Surprisingly Touching

This was the first book of Janette Oke's that I ever read, and I must say that it is a terrific read. I'd never read "inspirational" fiction before, but this story hooked me. Now I devour Janette's stories like chocolate! This book has it all... tragedy, suspense, love. This story hooks you from the beginning and is nearly impossible to put down until the end.

Main Characters
Marty is a young, newly married pioneer woman who is travelling along with her husband to begin their lives in the West. Unfortunately, something happens to him, leaving Marty pregnant and alone in a world she knows nothing about and with no way to return to her former home.
Clark is a widowed man with a young daughter. He feels inadequate in her care and searches for the best way to raise her. In his mind, this means finding a mother for her. Grief stricken and filled with love for his daughter, he sets out to accomplish this in the only way he knows how.

General Plot
Love Comes Softly follows the lives of these two individuals who were dealt such difficult hands in life. We are offered the opportunity to grow with them spiritually. Janette Oke masterfully pulls us in to the story in such a way that we feel we truly know Clark and Marty. We cry with them. We laugh with them. And we learn from them.

The Continuing Tale
Other books written by Janette Oke follow more closely the lives of Clark, Marty, their children, and their grandchildren. There are 8 books in this particular series that take us on a journey that will truly inspire you to live every moment to the fullest. If you are a reader of romance of any type or simply looking for an good story with strict morals, I highly recommend Love Comes Softly, as well as each of the stories that continue the tale.