WHISPERS OF WINTER

Author: Tracie Peterson ISBN: 0764227750 11/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: BETHANY HOUSE
Time Period: 1917 Alaska

The unforgiving descent of Alaskan winter has Jayce Kincaid and Jacob Barringer struggling for survival after their ship is trapped in the ice floes of the Arctic. Back at Last Chance Creek, Leah and Helaina endure the long separation--Leah wondering if her children will ever know their father and Helaina longing for the chance to express her love to Jacob. When unexpected loss invades their world and tragedy looms once again, will they find the strength to trust in God’s faithfulness?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Book Three of Tracie Peterson's Alaskan Quest series is WHISPERS OF WINTER. As the book begins, series principals Leah and Helaina are in Last Chance Creek, caring for Leah's twin babies and pining over their lost men, Jayce and Jacob, who are trapped on a small island near Russia awaiting rescue after their exploration ship became trapped in the ice.

All four of them have suffered to maintain their faith through struggle and hardship. This chapter finds them reuniting finally, and starting new lives in the part of Alaska that in 1917 is just beginning to be called Anchorage, then a railroad outpost. Or so it seems. Will heartbreak have the families and their friends relocating yet again as war, revolution and the influenza epidemic all take their toll?

I liked WHISPERS OF WINTER better than its predecessor, UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. It's a fast read with a lot of heart, though I did think too many secondary characters died, but maybe that's what life was like in Alaska then with such limited medical care and knowledge. Mostly, I didn't like that part because I cared about the characters!

I don't think you'd enjoy this book as much if you haven't read the other books in the series, but I found WHISPERS OF WINTER to be an emotional, thoughtful book. I was sorry to say goodbye to the characters.

Heather Hiestand