The Magic of Ordinary Days (2005)

I'd watched this film a year or two ago and back in February watched it with my sister for the first time and we both loved it! Get ready for a super sweet story with endearing characters set around World War II. The Magic of Ordinary Days made its CBS debut on January 30, 2005.

Story: Adapted from the story by Ann Howard Creel, this Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation is set in rural Colorado in 1944. After she becomes pregnant by a departing soldier, Livy Dune, the wealthy, pampered daughter of a Denver minister, is forced to forever abandon her hopes of becoming an archaeologist.  To shield her from further scandal, Livy's father ships her off to a remote farm and arranges her marriage with shy farmer Ray Singleton, who is struggling to live up to his proscribed responsibilities to the wartime government. Clearly depressed by the situation, Livy does as well as she can to be polite and civil to her husband and his sister Martha, but it is clear that she'd rather be dead than married to a man she doesn't even know. For Ray's part, he is unfailingly generous and kind, but the realization that Livy doesn't want him makes him feel more inadequate than ever. But when Livy makes friends with a couple of well-educated Japanese girls living in a local internment camp her very life might soon be at risk as prejudice runs high. Will Livy learn who she can trust and find that sometimes the ordinary days can be magical?

Costumes: Livy has the most amazing dresses, so pretty and feminine and perfectly 1940's - a new favorite period film wardrobe! Some of the other ladies have lovely dresses too. The gentlemen's clothes are perfectly fitted for the time period and fits in with their personalities.

Scenes: Filmed on location in Alberta, Canada so it's not quite Colorado, but the farm scenery is lovely and the wide prairie land stretches as far as the eye can see. There's also a few lake scenes that are quite picturesque. The scenes at the train station, in the town and inside the houses are all in keeping with the time period and are light and airy, setting a nice tone for the film.

Music: I don't remember a lot of the music but there is one really fun dance scene in the film that will have you smiling and the family and friends enjoy celebrating a birthday. There might be a few other songs from the era, everything is in keeping with the time period.

Actors & Characters:

• Keri Russell as Livy Dunne - She's made mistakes in her past but owns up to her responsibilities and obeys her father by marrying Ray. She is spirited and determined, investigative and adventurous but with a kind heart. The story is mostly told through her perspective and we grow attached to her as much as Ray and the other characters do. Keri Russell is beautiful and captures the character very well.
• Skeet Ulrich as Ray Singleton - What's not to love about Ray? He's hardworking, generous, kind, open to new ideas but a little shy and slightly troubled by hard circumstances in his past. He goes out of his way to be nice to Livy and show her that he's always going to be there for her. An amazing hero of the story and Skeet Ulrich did a wonderful job portraying him! 
• Mare Winningham as Martha - Ray's friendly and outgoing sister who warmly welcomes Livy. Her family is full of life and love and set a good example for Ray and Livy of what they could become if only they'd try. A great character!
• Gwendoline Yeo as Rose & Tania Gunadi as Florence "Flory" - These two Japanese American sisters are a lively pair that remind me of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility! Rose is thoughtful, sensible and bookish while Flory is outgoing, fun-loving and a real sweetie. Their outfits are as lovely as they are. Their scenes are such fun!
• Stephen Strachan as Hank - Martha's husband who is hardworking but with a quirky sense of humor. He's a good father to their daughter and young sons.
• Katie Keating as Ruth - Martha and Hank's young teenage daughter who immediately forms an attachment to Livy and copies her hair styles and wardrobe choices as much as she can. She's very sweet and a bright spot in the family.
• Jane McGregor as Abby - Livy's stylish and carefree sister who comes to visit. She encourages Livy's bad choices but can be fun. 

My Thoughts: When I first watched this film I was a bit worried about the plot element of Livy being pregnant out of wedlock but it's not mentioned a whole lot and when it is Livy herself admits that she was weak and only looking for someone to love her. Ray is such a gentleman and quite excited about the prospect of becoming a father, promising to love Livy's baby as his own. Their story is so very sweet and engaging with awkward moments and it makes me tear up every time! It's nice to have a film where there's no whirlwind romance but a deep abiding love that grows in the ordinary everyday moments. The story reminds me a bit of Love Comes Softly and someday I'd like to read the book this film comes from.

Recommendations: Besides Livy being mentioned as pregnant out of wedlock and one slightly scary situation with a Japanese American refugee toward the end of the story, The Magic of Ordinary Days is suitable for family watching. It's a sweet film and I highly recommend it!
This film was released on DVD but it's fairly pricey so I recommend checking with your local library, watching it on Hallmark sometime or watching it on YouTube like I did (see my playlist here).

If you're interested in this film you can watch the trailer here. You can also watch The Making of The Magic of Ordinary Days (beware of spoilers!). I also have a board on Pinterest full of lots more photos from the film (some spoilers in that too!).


Have you seen The Magic of Ordinary Days? 

Who was your favorite character?

Further Musings On Marrying

It's been a while since I've written a very personal post so I hope ya'll don't mind something completely different than my usual period drama posts.     

"Only the deepest love will persuade me into matrimony." 

- Lizzy Bennet, Pride & Prejudice (2005)

In April of 2009 I wrote a post with some Musings On Marrying - my 21-year-old self's thoughts on courting and marrying. Recently I received a comment (thanks Hamlette!) on that old post that got me thinking about what I have learned and believe now, especially how it differs (if at all) from what I wrote then.

That Was Me Then: "I was provoked to thought when responding to a Christian girlfriend's e-mail in which she mentioned her relationship with a young man. A proposal is expected and she intended to accept even though she knows her Christian parents have a "problem" with him. I don't know her young man (he is a Christian) but I do know that my friend has a pretty good head on her shoulders and has been really taking it slow and getting to know him before this point. I've been in prayer for her and am going to encourage her to really pray and talk to her parents before becoming engaged.

This scenario saddens me a bit because my first thought is "I could never marry someone my parents didn't like". It really started me thinking about honoring my parents and I know that one of my requirements in finding a mate is that my parents love the man I'm going to marry. I know part of my personality is a desire to please others but I also really trust and value my parent's opinion to the point where I'd trust them with picking a husband for me. Is this a really warped and old-fashioned view or am I at least sort of on the right path? I mean I wouldn't want to marry without love but is an "arranged" marriage such a bad idea?" - quoted from original Musings On Marrying post

"...you're right it's very different when families face life decisions with prayer, unity and looking always for God's will. Moving cautiously is certainly one of those things the world looks at strangely. Probably one reason why so many marriages end in divorce today is because couples move fast relying on their feelings alone and don't take the time to really get to know each other building a strong friendship first. And certainly most couples don't take the time to work at their marriage or pray over it. 

Romance is something that our society holds on to, it's what gives them a sort of 'high' feeling. While romance is important it's not as important as knowing the person you're vowing to spend the rest of your life with. 

As far as arranged marriages I'm not sure I'd advocate marrying someone your parents chose and then getting to know him, but I think it is very important to have your parent's approval - that would help with the 'horrid in-laws' image too. 

For myself I guess I just feel confidant that my parents have taken these past 21 years to learn and mold who I am and know me so very well that they could be trusted with going out and finding a suitable match. For one, I know they love me very much and I'm close to their heart so they would look for someone who'd fit me perfectly. Secondly, we just don't have that many secrets from each other, they know what I like in a guy (I'm very opinionated, or should I say my standards are high). And thirdly I know they'd bathe their decision in prayer. My wish is sometimes that when the right man comes along my parents and friends will recognize him before I do. Wouldn't that be something!" - quoted from my response to comments, Musings On Marrying 

This Is Me Now: First of all that Christian girlfriend married her young man in April 2011 and I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid at her wedding (read my post with Wedding Photos). The Lord was in every detail of the special day and I feel so incredibly blessed that I got to share in it. There was still a bit of tension on that day and I was sorry to see that the couple's parents really didn't know each other very well. I was also quite surprised to see that her family had very little time allotted to offer help in decorating or even for the rehearsal.

What are my thoughts and prayers about dating / courtship and marriage today? Well, in most ways my thoughts are not much changed from what they were four years ago. I still am living at home and in many ways my parents are very much involved in my life - I see them every day and consult them often before making decisions and with spiritual matters. I still feel that if my parents weren't supportive of my relationship with a guy that would be a strong indicator that the guy wasn't right for me. It's also still very important to me that a relationship starts with a strong friendship before it turns to thoughts of romance. It still doesn't seem right to just run around dating new people every other thing - there's so much heartache and emotional baggage in those kinds of relationships that's just not worth it. Emotional as well as physical purity is so important to strive for. These are the things I want for myself and what I encourage younger ladies (like my own dear sister) to strive for - God's best.

Would I still feel comfortable letting my parents choose my future husband? Actually I would! Mom and dad still know me really well, better than my friends at this point. My father works for a ministry now and he's mentioned a few times about keeping an eye out for future spouses for me and my siblings (mostly joking now but there is always that possibility!). I've also let myself be surrounded by lots of other Christians that look out for my best interest in many areas and I wouldn't be adverse to meeting a young man they might suggest. (As a neat side note a guy friend at Bible study mentioned recently that his girlfriend's family has some concerns about him and he's already told her that if there's serious issues they should probably stop seeing each other. I just thought it was neat to see a guy saying "I love you but we shouldn't go against your parents.")

Have I met anyone yet? There's that age-old question that all singles hate! My answer? a big resounding "NO!" Not even any close calls yet. And you know what? that's okay.  My continued prayer is still that the Lord will one day bring the right guy into my life BUT if that's not God's will then that's okay.  Oh yes, it's hard to say "being single is okay", especially since I'm a hopeless romantic and probably always will be! But in the last couple years I've been realizing that the desire to be married is like any desire that we have in life, God always supplies our needs but the wishes aren't always necessary 

Here's some things God has been showing me:

Psalm 37:4

This verse was always one I clung to in my late teens when I was fervently hoping and praying that the "right guy" would come along. It is still very relevant now but in a different way for me as I realize that God does know the deepest desires of our heart if we dedicate ourselves to delighting in Him and His Word the Bible. But I've also realized that as we delight in the Lord and listen to His Word our desires somehow seem to change a bit and line up with what God wants for us. It's not Him just giving us whatever we think we want.

Jeremiah 29:11

I love this verse and the promise it brings that God always has our best interest in mind. He loves us so much and we can safely trust in His plans, whatever they may be.

'Let not those fear starving that are at God's finding and have him for their feeder. More is implied than is expressed, not only, I shall not want, but,"I shall be supplied with whatever I need; and, if I have not everything I desire, I may conclude it is either not fit for me, or I shall have it in due time." '

- Matthew Henry (from his commentary on Psalm 23:1)

This is one of my all time favorites quotes because it sums up quite nicely what I've learned through reading on this subject of desires. God will supply what we need and He delights in blessing us by giving over and above what we ask and think, BUT He knows what is best for us and only gives us what is good for us when it is good for us.

So here I am at 25-years-old. I'm older than most of the literary heroines I read about. I'm not too far away from reaching the age of Anne Elliot from Persuasion or Charlotte Lucas from Pride and Prejudice and they were almost considered spinsters! *gasp*  Age 30 has begun to loom darkly ahead in the unknown future and I certainly don't have "all the answers" like I thought I would by this time in my life. (Ha! But then nobody has "all the answers"!)  Is God still good? Does He still know what is best? Absolutely!
It would be nice to marry some day and I'm still praying for that friendship that will one day turn into a romance. But right now I can only keep doing whatever work God brings to me - whether housework, writing/blogging, ministry work, helping friends, a "real job" or studying and learning more.

Paalm 19:14 (the whole chapter is really good!)

 Lately this verse has been my day to day prayer that the Lord has given me. I've been trying not to focus on the uncertainties of the future or the mistakes of the past and just focus moment by moment on how my words, thoughts and heart motives are lining up with what the Lord wants from me. It does seem a daunting task at times but He has redeemed me from my sinful life and continues to be my strength. God is so good!  

So now I want to hear from you! What is your story?

Are you waiting patiently for the "right guy" or depressed to spend another Valentine's Day alone?

If you are engaged or married how did God work in your life story?

What has God been teaching you lately?

Very Truly Yours,

Another Period Drama Couples Quiz - Answers!

Bonus Photo Question Answer:
Charlotte Lucas & Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice (1980)

These are the answers to the Another Period Drama Couples Quiz from last week.
Ya'll did a great job guessing these period drama couples! I have several more couples on my long list so I'll probably do a few more games like this in future. Thanks for playing! 

Couple Clues:

Couple #1. Heroic archer with a thieving habit. / Titled lady who shares his passion for helping others.

Answer: Robin Hood & Lady Marian from Robin Hood

Note: In most Robin Hood stories Maid Marian is the daughter of a Knight or an Earl making her of noble birth.

~*~

Couple #2. Sweet and naive young heroine's friend. / Gentleman farmer who writes a very good letter. 

Answer: Harriet Smith & Robert Martin from Emma

~*~

Couple #3. Impetuous younger sister of heroine. / Spendthrift charming soldier. 

Answer: Lydia Bennet & George Wickham from Pride and Prejudice 

Love this photo even though I dislike the couple!

~*~

Couple #4. Naive young songstress. / Her protector and patron of the musical theatre.

Answer:  Christine Daae & Vicomte Raoul de Chagny from The Phantom of the Opera

~*~

Couple #5. Sweet young lady and princess of her moorland clan. / Brave young farmer.

Answer: Lorna Doone & John Ridd from Lorna Doone 

~*~

Couple #6. Imaginative young postal assistant. / Handsome news journalist.

Answer: Laura Timmins & Daniel Parish from Lark Rise to Candleford 

~*~

Couple #7. Hilariously silly hero's sister. / Rich speculating investor. 

Answer: Fanny Thornton & Mr. Watson from North and South 

Yeah, this photo always make me giggle! :)

~*~

Couple #8. Princess kidnapped by her own fiance. / Poor farm boy turned pirate.

Answer: Princess Buttercup & Westley from The Princess Bride 

Note: There was some question about Buttercup actually being a princess. Amy Dashwood explained: "The way that worked is explained in the book but not the movie-- apparently Humperdinck couldn't marry a girl without a title, so they fenced off a tiny portion of land in Florin, named it Hammersmith, and made Buttercup the Princess of Hammersmith in a private ceremony." 

~*~

Couple #9. Angelically sweet doctor's daughter. / French nobleman turned tutor.

Answer: Lucie Manette & Charles Darnay from A Tale of Two Cities 

~*~

Couple #10. Passionate young songbird with high ideals. / Military gentleman with disappointment in his past.

Answer: Marianne Dashwood & Colonel Brandon from Sense and Sensibility 

~*~

Couple #11. Freedom talking British politician. / Spirited young woman who encourages him to rise above failure.

Answer: William Wilberforce & Barbara Spooner from Amazing Grace 

~*~

Couple #12. Bookworm with an overactive imagination. / Witty clergyman with knowledge of textiles.

Answer: Catherine Morland & Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey 

~*~

Couple #13. Imaginative girl who doesn't make the same mistake twice. / Merciless teaser who later turns chum.

Answer: Anne Shirley & Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables 

~*~

Couple #14. Sensible young ladies' maid. / Crippled soldier turned valet.

Answer: Anna Smith & John Bates from Downton Abbey 

~*~

Couple #15. She's a trusted companion and housekeeper with a mysterious past. / He's a kindly physician of Welsh origin.

Answer: Esther Summerson & Allan Woodcourt from Bleak House 

~*~

Players Scores:

Melody - 188 points
Sarah Grace - 170 points
Hayden - 168 points
Miss Dashwood - 156 points
Abigail - 148 points
Kiri Liz - 144 points
Scullery Maid - 144 points
Eleanor Rose - 140 points
birdienl - 136 points
Hannah - 128 points
Miss Elizabeth Bennet - 128 points
Anna Grace - 108 points
Livia Rachelle - 96 points
Emily Ruth - 96 points
Ella - 88 points
Petie - 84 points
Robyn Hoode - 64 points
Jemimah - 60 points
Johanna - 48 points

Thanks for playing!

Another Period Drama Couples Quiz

Bonus Photo Question:
Can you name this couple and the older period drama they are featured in?

The first Period Drama Couple Quiz I posted a couple weeks ago was quite popular so I'm taking from my long list of period drama couples again to bring you this quiz. Remember as you guess that not all the couples listed are the hero and heroine of their stories. 

To Play: Read the clues below and leave a comment guessing which period drama couple I'm thinking of and which period drama or story they come from. Guess as many times as you wish. I'll respond with your score. The answers will be posted next Saturday.

Scoring: Four points for each correctly guessed gentleman, lady and period drama (or classic story). Twenty points can be earned by guessing the names of the couple in the Bonus Photo Question above and the older period drama they are featured in. A total score of 200 points can be earned.

Couple Clues:

Couple #1. Heroic archer with a thieving habit. / Titled lady who shares his passion for helping others.

Couple #2. Sweet and naive young heroine's friend. / Gentleman farmer who writes a very good letter. 

Couple #3. Impetuous younger sister of heroine. / Spendthrift charming soldier. 

Couple #4. Naive young songstress. / Her protector and patron of the musical theatre.

Couple #5. Sweet young lady and princess of her moorland clan. / Brave young farmer.

Couple #6. Imaginative young postal assistant. / Handsome news journalist.

Couple #7. Hilariously silly hero's sister. / Rich speculating investor. 

Couple #8. Princess kidnapped by her own fiance. / Poor farm boy turned pirate.

Couple #9. Angelically sweet doctor's daughter. / French nobleman turned tutor.

Couple #10. Passionate young songbird with high ideals. / Military gentleman with disappointment in his past.

Couple #11. Freedom talking British politician. / Spirited young woman who encourages him to rise above failure.

Couple #12. Bookworm with an overactive imagination. / Witty clergyman with knowledge of textiles.

Couple #13. Imaginative girl who doesn't make the same mistake twice. / Merciless teaser who later turns chum.

Couple #14. Sensible young ladies' maid. / Crippled soldier turned valet.

Couple #15. She's a trusted companion and housekeeper with a mysterious past. / He's a kindly physician of Welsh origin.

Happy guessing!

Book Review: A Vision Of Lucy

Yay! I won a signed copy of A Vision of Lucy at a giveaway on Charity's blog Austenitis last year and finally read it (long time I know Charity)! My sister and mom read it just before I did and we all enjoyed the interesting story. 

A Vision of Lucy

Back Cover Synopsis: Trouble follows Lucy wherever she goes. So does a vision of second chances . . . and love. 
Lucy Fairbanks dreams of working as a photographer at the Rocky Creek newspaper. Her deepest hope is that her father will see her as an artist, the way he thought of her deceased mother, whose paintings still hang on their walls. 
But disaster follows Lucy on every photo assignment: a mess of petticoats and ribbons, an accidental shooting, even a fire. 
When Lucy meets David Wolf—a rugged, reclusive man who lives on the outskirts of town—she thinks she can catch the attention of the town with his photograph. She doesn't count on her feelings stirring whenever she's near him. 
Two things happen next that forever change the course of Lucy's life. But will these events draw her closer to God or push her further away? And how will David accept this new vision of Lucy?

Author Margaret Brownley

Visit Margaret Brownley's Website: MargaretBrownley.com

Author: I'd never read anything by Margaret Browley before but was very interested and thankful that she signed my copy before sending it to me! I discovered that this is actually Book 3 in her Rocky Creek Romance Series but as I read it didn't really matter too much that I hadn't read the other books because although common characters did pop up frequently there was enough explanation about them to not make the other books unnecessary. I would like to read the first two books, A Lady Like Sarah and A Suitor For Jenny, some day just to fill in the other couple's stories.

Interesting Bits: I love historical fiction and this piece set in Texas in the later 1800's did not disappoint with it's many historical references. Because Lucy is a photographer there's lots of interesting history about photography including all about wet and dry plates and exposure time. Opera houses, hot air balloons, stage coaches, newspaper printing, medicine, the Civil War and votes for women, and equal education for Chinese, African-Americans and Native Americans are all discussed.

Spiritual Points: Although Lucy is said to be a Christian and unbeliever David Wolf hears a message at church it is mentioned by the pastor that Baptism is unnecessary for a relationship with God. Forgiveness and redemption are themes in the book but it is not necessarily stated that redemption is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This is a bit disappointing as is the fact that although there is a change in David the reader isn't told weather he made a decision to trust Christ or not.

My Thoughts: Lucy is always getting into herself and others into trouble so there's lots of fun to be had! The story also talks about three other couples and their mishaps as they come together. I liked the story of the town of Rocky Creek too, how they all work together even though they all have different opinions about things. The plot is a little bit underdeveloped in places, there are a couple mysteries that never do get solved which bugged me a bit. Also there's a little bit more kissing in the book than I'd like between a couple that aren't even engaged. At the heart of the problems and mystery in the book is racial prejudice which in a lot of ways is not as big of a problem today as it was back then so in some ways it was harder for my sister and I to grasp why there was such a problem for David being as they called him "a half-breed". The story was very interesting with many twists and turns and made for a very fun read overall.

Have you read any books in the Rocky Creek Romance Series?
Are you a fan of author Margaret Brownley's books?

Very Truly Your's,

 

Book Review: 2nd & 3rd Mercy Falls Books

 Last year I posted a review of The Lightkeeper's Daughter, Book 1 in the Mercy Falls Series by Colleen Coble. You can read that review here.
I received Books 2 & 3 for Christmas last December and have recently read and enjoyed both of them. If you're a fan of Colleen Coble's books or if you are just looking for something interesting to read I highly recommend these books!

The Lightkeeper's Bride

Back Cover Synopsis: Katie Russell loves working as a telephone operator in Mercy Falls, California. But since childhood she has been expected to marry well. Her family presses for an engagement to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster and though he doesn't stir her heart, their engagement promises a secure financial future.

Working the phone lines one evening, Katie overhears a chilling exchange between her friend Eliza and a familiar male voice. Katie soon learns that Eliza has disappeared, and the crime may be linked to another investigation by handsome new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson. Katie and Will soon form an alliance. An alliance that slowly blossoms into something more.

Despite the danger surrounding her, Katie is powerfully drawn to Will. But she is not at liberty to marry for love. And though society forbids their growing affection, Katie can't help but notice Will's sense of peace. It's a peace that rests on his trust in God—a trust that Katie has never had to depend on, with her future so clearly mapped out before her.

But the more Katie uncovers of the mystery, the more she discovers about herself, her past, and the brilliant future that could be hers if only she has the courage to trust in God and follow where her heart so fearlessly leads.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this story because there were so many fun and interesting things in it. Telephones, weather balloons, roller skates, a lighthouse, pirates, buried treasure,  hidden caves, close escapes, daring rescues, good friends, a cute baby, a cat, a bird, and something about cake. The time period of the late 1800's leaves room for some modern inventions but still has that olden day charm to it. 

Similar to the first book there was a mystery to solve and an adventurous ride to get to the ending. It was interesting having Katie Russell as the heroine of this book because she was Addie Sullivan's friend in the first book and Addie along with a few other characters from the first book do show up in this book too. 

The Lightkeeper's Ball

Back Cover Synopsis: It is the dawn of a new century and Olivia Stewart is heiress to an empire. Her family numbers among the Four Hundred—those considered the wealthiest and most distinguished in America. Unfortunately their wealth has nearly disappeared, and now their security rests upon the Stewart daughters marrying well.

Olivia's sister, Eleanor, was engaged to Harrison Bennett, one of the nation's wealthiest men, but has since died. Now the pressure is on Olivia to take her place, despite her suspicions about Eleanor's fiancé. Using her family's long-forgotten English title, Olivia travels to Mercy Falls, California, as Lady Devonworth, hoping to learn more before committing to marriage. There she finds that Eleanor's death was no accident. And Harrison is not the man she thought he would be.

When Mercy Falls holds a charity masquerade ball to raise funds for the new lighthouse, secrets—and truths long hidden—will be revealed. But can Harrison really love Olivia when he finds her true identity? Can she live with the repercussions of failing her family, or will she finally realize that nothing—not money, family, or romance—will ever compare to God's unconditional love?

My Thoughts: I didn't like this third book as much as the first two. Olivia doesn't seem to be a Christian at the beginning of the story so she has her priorities all wrong and the choices she makes fail as a result. Keeping her true identity secret seems like a good idea at the start but she ends up telling so many people that halfway through the book it seems like the whole gossipy town should have known who she really was. 

There are some really interesting tidbits about the late 1800's time period such as airplanes, Halley's comet, motor cars, boats and lighthouses. There are other fun things like a kitten, a loyal dog, storms, attempted murder and daring rescues. Addie Sullivan from the first book and Katie Russell from the second book both show up frequently in this book along with their families which given even more interest because you get to check in and see how their lives have progressed. By the time I read this third book I started to find the plots rather similar in many ways but it was still a fun book with a happy ending.

Author Colleen Coble

Visit Colleen Coble's website here: ColleenCoble.com

The Mercy Falls Series: Overall I quite enjoyed the Mercy Falls series. Colleen Coble is a clever writer and does a great job of capturing the late 1800's in a fun and interesting way. I was a bit disappointing that although she is a "Christian" author and does talk about having a personal relationship with God in her books many times her characters don't actually come to the decision to trust Christ during their story. This particularly bugged me because it seemed to happen to all three heroes and heroines that when they get engaged there is that possibility that one of them isn't a Christian. 

If you read all three books in a row you will see that the plots often seem to have a similar sequence to them: there's a mystery to be solved, attempts on heroine's life, hero & heroine don't trust each other at first but then they start falling in love, more mysterious happenings, villain is revealed and then attempts to kill heroine, having defeated the villain's plans the hero & heroine confess their undying love and live happily ever after. That's not always the exact order of events but usually something similar. It's not totally a bad thing, the book are still very interesting, but they do get a bit repetitive.

My Recommendations: I quite enjoyed all three books because they were a lot of good clean fun and had interesting tidbits about the Edwardian time period. They aren't as good as like Janette Oke's books but they are interesting if you're looking for a fun read. They are longer and do have some scarier scenes so I'd recommend the series for young teens to adults. 

Have you read the Mercy Falls series?

Are you a fan of Colleen Coble's books? 

Very Truly Your's,

Austen & Anniversaries

Since my parents are celebrating their wedding anniversary this weekend I've been musing on the happily married couples in Jane Austen's novels, especially those couples that influence the hero and heroine's opinions of married life. 

Yes, there are happily married couples in her books! In fact we may say that although some couples are rather unsuitably matched most are reasonably content as to not make such disastrous end as Maria Bertram and Mr. Rushworth of Mansfield Park (their marriage ends in a permanent separation). 

In Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth Bennet thinks a bit despairingly of her own parents' marriage but her Uncle & Aunt Gardiner (though not married as long) are perfectly content and well matched with a very happy home where they invite their nieces to stay. It's also rather interesting that Elizabeth, in traveling with the Gardiners to Derbyshire, has daily opportunity to observe their married felicity before meeting up with her own future spouse at Pemberley. Might not the desire for a similar happy union have influenced her to think more softly about at alliance with Darcy? Perhaps. 

In Sense and Sensibility married couples like Sir John & Lady Middleton, Thomas & Charlotte Palmer and John & Fanny Dashwood cannot be called particularly unhappy in their marriages but they are rather poor examples for the young people around them. Indeed, we may go so far as to say that both Colonel Brandon and Edward Ferrars are influenced to not be looking for love before meeting certain young ladies (and we later learn Edward has already resigned himself to an unhappy marriage with Lucy Steele). The heroines have had a very different influence -  Elinor and Marianne's parents were married for love and inspire them to crave truly deep attachments of their own.  

In Emma the heroine has been rather addicted to romance since her older sister Isabella marries John Knightley and that addiction continues with seeing Mr. & Mrs. Weston's happy union. Both couples are truly attached and influence Emma Woodhouse's mind so that she later says to Harriet: "I have none of the usual inducements of women to marry. Were I to fall in love, indeed, it would be a different thing! ...And, without love, I am sure I should be a fool to change such a situation as mine."

In Mansfield Park, Fanny Price has few examples of married life outside of her own family. Her aunts Lady Bertram and Mrs. Norris both married to please their uncle and secure respectable positions in society (that isn't to say that Sir Thomas & Lady Bertram or indeed Rev. & Mrs. Norris are not fond of each other). Fanny's own mother married for love and it didn't turn out as perfectly happy as it could have. 

Mary Crawford recounts having so many examples of unhappy marriages from her aunt, sister and friends that she is disinclined to enter the married state herself. Mrs. Grant though seems perfectly happy with her daily tasks of arranging large meals and caring for her gouty husband.

In Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland does not have to look next door to the slightly unequally matched Mr. & Mrs. Allen for her example, for she has grown up in the home of a perfectly content and well matched clergyman and his wife. Her parents raised a large brood of ten children and worked together to home school them similar to how Jane Austen's parents raised their seven children. It is sweet to imagine that the production of a large and happy family will probably be duplicated by Catherine and her clergyman husband Mr. Tilney at their own parsonage.

In Persuasion we find that "old" happily married couples abound and many of the older characters (such as Lady Russell and Mrs. Smith) have been widowed from happy marriages and are still devoted to their spouse's memory.  For her example Anne Elliot has the elder Mr. & Mrs. Musgrove who love life and hate to be separated, also Charles & Mary Musgrove, who although they fight like dogs and cats seem contented to do so. 

Anne later comes into contact with married couples that are great influences for her future husband Captain Frederick Wentworth. His friends Captain & Mrs. Harville are so truly devoted and we catch just a glimpse of this in Harville's words to Anne about the attachments of men and women. But the best example of a perfectly matched and happy couple come from Frederick's own sister and brother-in-law. Admiral and Mrs. Croft's devoted marriage inspires others such as Louisa Musgrove who says: "If I loved a man as she loves the Admiral, I would be always with him, nothing should ever separate us, and I would rather be overturned by him than driven safely by anybody else."

With such good examples of loving marriages before them it is easy to presume that Captain & Mrs. Frederick Wentworth's true love will hold strongly through the high seas of life.

Persuasion is my parent's favorite Jane Austen story and to me they closely resemble Admiral & Mrs. Croft as well as Captain Wentworth & Anne Elliot. In my own story my parents are my example of a happily married couple. They are best friends who have been truly in love and married 28 years this October!

Thank you dad and mom for maintaining your marriage with that threefold cord that can't be easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). I love you both so much! Happy Anniversary! 

Do you have a favorite happily married Austen couple?

In your own life do you have married couples that inspire you?