.jpg)
The latest book in the Land of Shining Waters series.
Peterson Hits the Bestseller Lists Again and Again!
Emmalyne Knox and Tavin MacLachlan were destined to be together . . . until the tragic deaths of Emmalyne's youngest sisters. Family tradition mandates that the youngest daughter should remain single to care for her parents in their old age, and now that daughter is Emmalyne. Her father unyielding, Emmalyne surrenders to her duty, heartbroken. Tavin leaves town, equally devastated.
Years later, Emmalyne's family moves, and she and Tavin meet again. Their feelings for each other are as strong as ever, but their painful past and Emmalyne's father still stand between them. Soon both families are in the midst of the growing conflict rising between the workers at the granite quarry that Tavin's father owns and operates. When a series of near-fatal accidents occur, Tavin must figure out who is behind the attacks before someone gets killed.
Bound by obligation, yet yearning for a future together, can Emmalyne and Tavin dare to dream that God could heal a decade-long wound and change the hearts of those who would stand in the way of true love?
Read Excerpt here.
- ISBN-13: 9780764206207
- Publisher: Baker Publishing Group/Bethany House
- Publication date: 6/1/2013
- Series: Land of Shining Water Series , #2
- Pages: 336
Where to Purchase: Baker Retail, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com
Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over eighty novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana, and Alaskan Quest series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.
Q&A with Tracie Peterson
Q. Tell us why you wrote The Quarryman’s Bride.
I wanted to write a story that would deal with old family traditions that get in the way of true love and life in general. I also wanted to utilize the Minnesota quarry business setting to share some of the historical aspects of life in that region. As I began to develop my research, I found so many interesting things about quarry work and life in Minnesota that it created a wonderful foundation for the book.
Q. Where in Minnesota did you set this story?
I chose the city of St. Cloud. The area has a wonderful park—the Quarry State Park—where you can walk around and see some of the old quarry works.
Q. What did you do to research this story?
I was able to spend some quality time in the St. Cloud area and get a firsthand look at granite quarries and the work required to get the rock out of the ground. I visited local museums and talked to people who worked in and around quarries, along with reading a great many books that helped me to better understand what quarry workers were up against in the late 1800s. This was difficult and dangerous work to be sure. I also wanted to have a cultural flavor for my story, and I chose those of Scottish heritage since they were heavily involved in quarry work. I’ve been to Scotland and have Scottish heritage myself, so I found it quite interesting to dig deeper and learn more about the traditions that existed.
Q. What’s the basic premise for this story?
Emmalyne and Tavin have been in love since they were young. Their wedding, however, is called off when a tragedy takes the lives of Emmalyne’s younger sisters. In her family there is a tradition that the youngest daughter remains unmarried to care for the aging parents. With the death of her sisters, Emmalyne must now take on that responsibility. Her father puts an end to the engagement and they move away, leaving Emmalyne and Tavin torn apart. Emmalyne desires to be obedient to her father and mother—to honor them as the Bible says. But at the same time she longs to reunite with the only man she’ll ever love. How can God possibly soften the hard hearts of two bitter men without crushing the dreams and hopes of a loving young woman?
Q. What is the basic spiritual message you want readers to take away from this story?
I wanted to address what it means to honor your mother and father. What does God expect of adult children in the ways of honoring and caring for their parents? I also wanted to show the painful consequences of the choices people make and how often one seemingly small event can ripple down through the years to completely alter lives.
Q. What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I loved the time I spent walking around Quarry State Park in St. Cloud. It was like another world. The setting transported me in time, and I could almost see myself there in the late 1890s. I love the way God works to show me things in that way. And it’s always such a pleasure to find people from the area who love their history. Minnesota folks are great, and they are proud of their heritage. I also did some additional research while in Scotland, learning about the Celtic language and traditional Scottish recipes. I even made a few to share with my family as I wrote about them in the story.
Q. What’s on the horizon for book 3 in this series?
Book 3 is set in the Ely, Minnesota, area and deals with Italian immigrants and iron mining. This story has a bit of a Romeo and Juliet theme with a strong spiritual message of learning to let go of past wrongs and forgive for the sake of the present and the future.
One winner will receive:
- A $200 Anthropologie gift card
- The Quarryman's Bride and The Icecutter's Daughter by Tracie Peterson
So grab your copy of The Quarryman's Bride and join Tracie on the evening of July 9th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Hope to see you on the 9th!
My Thoughts
Emmalyne Knox and her family have suffered a great loss but Emmalyne is forced to suffer even more. She is to break her promise of marriage to the love of her life Tavis MacLachlan to fulfill a Scottish tradition honoring her parents. She will see to her parents needs in their old age and she will never marry. The love Tavis had for Emmie has now turned to an attitude of hatred which caused even more pain for Emmie. As if all of this was not enough her father has decided to move to another state taking her further away from the quarry, Tavis and all her friends. She wonders if her father has any love for God or his family .
Eleven years have passed and Emmie's father is moving their family back so he can work at the quarry owned by Tavis's father. How will Tavis react to her family living a mere three miles from his parent's home?
This story caused me to have great sorrow for those under Emmalyne's father's tyranny. The author has touched on a subject that has severe effects on a families emotional and physical being. The character Emmie was created by the author to be a loyal daughter to her parents and to God. The author shows how fear and loss of loved ones can eat a person alive until there is nothing left but bitterness. Only God can heal such pain and that is how the author writes her story of love, forgiveness and reconciliation.
Emmalyne Knox and her family have suffered a great loss but Emmalyne is forced to suffer even more. She is to break her promise of marriage to the love of her life Tavis MacLachlan to fulfill a Scottish tradition honoring her parents. She will see to her parents needs in their old age and she will never marry. The love Tavis had for Emmie has now turned to an attitude of hatred which caused even more pain for Emmie. As if all of this was not enough her father has decided to move to another state taking her further away from the quarry, Tavis and all her friends. She wonders if her father has any love for God or his family .
Eleven years have passed and Emmie's father is moving their family back so he can work at the quarry owned by Tavis's father. How will Tavis react to her family living a mere three miles from his parent's home?
This story caused me to have great sorrow for those under Emmalyne's father's tyranny. The author has touched on a subject that has severe effects on a families emotional and physical being. The character Emmie was created by the author to be a loyal daughter to her parents and to God. The author shows how fear and loss of loved ones can eat a person alive until there is nothing left but bitterness. Only God can heal such pain and that is how the author writes her story of love, forgiveness and reconciliation.
I highly recommend this book.
I rated this book a 5 out of 5.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group/Bethany House and Litfuse Publicity Group for review.
If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.
