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Friends, I have loved Lauraine Snelling’s novels since I discovered her years ago. With her third addition to her Leah’s Garden series, we all get a new taste of her lovely writing and characters! This time, the story centers around Lilac Nielsen; although her sisters have roles to play as well. Art, love, danger–so much waiting for you in this book.
Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for Fields of Bounty by Lauraine Snelling, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Fields of Bounty
Series: Leah’s Garden #3
Author: Lauraine Snelling
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: March 21, 2023
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
They must set aside their own plans and rely on their faith to bring their true destiny to light.
Lilac Nielsen’s dream has come true: handsome young Reverend Ethan Pritchard has finally noticed her. Yet she must balance this new courtship with the pursuit of another dream–the publication of her artwork in a New York paper. She has secretly been submitting a series of drawings under a pen name, and if anyone traces the drawings back to her and finds out where Lilac and her sisters settled, the entire Nielsen family could be in danger. As their family farm expands and Lilac’s relationship with the reverend grows, it’s a time of new beginnings. But when a family crisis back in Ohio shakes the Nielsen sisters, can they continue to build the new life they’ve begun in Nebraska? And will Lilac be prepared for what God has in store for her future? “A tender story. I know my readers will enjoy these stories and look forward to the books yet to come.”–TRACIE PETERSON, bestselling author of the Pictures of the Heart seriesPURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Christianbook | BookBub
More Books in this Series
About the Author
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a paperback set of the first three books in Lauraine Snelling’s Leah’s Garden series: The Seeds of Change, A Time to Bloom, and Fields of Bounty!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 29, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 5, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Some excerpts from Fields of Bounty for you to experience
I love Lauraine Snelling’s writing! She creates the clearest events and scenes, peopled by the most recognizable characters; characters whom you’ll come to love (just as I do!). Here are some excepts for you to read!
Excerpt 1
This had been a terrible idea.
Rev. Ethan Pritchard tugged at his collar, sweat trickling down his neck as he vainly tried to corral the attention of a dozen distracted youngsters collected at the front of the schoolhouse. Here it was the actual performance, and he was having no better success than during rehearsals.
“Children, attention, please.” Did his voice sound as feeble to them as it did to him? Only a few from the untidy group even glanced his way. The others whispered and giggled, fiddled with their own hair ribbons or pulled each other’s, fidgeted their toes, and stared out at the assembled audience. One small boy poked his finger into his nose.
“Children!” Ethan used his handkerchief to mop his brow. The August heat would have been bad enough without him flying after this harebrained notion of organizing the schoolchildren into a makeshift band, supposedly providing entertainment for Salton’s celebration today honoring Nebraska’s statehood. That official event would be held later in nearby Lincoln, the new state capital, but he’d managed to get one of the dignitaries currently building up that city, Phineas P. Gordon, to come and speak at Salton’s celebration here today.
Mr. Gordon stood in one corner of the schoolhouse, stylish goatee quivering in distaste—or so Ethan inferred. Not to mention the disapproving murmur running through the assembled gathering of townsfolk. He distinctly saw Mrs. Jorgensen shake her head and whisper something to her husband.
Ethan set his jaw. He had seen Miss Delphinium Nielsen, now Mrs. RJ Easton, conduct a student choir twice this size at the school Thanksgiving program last fall, and do it with ease. Surely he could handle twelve kids. He rapped his stick sharply on his makeshift podium, and roughly half the children quieted and looked at him.
Well, that was an improvement. He glanced back at the congregation—or audience, he was too used to being in church— and put on what he hoped was a welcoming smile.
“We will now begin our program with ‘Yankee Doodle,’ per- formed by the children of Salton.”
He began to conduct his ensemble, putting as much energy as he could into the gestures. The children absently blew on their tin horns or combs, strummed their handmade banjos, and banged spoons and triangles with as little regard for timing and harmony as a gaggle of chickens. And even less for his direction. The sweat ran into his ears. Lord, help. How did I get myself into this mess?
The tuneful note of a fiddle paused his arm midgesture and halted those few children still gamely soldiering on. He glanced over to see Lilac Nielsen standing near, her dark curls swept up for the day, fiddle tucked neatly beneath her chin.
“So sorry to be late.” She inclined her head apologetically, her voice clear enough for the audience to hear, even if sup- posedly not meant for their ears. “How can we expect a band to play without someone to give the pitch?” With a gracious nod, she smiled at the children.
“Now then, children, are we ready?”
The children stood straighter, eyes bright and fixed on the slender young woman. They nodded and lifted their homemade instruments.
“Right then. Reverend?”
Ethan managed a nod and began conducting again. It didn’t matter that his muscles trembled with weak relief, for the chil- dren had eyes only for Miss Nielsen. The melody of her fiddle and the effortless guidance she gave by a tip of her head kept the motley ensemble in better time and tune than Ethan had thought possible.
At the conclusion of the piece, the group’s irregular bows met a surprisingly generous burst of applause. Which, in Ethan’s opinion, should have been directed wholly at Lilac Nielsen, now shepherding the children efficiently back toward the seats.
Shooting her a glance in which he hoped she could read the gratitude, Ethan cleared his throat. “Thank you. We will now hear from our guest of honor for the day, Mr. Phineas Gordon, as he details the impact our new state capital promises for us here in Salton.”
Grateful to be out of the spotlight, Ethan sank into the chair he’d set to the side and wiped his brow once more as Mr. Gordon took the stage. That had been worse than a year’s worth of sermons.
Fields of Bounty• Lauraine Snelling
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group © 2022 used by permission
Excerpt 2
Ethan’s mind wandered as the man droned on. Gordon was not as interesting as Ethan had thought he would be . .. pity. He glanced about the still-new walls of the schoolhouse, completed last November. Sometimes he missed having the school meet in his church. Though an inconvenience at times, he’d enjoyed the frequent interactions with the students, and especially with their teacher, Del Nielsen. Until, of course, she’d made it clear his romantic aspirations weren’t welcome and married RJ Easton instead. Ethan snuck a glance at the couple across the room. Del was seated beside her one- eyed former soldier with her hand in his. Ethan had performed the marriage with a glad heart, grateful they’d all been able to remain friends.
The new teacher was actually a woman from Antelope Creek, though he didn’t know her well.
But Lilac Nielsen . . . Though the sparkle in her dark eyes had struck him when he greeted the sisters after church last Sunday, somehow he’d never given the youngest Nielsen sister much notice. Until she saved his bacon today. What spunk to come to his rescue unbidden! Not many young women would have done something brave like that. And how miraculously she had calmed and corralled the children, who clearly knew and adored her. The courage to step in when needed and the grace to do it without insult were rare qualities, in Salton and anywhere.
And excellent traits for a pastor’s wife. Ethan blinked away the thought, but it crept back. He glanced over at Lilac again, her delicate face tipped up as she listened to the dignitary expound.
Why in thunder had he never noticed her before?
Fields of Bounty• Lauraine Snelling
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group © 2022 used by permission
Excerpt 3
It was past the supper hour by the time Ethan made his way back to Antelope Creek, where he boarded with a family from that congregation. Twilight fell in summer softness over the prairie, the western sky still streaked with orange and rose. He slid off his horse, Nehemiah, weary to the bone. He stabled and brushed the gelding before heading into the Humphreys’ simple frame house on the outskirts of town. While the husband had died of a fever a few years ago, the grown son, Barton, kept the family livery business running, and Widow Humphrey took in boarders to supplement the household income. Though at present, Ethan was the only one.
He let himself in through the side door of the lean-to, trying to do it quietly.
“That you at last, Reverend?”
He winced. So much for quietly. But Widow Humphrey had ears like a bat and was particular aboutmealtimes, though she reluctantly allowed that a pastor could not always maintain regular hours.
“We kept supper warm for you. Never dreamed the Salton folks would keep you out this long.” The angular woman looked askance at him, vigorously rubbing a clean pot with a dish towel.
Sometimes balancing his two churches made Ethan feel like a parent caught between jealous children. He took the plate left on the stove with what he hoped was a winning smile. “The speaker took longer than I expected. Thank you for saving this for me, Mrs. Humphrey.”
She hmphed and flipped the dish towel over her shoulder to put the pot away. “Antelope Creek isn’t much farther from Lincoln than Salton, yet I suppose it’s too much to ask any dignitaries to come here. Never mind that we have a larger population, not to mention a livery stable.”
The town was nearly five miles farther from the new capital, but Ethan wouldn’t feed the fire. He sat at the empty table and bowed his head for a silent grace.
Opening his eyes, he dug into the ham, black- eyed peas, buttered potatoes, and corn bread. Whenever he thought about getting his own place or boarding with someone who boasted a gentler tongue, the food at the Humphreys’ lulled him into inaction. Whatever else she lacked, Widow Humphrey was an excellent cook. “This is delicious, thank you. The corn bread, especially.”
“Martha made it. You might offer your thanks to her.” The dish towel snapped again as Mrs. Humphrey hung it precisely on a rack.
Ethan winced. He’d nothing against Martha, but he’d long sensed Mrs. Humphrey’s aim to throw her shy,inching- toward- spinsterhood eldest daughter straight at Ethan’s collared, supposedly marriageableframe. Belatedly, he realized Mrs. Humphrey was waiting for a response. “Certainly. I’ll thank her tomorrow.” If he saw her.
“She’s in the parlor.”
Of course she was. He made himself smile. “I’ll be sure to stop by.”
Fields of Bounty• Lauraine Snelling
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group © 2022 used by permission
Can’t you just picture all those scenes? I can for sure. Pick up a copy of Fields of Bounty for yourself; you’ll enjoy what I’ve shared plus so much more. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway, where you can enter all three of the Leah’s Garden books!
Enjoy! –Wren
Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
finchnwren 
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nice cover
It is pretty!