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Take a three-thousand mile journey with Amanda Pearson as she leaves the disgrace of a broken engagement and enters the work of a Quaker mission in the western wilds. The trip is fraught with danger, and Amanda is near death before reaching her destination. Among those she meets are an Indian woman who becomes her first convert and a half-Indian trapper who seems to be her biggest critic. But love follows her into the wilderness and will determine the course of her future. You are sure to enjoy this historical romance adventure from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.
I really enjoyed this book,it had a great message and I liked how it told the story from several different points of view and was realistic without giving too many details. At times it felt like an awful lot of bad things happened to Amanda and Mary,but when you think about it times were hard and it was probably fairly accurate in the portrayal of how bad it probably was.
Through the adrenaline rushes to the trials and pain, I was transported into this story. I connected to the characters as they came alive in my mind. I could even picture the surroundings throughout much of this story. For me, Wanda delivered, and she delivered big!
RGNHALL
Posted Fri Apr 11 00:00:00 EDT 2014
"While Papa received no pay for his service as a Quaker minister back home, he'd worked as a cabinet maker for a good many years and had saved up some money. Since they didn't know if or when they would return to New York, he'd sold their home, his business, and all their belongings except for the few things they would need for this trip. Using some of the money, Papa had secured passage for him and Amanda on a steamboat, which took them to Cincinnati. From there, they'd boarded another steamboat to St. Louis, and then a third boat to Liberty, Missouri. Continuing on their journey, they rode in wagons with some fur traders, following the Platte River to Fort Laramie, where they met the man who would guide them to the mission. Harvey had said the rest of the journey would be best made on horseback without taking any wagons over the mountains."
Woman of Courage reminds me of the video game where players plan a trip by wagon to the west. Life is certainly filled with danger and difficulty as Amanda, her Papa and their guide make their way by horseback to the mission. Amanda likely never expected to have to stop for a long while and stay with an Indian woman and her husband. I am sure that she never expected to meet a half-Indian trapper who aggravates her at every turn. Will she survive to make it to the mission? This book is different from Wanda Brunstetter's normal Amish fiction. Amanda and her Papa are Quakers and they seek to minister to Indians. I loved this book. It kept me wanting to sit and turn the pages. 5 Stars and I hope there is a sequel to this book as I would love to know what happens for the characters in the future.
I received a kindle version of this book from netgalley and a print copy from the author and publisher in exchange for my honest review.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.nonnyPM
Posted Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Full of faith and trust that can only come from a strong relationship with her Lord, Amanda Pearson begins her journey west to minister to the Nez Perce' Indians. She is a young woman of inner strength and determination who caries herself with grace and humility as she meets trials, heartaches and love along her journey. Wanda Brunstetter does not disappoint us with the complex characters and surprise twists that she weaves into her novels and has once again left me craving more!!
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Posted Wed Sep 03 00:00:00 EDT 2014
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Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MitziAB
Posted Fri Aug 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014
5 stars ***** out of 5
Historical Romance
This story did not seem to be as much about a Quaker woman becoming a missionary as it was about a woman following a calling against some almost insurmountable hurdles. I am not sure if it was Amanda's dream to help the Spaldings as they ministered to the Nez Pierce Indians as much as it was an escape from a failed romance. In 1837 a journey of three thousand miles would not have been started without a lot of preparation, and yet it seemed the small group was terribly unprepared. Amanda was, in my opinion very strong willed and some of the trials she faced could have been avoidable. If anyone needs to know that obstacles can be overcome with enough diligence, this book gives many examples! A great book, one that Wanda's readers have been looking forward to, and if you want something different than Amish, you will want to read this one! Through Wanda's great use of imagery I saw what the country must have looked like almost 200 years ago.
I received this book free from Fred at The Book Club Network in exchange for an honest review. A positive critique was not required. The opinions stated are my own.
Theophilusfamily
Posted Wed Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Wanda Brunstetter's latest book takes us on a vivid journey.
We delve into the soul of a gentle Quaker woman, who fell in love and lost that love to betrayal. Instead of growing bitter, she turns her heart outward... and plans to become a missionary.
Amanda never imagines the loss and desperation she'll undergo, the enemies and the friends she will meet, the gifts she will give and the peace that she will find on her quest.
The people she meets all jump off the page.
Jim, the harsh settler, who adopted a young misfit named Buck. Buck, whose upbringing soured him against Amanda's preaching. Mary, Jim's Indian wife who will fight for you and earn your respect.
This novel is filled with themes of renewed purpose, and redemption.
This book introduces us to several ladies who are truly Women of Courage.
Wanda E. Brunstetter in her new book, “Woman Of Courage” published by Shiloh Run Press takes us into the life of Amanda Pearson.
From the Back Cover: A Quaker woman dares the unknown to be a missionary.
Jilted by her fiancé in 1837, Amanda Pearson gives up on romance and turns to her Quaker faith for reassurance. She becomes determined to follow the Rev. and Mrs. Spalding three thousand miles into the western wilderness to minister to the Nez Perce Indians. The trip is fraught with danger, and soon Amanda finds herself recovering from near death in a trapper’s cabin. His Indian wife becomes Amanda’s first convert, but the trapper and his intriguing half-Indian friend want nothing to do with Christians. Will they still help her reach the mission in the Lapwai Valley?
The story begins in 1837 Dansville, NY where Amanda is rejected by her fiance the day before the wedding. To fill the void and hide the pain she and her father begin a 3,000 mile journey to the Wyoming Territory to minister to the Nez Perce Indians. You would not think it would be this much trouble but for Amanda she almost doesn’t make it. Ms. Brunstetter has crafted an adventure as Amanda leaves home for the first time and meets people that she would never have met had she stayed in NY. The journey takes nine months and Ms. Brunstetter fills it with characters and events that show not only the harshness that had to be endured but also the warmth and help of some people. Amanda is a fascinating character and the story is very exciting and interesting. “Woman of Courage” will hold your interest, keep you flipping pages and give you something to think about even long after you have finished this wonderful book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Handlebar for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Amanda Pearson expects to be married and settled in a modest home with her husband within the year, so when her fiancee confesses that he has fallen in love with another, Amanda finds herself totally lost.
Her Quaker faith leads her to the decision to travel West and offer her services to the missionaries of the Nez Perce Indians (Oregon Territory) The 3000 mile journey is fraught with danger and disasters. While her guides and others along the way believe Amanda is a mere girl, it becomes clear that she IS a woman of courage who will not give up.
Injured and near death, Amanda is found on the trail by Buck McFadden who takes her to the nearby cabin of a trapper and his Indian wife. Buck, himself the child of a Native American woman and a white father, trusts almost no one, and he certainly does not want to hear Amanda's Bible stories. Neither does the trapper, but strangely enough his Indian wife is eager to make friends with Amanda and learn what the Black book says.
Wanda E. Brunstetter balances the views of the various Indian nations with those of the white man.
Authentic details about life in the 1830s were threaded throughout the story which helped the story of Amanda and Buck come alive. Nearly as important is the story of Mary, the young Indian married to the rough neck trapper Jim. I especially liked the "back stories" for both Jim and Buck; they had reasons for their hard hearts and I can imagine dozens of other loners of the west who had similar stories. I have not read much by Wanda Brunstetter because she mainly writes Amish fiction, and while I do read some Amish fiction, I don't choose that genre often. This stand-alone historical fiction title, with its Quaker/West setting is well written and well researched. I highly recommend it and will be checking out more of her work myself. I received a copy of WOMAN OF COURAGE from Handlebar and Barbour Publishing for review purposes.
loriweller1
Posted Mon Jul 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Woman of Courage is another great book of Wanda Brunstetter. Amanda was rejected by her fiance on the eve of her wedding. She decides to go on a mission trip with a Quaker Reverend and his wife to minister to the Indians with her father. They met many obstacles along they way. She met Buck, an half Indian along with Mary and Jim. Her experiences made her into a stronger, more independent person. I received this book from the publisher and the Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Posted Sat Jul 19 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Wanda E. Brunstetter steps out of her Amish genre into more of a historical genre with her latest book "Woman of Courage." The story follows Amanda Pearson, a Quaker, as she journeys west to work at the Lapwai Valley mission after being jilted by her finace- a three thousand mile trip. She encounters many trials and tribulations along the way, one of which leaves her for dead until being discovered by a half-Indian trapper, Buck McFadden. Buck takes her back to his friend's cabin where Amanda is nursed back to health by the trapper's pregnant Indian wife, Mary. Mary and Amanda soon become friends. Amanda never loses her faith during all of this or as she tries to continue her journey to the mission. Will her faith sustain her? Will she find a guide to take her the rest of the way? Will Buck turn back to God? To answer these questions thou wilt have to pick up a copy of the book and begin thou own journey reading this historical adventure.
It was a nice change from her usual books.
I received this book free to review from Handlebar.
onedesertose
Posted Mon Jun 23 00:00:00 EDT 2014
My Review:
With Wanda E. Brunstetter being one of my favorite Amish writers, I quickly agreed to review her book, Woman of Courage, though it was about a Quaker woman’s experience in the 1837 wilderness. Wanda is very well known for her accurate descriptions of the scenes, people and adventures, and she didn’t disappoint in this book.
A motherless young Quaker woman is jilted by her fiancé, so she and her father start out to the Oregon Territory with a guide, over a 3,000-mile trip, so Amanda could fulfill her desire to be a missionary to the Nez Perce’ Indians with Reverend Henry and Eliza Spaldings.
Tragedy strikes and Amanda eventually finds herself in the cabin of Jim and Mary Beck, healing from her wounds and a ferocious fever.
This book is not necessarily a fast read, as it accounts for a 3,000-mile trip. The adventures, tragedies, attacks, and romance are told over nine months of a time period. That does not, however, make it a boring book. It gives Wanda the time to describe each and every episode, personalities of each of the characters (and some are pretty wild), and the relational experiences in-depth. Her main character, Amanda, thinks this will be the adventure of her life, only to find firsthand the harsh realities of traveling through rough, unsettled territory to reach her destination, the dangers of hostile Indian groups, and the loss of loved ones. Though these characters are fictional, the story line itself is not.
The loyalty and courage of Amanda’s desire to teach the gospel to the Nez Perce’ Indians will cause you to do an introspective examination of the depths of your calling to preach the gospel to others. Will the realities of a hard life quash God’s calling in your life?
This book was provided free from Julie Busteed of Handlebar Publishing, in exchange for my honest review. No monetary compensation was exchanged for my review, nor was I obligated to give a positive review.
MrsTina42MR
Posted Sun Jun 22 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Woman of Courage by Wanda Brunstetter****
Young Quaker Amanda Pearson is crushed when her finance Nathan Lane breaks off their engagement the night before the wedding. Not wanting to remain in NY any longer Amanda informs her father that she wants to travel to Oregon Territory and help Rev. and Mrs. Spalding at the Indian missionary there. So her father sells everything and they leave Dansville, NY beginning the 3,000 miles journey across country to the wilderness in Oregon Territory. Now three months into their journey the challenges become harder and while traveling through the Wyoming Territory with their guide Harvey Hanson, Amanda's father dies. But Amanda is determined to travel on and to the Missionary. However, tragedy strikes again when Harvey is killed when a tree falls on him during a storm. Now alone, Amanda is trusting God to lead her the rest of the long way.
Trapper Buck McFadden comes across an ill woman on the trail and takes her to his friend Jim Breck's cabin so that Jim's Indian wife Mary Yellow Bird can care for the woman. As Mary cares for Amanda they become fast friends. She shares God's love for all mankind with Mary, Jim and Buck. However, Buck does not want anything to do with “Christians” since he was beaten and abused as a young boy by someone who claimed to be a christian.
Amanda needs a guide to the Nez Perce Indians missionary and asks Buck to guide her. But he refuses. As she continues to recover from her illness and regains her strength she continues to pray that Buck would guide her. As it turns out Jim and Mary, along with their new born daughter guide Amanda to the missionary and to reunite Mary with her family. Along the way tragedy strikes again leaving the women and infant alone to continue on. Buck shows up in time to save them from an evil-intended trapper, again.
What is God's plan for Amanda? Is working with the Spaldings at the Indian missionary really His plan for her? Where does Buck fit into His plans for her? Despite him not being a Christian, she finds herself falling in love with him. And what of Buck, what surprises does he find at the Indian village? Surprises he never dreamed of. Can he trust God to heal the pains and bitterness of his past? Is there a future after all with Amanda?
Woman of Courage is full of interesting facts from the 1800's....the characters encounter much in their travels: Indians (both good and bad), bear attacks, deadly snake bites, violent storms, dangerous wild frontier men and the long hard journey. But they persevere and continue on to their destination. This journey is not for the weak, but requires strength and determination as well as faith. This story is a bit different than the Amish stories Wanda usually writes, but I enjoyed it.
~~I received a copy of this book from Book Fun Network for my review~~
Virginiaw
Posted Wed Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2014
This was great as usual. I don't think I have ever read a book by Wanda that I have not liked. This one had a girl named Amanda who is a Quaker who is jilted by her fiancé, so she decides to go out west to to be a missionary. She faces many hazards and a nice romance. The romance is with Buck. This story is quick and nice. It flows along very smoothly. It is hard to put down.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.chrisg21
Posted Sun May 11 00:00:00 EDT 2014
A great book with many dangers, many surprises.
Amanda wants to be a missionary at the Spalding Mission but everything goes wrong
It was neat to see her following her faith in God
Read the book, you will enjoy it
I was given this book by tbcn for my honest review
homeschoolmom24
Posted Thu May 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014
About the Book:
Take a three-thousand mile journey with Amanda Pearson as she leaves the disgrace of a broken engagement and enters the work of a Quaker mission in the western wilds. The trip is fraught with danger, and Amanda is near death before reaching her destination. Among those she meets are an Indian woman who becomes her first convert and a half-Indian trapper who seems to be her biggest critic. But love follows her into the wilderness and will determine the course of her future. You are sure to enjoy this historical romance adventure from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.
About the Author:
Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 60 books with more than 7 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.
My Review:
To gain some independence and perspective from her recent failed romance, Amanda Pearson decides to go on a mission trip with Quacker Reverend and his wife to minister to the Nez Perce Indians. Little did she know that she was in for a possible romance. Sharing the gospel is proving a bigger feat than Amanda expected and it just seems to get worse and worse.
Soon she meets Buck McFadden, who is half-Indian that doesn't trust the white man, because he has been treated so harshly by them in the past. He seems to really take an interest in her, which neither he nor Amanda expected to happen. Poor Amanda feels like she will never reach the mission with all the bad luck she has been having.
The tenacity of the early settlers and the life they had to lead to better themselves at times is astonishing. They beat the odds in order to help themselves and future generations. The harshness of the times and of the people that they had to endure was mystifying. Wanda's research of the history involved in the writing of this book really shows through. She has done an excellent job!
**Disclosure**This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Book Fun.
Anonymous
Posted Tue May 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Amanda Person thought she knew what her future would be, it was the night before her wedding and she was so happy. But an unexpected visit from her fiance changed everything. No wedding, no happily ever after, no future in the Quaker congregation where her father preached.
So Amanda and her father set out toward the West to Join a couple in their Mission to bring Christ to the Nez Perce Indians in the Oregon Territory.
She was worried about her father who looked so tired. He finally was forced to tell her that his heart was failing, he was not long for this world and secured her promise she would continue on without him. She could have never guessed at the trials, dangers and the strengths she never knew she had as she struggles to fulfill that promise!
A wonderful story of a brave woman and her Journey with God toward true happiness.
Overview
Take a three-thousand mile journey with Amanda Pearson as she leaves the disgrace of a broken engagement and enters the work of a Quaker mission in the western wilds. The trip is fraught with danger, and Amanda is near death before reaching her destination. Among those she meets are an Indian woman who becomes her first convert and a half-Indian trapper who seems to be her biggest critic. But love follows her into the wilderness and will determine the course of her future. You are sure to enjoy this historical ...