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SCRAPS OF LOVE
Recycled Fabric Binds a Family Together in Four Romantic Novellas
In the Collins family scrap box each woman finds lessons from ancestors – vital sets of history, pieced together with love, bound by the threads of faith.
MARRY FOR LOVE --
Janet Spaeth
Brigit Streeter is wild and free. More comfortable on horseback then her feet, and lacking genteel social graces, Brigit is perfectly happy in the untraditional role of farming alongside her father. Mr. Streeter is slightly ashamed of his free spirited daughter. It doesn’t seem like he’s embarrassed of her, in fact he welcomes her assistance, but to obtain what is best for Brigit, he feels she needs some lessons in being a lady. When Pastor Peter Collins comes to Dakota Territory Brigit is taken with him. And, the feeling is reciprocated. As the relationship between the two grows closer, Brigit is given opportunity to make her wedding dress. Problem? She doesn’t sew. How will Brigit conform her spirit to one worthy of Pastor Collin’s love? Or should she?
MOTHER’S OLD QUILT --
Lena Nelson Dooley
Maggie Swenson is at the end of her rope. With both parents passed away, Maggie and her brother have taken care of the isolated farm, now he’s ill and she’s doing things by herself in the middle of winter. What’s the worst that could happen? Or, what is one of the saddest worst things that could happen? The family dog, Rolf, is shot. Maggie can’t understand how it happened, why it happened, who would do such a thing.
John Collins steps out from the woods, crosses the snow to the weeping woman hunkered over the still form in the snow. He knows he is the sole reason for her sorrow and doesn’t know what he can do to help.
So begins the tumultuous relationship between Maggie the farming woman and John
the new train station
manager. It’s fun to read how these two over come seemingly insurmountable odds to embrace the plan God has for them. It will take more than love and friendship for these two: faith in God and courage to follow what it seems He has planned for them is what they need to do. Can they? More importantly, will they?
THE COAT --
Tracey V. Bateman and Frances Devine
It’s the end of WWII and men who’ve been in the armed forces are returning home displacing the women who have worked in their stead. Leah Holliday receives her notice from the factory job that’s kept her and son Collin, while her husband fought overseas. Now he’s dead, but still the owners of the factory don’t see her needs to provide for her family the way they do a man’s.
Ten year old Collin hates his new school – Rosemont Academy. Even if he did get a scholarship to it. The kids are mean. All he wants is to go back to his old school. The only good thing about the school is Headmaster Max Reilly.
Max Reilly is drawn to Collin Holliday who is often the target of teasing and bullying. And, it all has to do with the unique lining of the young lad’s coat. When Max tries to do the right thing by the boy, Collins’ mother is both indignant and prideful.
Leah is mortified when the headmaster brings a coat to replace the one that is torn during a scuffle at school. She vehemently refuses the coat and then, after much reflection has to figure out how to make amends.
It’s a tough struggle between Lean and Max, but when God is leading things suddenly seem clearer and the future better.
LOVE OF A LIFETIME --
Rhonda Gibson
Colleen Halliday desperately wants to keep the bakery her Grandmother left her. Trouble is, Colleen can’t bake. (Perhaps it’s a gene from Brigit Streeter so many years earlier?)
Adam Walker is doing his best to raise his youngest sister, Jenny, since their parent’s death, it’s difficult, but on his mailman’s salary they’re doing okay. Jenny is stubborn and a bit sassy, but he can handle her. The one thing Jenny really has going for her is her baking talent.
When Jenny has to make a scrapbook project for school Colleen makes a deal with her. In exchange for baking lessons, Colleen will help Jenny make the scrapbook from the box of fabric scraps she’s been given.
Adam helps with the project and together he and Colleen piece together a family history of Colleen’s family and together they’ll face the future.
Barbour’s anthologies are always fun to read. The stories go quickly and the take away aspect will keep your heart warm.
Reviewed by Linda Mae Baldwin
for The Road to Romance
December 2, 2004
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