In the wake of her husband's presumed death, a young war bride makes a desperate choice to give her baby a better life. However, her choice will have unforeseen ramifications for more lives than she ever expected.The baby girl, named Kyle by her adoptive parents, grows up with no knowledge of her humble beginnings. When a heartbreaking loss pits Kyle against her high society mother, secrets from Kyle's past come to light. Suddenly, she finds herself searching for the family she never knew and a faith she's only beginning to understand. With all that has come before, will Kyle ever be able to find home?
Janette Oke is a Canadian author known for her inspirational fiction, often set in a pioneer era and focused on female protagonists. Her debut novel, Love Comes Softly (1979), became the foundation for a successful series, followed by over 75 other novels. The first book in her Canadian West series, When Calls the Heart (1983), inspired the popular television series of the same name. Born in Champion, Alberta, to farmers Fred and Amy (née Ruggles) Steeves during the Great Depression, Oke went on to graduate from Mountain View Bible College in Didsbury, Alberta, where she met her future husband, Edward Oke, who later became the president of the college. The couple has four children, including a daughter who has collaborated with Janette on several books. A committed Evangelical Christian, Oke has authored numerous works exploring themes of faith. She has received various accolades for her contributions to Christian fiction, including the 1992 President's Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and the 1999 CBA Life Impact Award.
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I was going to.
I've never read anything by Janette Oke before and I wasn't really interested in reading her writing; I heard it was deep and boring. That was not the case. A close friend gave me this book a while ago and I thought it would be fun to read at least one of Oke's books, so I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed.
The plot was beautifully played out throughout the book. The cover led me to believe that it was high on the romance, but there really isn't much of that until the very end and then it's very simple. So sweet! :)
I ended up staying up till 1am to finish this book. . .enough said. ;) Except for the "Canadian West Series", I've pretty much stayed away from Janette Oke's books because they seem to predictable. But, this book was recommended to me by a friend, so I decided to try it. :) Well, I'm glad I did! Although the plot seemed to start out a bit slow, the rest of the book quickly made up for it. And the ending! *hugs book* I was kinda expecting it, but it was so sweet nonetheless! Another thing I really appreciated was that the romance was sweet and pure. I've found that very hard to find in books that are classified as "romance", so it was a pleasant surprise! I'm so looking forward to starting the sequel! Definitely a book I'll read again and it's made me brave enough to try a few more of Janette Oke's stand-alone books.
Recommended Age: 13 and up This book shows the heartache of a woman when she hears news that her husband is missing in action. Instead of keeping her baby, she refuses to see it when she gives birth and Kyle is adopted by a rich couple. As Kyle gets older, it shows her life with a couple she always imagined were her parents, while her unknown younger brother Joel grows up in a home full of anger and misunderstandings. When Kyle finds out the truth of her birth, she knows she must search for her birth parents. A story full of love, forgiveness and God's grace.
With her husband off fighting in the Second World War, the last thing a woman like Martha wants to receive is one of those dreaded...telegrams. But its arrival leaves Martha with a heart-wrenching decision to make—one that will profoundly impact a number of lives in the years to come in Another Homecoming by authors Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn.
It's been over twenty years since the first time I read this book. My return to it was purely for comfort reading, and even with the way that I and my preferences for Christian Fiction have changed over the years, sheer comfort is what I got from reading this a second time.
It's a gentle drama, somber and grave in different ways but also infused with nostalgic Americana and, ultimately, hope.
I wouldn't call the novel perfect, as some aspects are a little overdone, oversweet, or redundant. Some of the characters could have used more dimension, especially the key villain. Also, the story may tell about the heroine without showing enough about her, as she largely seems to be a rather passive part of the story until the last fifth or quarter.
Even so, books don't have to be perfect to give me a meaningful experience, and there are reasons why this serious, warm, and life-affirming novel has remained in my memory. Though it's unlikely that I'll revisit the sequel, I'm so glad to have read this one again.
I love almost everything Janette Oke writes and this book was no exception. Oke and T. Davis Bunn make an incredible writing team and this is now my favourite one of theirs. I particularly like how they really show you the heart of each character and make you feel their pain, joy and sorrow.
It was a moving story about an adopted daughter who grows up with a controlling mother and meets with shocking surprises, and her biological brother who grows up in an unhappy home but finds true joy in God. One thing I wished as soon as I finished reading it was that there was an epilogue- the ending seemed kind of abrupt and I didn't want it to end! Then I found out there was a sequel (hooray!). I really loved this book...definitely a 5 star read.
Kyle has a distant mother, a powerful father, and a staff that are more like family than servants. She is wealthy but doesn't feel like she belongs. Joel has parents that have a room with baby things in it and don't communicate to one another. He has new neighbors and learns about God and chooses to be closer to Him. The story is how Kyle and Joel's lives meet and how God's plan is revealed. Read Tomorrow's Dream for the conintued story.
I didn't like ending. It was rather unsatisfactory. While the ending gave reason to believe that Joel would get better, and I can understand why Janette Oke would end it this way, since he was one of the MCs, I feel we have the right to know what happens. Also, Kyle seemed to change all of a sudden and I found it difficult reconciling the young and grown-up Kyle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was one of the best Christian fiction books I've read in a while! Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn work well together, and wrote an engaging and in-depth story. Without giving too much away, (so you may enjoy it yourself!) Another Homecoming is the story of a young newlywed wartime mother-to-be, whose life is changed drastically by unforeseen events. It is also the story of a family with a cold mother, and a loving father, and a little girl named Kyle. The book centers around 2 families, the one of Kyle Rothmore, a wealthy young lady, and Maggie and Harry, a middle class family who struggles to reconcile with the hardships life has brought their way. What I liked best about this book was the openness to share the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is what CHRISTIAN fiction SHOULD be about!! If you're a Christian author, and you have not told your readers about Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation, I sincerely hope you turn your life around and start doing that in the books you write. God gave you that talent, please honor Him with it. Help your readers find Jesus Christ.
Written in a classic, old-fashioned Janette-Oke style, this story captured my heart right away. While the cover gives the impression that this is primarily a romance, Another Homecoming is actually more of a family saga than anything else, though it has romantic elements as well. 🙂
I recently read Janette Oke’s biography, written by her daughter, and I was struck by how much of herself and her own story the author put into this novel. The themes of loss and heartache ring true, as do the author’s tenderhearted, biblical responses woven throughout.
For those whose heart asks, “Why?” (and I wonder if there is anyone whose heart doesn’t, from time-to-time), this novel may be a balm of mercy to bring healing to old wounds, perhaps ones you didn’t know you had.
I highly recommend Another Homecoming to teens and adults.
I did enjoy this book very much. I think this is the first Janette Oke book that I've read. In the wake of her husband's presumed death, a young war bride makes a desperate choice to give her baby a better life. However, her choice will have unforeseen heartache for more lives than she ever expected. The baby girl, named Kyle by her adoptive parents, grows up with no knowledge of her humble beginnings. When a heartbreaking loss pits Kyle against her high society mother, secrets from Kyle's past come to light. Suddenly, she finds herself searching for the family she never knew and a faith she's only beginning to understand. With all that has come before, will Kyle ever be able to find home?
Spoiler alert...… the book was good and faith focused, as one would expect from Janette Oke. The best part for me was the heroine's evolution. She grew up adopted with a 'mother' who didn't want her, who criticized everything she did, never showed love, etc. Seeing her finally reach the point where she stands up to her mother who is trying to manipulate every aspect of her life in a way that makes 'mother' rich and powerful. Sickening actually, and oh so wonderful, when Kyle stands up to her and takes control of what is rightfully hers. Encouraging to anyone who has ever been afraid to stand up for themselves...
This was a very good story that went from WWII through the 60's. It was a different plot than I've read before so that was refreshing. There were no super nasty villains and the main characters were likable and believable. It covered the effects of war on people and how they recover from loss. It was a story of love, forgiveness, hope and faith. It is Christian fiction, so it was preachy. But I would rather read words of faith in God than a bunch of nasty curse words when people go through difficulties. The narrator also did a very good job reading it.
This was a great book. I wasn't expecting the characters to come back together the way that they did, but that honestly made the story even better. There are not many books that I find that I get attached to the characters like I did with this story. I think that there are so many different points in this story that are very accurate and that you can relate to. I found that I was laughing and crying and being totally baffled right along with the characters. Really wonderfully written and just a great story. Also I totally enjoyed the way that God and Jesus are discussed in this book.
Return to Harmony, Another Homecoming and Tomorrow's Dream are listed as books related to each other. I didn't see that Return to Harmony had anything to do with the next two, except a common theme of returning to home of family, love and support. However, the last two books are definitely related to each other with common characters and the story of Another Homecoming continuing into Tomorrow's Dream. All three books were inspiring and had wonderful mysteries to be solved. The Christian lessons are life changing and very meaningful. LOVED these books!!!
This is a case of the book getting released with a new cover and me not realizing it. I wish I had though. The reason I didn't remember reading this before, but maybe that's because I didn't really like the book in the first place. Although there are a few good characters, the overall plot fails for me. Some of the turns the book takes feel forced. I enjoy many of Oke's books, but this one - not so much.
The main character's name is Kyle. It is spelled like the male name (or at least predominantly male. I have never heard of a female with this name) Kyle pronounced ky-ul. But the main character is a female. So perhaps it is supposed to be Kylie, just spelled differently.
I read the sequel before I read this book. I just recently managed to find a copy of this. After reading both, I found that I enjoyed the sequel more than this one.
First book in the series but can be a stand alone.
A couple in love is torn apart by war. When word comes back that her husband is missing in action, the new bride must make some tough decisions about her life. These decisions bring on a lifetime of hurt for her whole family. Only God can make them whole.
This was a really good story of two siblings separated and finding each other as adults. I can't wait to read the second book.
"No one knows the time of parting. The hours, or the days, those are God's to give. We are not to know. Just to live, and give thanks to Him our maker. To make good what we have."
It's really hard to read a book where absolutely nothing good happens for the first 200 pages. It sucks the happiness right out of you. I guess that is life for some people, but it's still hard to read about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Kyle was born when he mother believed she was a war widow, and so given up for adoption to a wealthy family. During the years of her austere upbringing she learned many things which freed her, including the love of her Saviour.
This had a very different feel to the Janette Oke books she wrote by herself. I prefer her other books, but I still want to read the sequel to this one. I found myself crying a few times, so I think the authors have done a good job of making us know and understand the characters.
Lots of twists and turns in this story about adoption and the effects on families. Very well written, and it is great to see the name of Jesus in a Christian novel!