ship’s captain draw up papers. Ruth’s parents had planned to run a boarding house they’d inherited, but with their death Amalia would be little Ruth’s guardian, and run the boarding house until Ruth comes of age. It was a lot to ask of twenty-year-old Amalia, but she bravely takes on the task, still reeling from the death of her own parents.
Once she arrives in America, Amalia and Ruth travel by train from New York to Iowa to claim the farm and former boardinghouse that Ruth inherited. They find the house badly in need of repair, and Zelda, a spiteful, difficult distant cousin, in residence. There are no boarders; in fact, Zelda had sold all the guestrooms’ bedroom furniture. Amalia has made a promise that she intends to keep, despite the lack of cooperation from mean-spirited Zelda.
Amalia makes friends with people from a neighboring farm, people who have taken in neglected stock from the boarding house property—horses, a cow with calf, and chickens that they now turn over to Amalia. Others began showing up: an orphan boy and his dog who have taken shelter wherever they could find it, a man who has been alone too long, a little boy whose mother died and whose father has left to find work. Those who can, put their skills to work in an effort to bring the boarding house back into operation.
Absalom Karlsson, the magistrate’s son, and in the final stages of becoming an attorney himself, is helpful to Amalia and gives her legal advice. Absalom is still deeply hurt over a former broken relationship and is leery of becoming involved again. They find a mutual attraction, but they both have obstacles to overcome.
Land of Dreams is an uplifting novel showing bravery and courage in the face of what at first seem hopeless. Resilience and faith are key to overcoming daunting trials. I’ve read and reviewed several novels by Lauraine Snelling, and she never disappoints. This first book of the “Home to Green Creek” series promises to be as successful as her previous work.