The first book in this wonderful Canadian West series begins with a young woman, Elizabeth, who leaves the safety and security of her family in the East, and ventures out west to teach in a one-room school house. Braving the Canadian frontier, she settles in a small community outside of Calgary, Alberta, and attempts to bring the world of knowledge into this sleepy little community. She braves yipping coyotes, adventuresome mice, eager students, and the shy interest of one particularly handsome Royal Canadian Mountie, Wyn. Wyn, however, is convinced that his job does not permit him to take a wife as he could be stationed far from civilization for any number of years, bringing peace and order to the people in the far north. Will Wyn change his mind in time for Elizabeth to put her trust and love in him? This was a delightful novel and I eagerly read through the pages already anticipating the sequel before I had finished the last chapter. I laughed uproariously and cried with sadness during this novel and craved more of the same in the sequel. I whole heartedly recommend this novel to anyone who has interest in the Canadian frontier and Mounties or anyone who enjoys a good love story.

The sequel to When Calls the Heart, When Comes the Spring brings more laughter and mayhem to young Elizabeth and Wyn's lives. We follow Elizabeth as she prepares for her upcoming wedding and then follow joyfully along as Elizabeth and Wyn receive Wyn's new posting and head up the North. Just as Wyn fears, his post is to a remote Indian village in northern Alberta. Will Elizabeth trust Wyn and his knowledge as an obedient wife, or will she continue to struggle in trusting Wyn, who obviously has more experience in this rugged land? Will she survive in the hostile north without a friend or even a women who speaks English?

One can only imagine the harshness and ruggedness of the Canadian frontier, but Janette Oke clearly paints a vivid picture of this isolated land. The reader clearly rejoices with Elizabeth as she experiences small gestures of friendship from the Indian women and cries with her over her own barrenness when she so desires a baby of her own. This is another book in the true delightful quality of Janette Oke writing.

When Breaks the Dawn, continues in true Janette Oke fashion with trials and tribulations set among joys and victories in the rugged Canadian frontier of a small Mountie settlement and Indian village. We follow the lives as Elizabeth and Wyn as they each try to improve conditions within the Indian village. Elizabeth and Nimmie try once again to introduce school to the Indian children. Wyn struggles to keep peace among the trappers and Indians in the settlement. Isolated from her family, Elizabeth struggles to remain happy and fulfilled in her new Indian village home. An excellent book to continue the Canadian West Saga. I couldn't put this one down either and looked forward with much anticipation to the final novel in this series, When Hope Springs New.

Just as it appears that our beloved Elizabeth is beginning to really fit in and enjoy her Indian village, Wyn receives notice that he's been reassigned to a new village, more primitive than the last. Uprooted from her dear friend, Nimmie, and the little shack she has called home for the past two years, Elizabeth is determined to make her new shack a home and reach out the Indian women in friendship once again. There is much adventure awaiting their life in their new village including planting crops, devastating fires, and having to start over once again. Through it all, Elizabeth and Wyn, struggle to remain close to one another and to their God. This was another exceptional novel from Janette Oke. I was proud to call myself a Canadian as I read about these early pioneers who struggled to tame a wild and rugged land. It is with a huge, satisfied smile on my face that I set this last novel down and turn to another series.