Audio Book Review: Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This is a charming, lovely story.
Waiting for Summer's Return
by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Narrated By: Barbara Caruso

Series: Heart of the Prairie, Book 1
Publisher: Recorded Books
Date: March 2008
Duration: 11 hours 47 minutes
Genres: Christian Romance, Historial, Inspirational
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Summary:
Kim Vogel Sawyer pens an inspiring debut novel whose unforgettable characters resonate with emotional intensity and compelling authenticity. Suddenly all alone in 1894 Kansas, Summer Steadman can't find the employment she needs to settle near the fresh graves of her husband and four children. Bitter against the Lord and refusing to eat, she collapses in despair. Remembering his own painful loss, godly widower Peter Ollenbuger offers her food and shelter for tutoring his 10-year-old son.

Review:
Summer convinced her Boston husband to leave the comforts of home and travel west to make a new home for their family. Sadly, her husband and children caught typhoid and died outside a small German, Mennonite community in Kansas. Stranded with nothing, mired in grief and having dismissed God after he failed to grant her prays for healing, Summer feels she has nothing to live for.

Widower Peter lives with his elderly mother-in-law and his son, Thomas, who is currently house bound due to injuries. Peter and Summer reach an agreement that she will tutor Thomas in exchange for food and shelter in the small shack on his farm. Others in the community are fearful of Summer as ‘not one of their kind’ and begin to make trouble for Peter and Summer. After a blizzard destroys the shack and Summer moves into the house, the rumors and resentment increase.

Summer is a sad woman but a dedicated teacher. Thomas appreciates her efforts and slowly, between Thomas’ joy in learning and Peter’s patience, caring, and steadfast faith in God, Summer begins to believe that perhaps there is a future for her after all. Just as plans for her to settle in the community are coming together, Summer gets a letter that changes her plans.

Thomas is devastated to lose a woman he views as a mother and, only when she is leaving does Peter realize how important Summer has become to him and his family. Summer too realizes that she is leaving behind something precious, but she is now listening to God and feels she must follow as he leads. What is God’s plan for all of them?

I thoroughly enjoyed this faith-filled story with the double meaning of Summer’s return. Peter’s character is wonderfully developed as a simple man with practical talents and deep-rooted faith. Thomas is a good character and even the non-English speaking grandmother has an interesting role. I enjoyed learning the fascinating tidbits of the Mennonite Community and early grist mills.

Although the community is faith-based, the author shows how small-minded people can cause hurt even in such a community. We all know that Christians are flawed and fail to live up to the teachings of Christ in one way or another. On the other side of that lesson, the author shows how true faith and love of God can spread from one faithful follower to another.

I am sure I have read and enjoyed this author before but it has been a number of years. I won't wait so long for the next book by Ms. Sawyer. I recommend this sweet story to readers who enjoy historical, Christian romance.

Audio Notes: Barbara Caruso does a great job with the narration. She captures the emotional tones of the characters as well as delivering the accents and German phrasings. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story. I am surprised that I didn't see I had come across Ms. Caruso as a narrator in all my readings but I would be glad to listen to more that she narrates.

Source: 7/20/19 Sale at Audiobooks.com $6.99. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook goals, and my "Summer" title.