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The Coming Storm is the second in the Hills of Montana series by Tracie Peterson. Dianne Chadwick is at home on the ranch in Montana, waiting for her fiancé, Cole Selby to return from Kansas. She is living with her Uncle Bram and his wife, Koko. Koko is half-Blackfoot, and looked down on by many others in the area. Bram is respected, but Koko rarely ventures off the ranch to town. The townspeople are not welcoming. Koko has their second child early while ill with a cough and is unable to nurse her.
Fortunately, Faith and Malachi show up ahead of a blizzard. Faith has just given birth to a child who died because the cord was wrapped around his neck. She is able to wet-nurse Koko's child. Faith and Malachi are former slaves who traveled on the wagon train west with Dianne. Their reunion is bittersweet.
Dianne is able to encourage Faith to be strong, and Faith is able to help Dianne as she waits for Cole to arrive.
Koko's brother, Takes Many Horses, has fallen in love with Dianne and when he realizes that the very ill man captured by Indians is Cole, he has to make a decision. Will he return Cole to Dianne, or will he try to take his place in her heart?
The primary message in this book, both covert and overt is to have faith in God. Without it, Dianne would fall apart as tragedy strikes and she has to go on while waiting for her fiancé. Another overt message is that God's love is not confined by race. Dianne demands that anyone who comes to the ranch recognizes Malachi, Faith and Koko as equals. This creates friction in the community.
Dianne's relationships are important as she works to help Faith heal, and to support Koko. She draws others to her and creates a warm place of safety for them all by her trust in and relationship with God.
This book does not completely stand alone. There are many references to events in the previous book. Having not read that book, I was at a disadvantage at times. While Tracie Peterson deals with painful issues, there is a beauty in her writing that transcends them. Her obvious faith and desire for others to do the same comes through, not as preaching, but as an offer to explore God's promises and learn for yourself.
Reviewed by Nancy Riggins-Hume
for The Road to Romance
August 4, 2004
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