Book Review: A Gown Of Spanish Lace

A Gown of Spanish Lace has been my favorite Janette Oke book for a long time now, it's one of the few books I absolutely love re-reading! My sister had never read it and I hadn't read it in years so we decided to read it out loud to each other by alternating chapters. It worked out really well and we're planning on reading more books out loud together in the near future.

My copy looks like this.

Back Cover Synopsis: Ariana loves her life - her parents, her little town, her job as the town's schoolteacher, her students. But one evening after classes are done and she prepares to hurry home before a blizzard hits, her whole life changes.
The two rough-looking men who abduct her and take her from home and family make no response to her frantic questions - "Why me? What are you going to do? Where are you taking me?" Held hostage in a camp of bandits, Ariana's emotions swing between terror and boredom as days stretch into weeks.
And then the boss's son appears in the doorway of her cabin. Does this mean she will never see her mother and father again, the two who had so lovingly adopted her as an infant and raised her as their own? Will she never wear the wedding dress so carefully saved for her - her one link with her birth parents, now long dead?

Janette Oke

Visit Janette Oke's Website: JanetteOke.com

Author: Janette Oke celebrated her 77th birthday this past February! She wrote her books a bit later in life, as the wife of a Canadian Minister her stories often revolve around Pioneers in Canada and America. I read my first Janette Oke books when I was about eleven years old and devoured her Love Comes Softly series. My mom and I have read many of her books and greatly enjoy the way she usually includes the salvation message and verses from scripture in each of her stories.

Interesting Bits: The old west comes alive with a pioneer town, a school teacher, a country minister, stories of a wagon train and an Indian attack, a group of ruthless bandits, prairie blizzards, lots of baked beans, family Bibles, a friendly Indian brave, trigger happy criminals, labyrinth caves, daring escapes, family love, friendship, mysterious pasts, secret chests and a beautiful wedding gown made of the finest Spanish lace.

Spiritual Content: One thing I really love about Janette Oke's books is that she usually tries to include a very clear redemption message of salvation by God's grace through faith. Also before the men kidnap Ariana she has a chance to grab her Bible and she leans on the verses having to do with trust quite heavily and calls out to the Lord in her time of trouble. God's faithfulness and goodness are the main theme of the book. Ariana is a strong young woman who looks to God for her strength and Laramie is such an honorable young man that you can't help cheering him on as he tries to do the right thing.

A Gown Of Spanish Lace themed collage made by Mel of But when a young lady is to be a heroine.

My Thoughts: This is the third time (if I'm remembering correctly) that I've read A Gown Of Spanish Lace and I love it more and more each time I read it! It's still my favorite of Janette Oke's books and I highly recommend it. I was pleased as punch to read this with my sister and I think we both enjoyed it that much more because we could chat about it and follow the adventure together. Bea says she really liked it and might read it again only she doesn't re-read books often. We are both excited to hear the Hallmark Channel might make a movie based on the book, but on the other hand we wouldn't want any bit of the story cut out or changed (and they pretty much butchered Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series, especially the spiritual content) so it would be alright if they never got the money to make it. If you're interested in following the progress of the movie check out my friend Mel's Gown Of Spanish Lace Movie Update page.

Have you read A Gown Of Spanish Lace?

Are you a fan of Janette Oke's books?

Would you be interested in watching a film version A Gown Of Spanish Lace? Any casting ideas?