The Coming Storm

Heirs of Montana #2

by Tracie Peterson

From her own Montana home, Tracie Peterson continues this unforgettable portrait of a rich, rugged landscape populated by strong and spirited characters in the Heirs of Montana series. 1870 Montana ranching proves to be a hard life for Dianne Chadwick. Her fiance, Cole Selby, has yet to return from his journey east. Unbeknownst to her, he has been captured by Indians, and Takes-Many-Horses, who also loves Dianne, must decide whether or not to let him live. When her uncle is attacked by a grizzly, Dianne is left to care for his family and manage the ranch. Can she hold on to her faith and ride out the storm?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Romance, Fiction, Historical, Christian Historical Fiction

398 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Tracie Peterson is a bestselling author who writes in both historical and contemporary genres. Her novels reveal her love for research as well as her strong desire to develop emotionally meaningful characters and stories for her readers. Tracie and her family live in Montana.

pen name: Janelle Jamison

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book of Tracie Peterson's Heirs of Montana series was a reasonably well written Christian historical romance novel with good character development. As was the case with the first novel, I found several things that bothered me in this book. First of all, I disagreed with some of the theology the author implied or displayed again, and then, I didn't enjoy how sad the plot was overall. Also, there were a lot of time jumps throughout the story, which really annoyed me. But I think that the ongoing unrequited love situation irritated me the most. However, despite these issues, I did like the novel and am glad that I finally decided to read the rest of this series.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great second book of the series. I read it in 2 days. With the "cliff hangers" at the end of the chapters, it always left me wanting to read a little bit more to see how they were resolved. Author does a great job with details so I felt like I was actually living the pioneer life. I don't know how I would have survived. I love my modern conveniences - flush toilets, washer and dryer, ability to shower every day, my car, etc. Love reading about this era but certainly don't want to live it.

[Stacey Head · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly an amazing story

When I first opened the first book, I wasn't sure I'd dive into this series the way I've done others. However, I find myself sucked into the series and having to resist spending all my money on books. That is truly the sign of an amazing book.

[Shelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This whole series is good. About love and the necessity to wait on God and to trust Him even when it's not easy and nothing makes sense.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was it a land of milk and honey, and beauty and peace or was it the constant fear of a coming storm? Young Dianne's dreams for a beautiful life in the Montana hills didn't always seem like a dream come true. She endured many hardships with loss of family on the journey, and the potential loss of all the hopes she started off with as she travelled and lived in the late 1800's. As you read this book, you will experience the disturbance of the indigenous people across the plains of American who were forced into reservations, the freedom and difficulty of starting a new life for slaves who had finally been released, and pioneers who were enticed by gold or rich farming and ranching in the beauty of Montana and the Carolinas. It was not an easy life for anyone, but this fictional story provides some good and interesting history of the era, with fear, perserverance, friendship and romance.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the first one and 2nd!❤️❤️

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the setting, characters and Christian values. Excellent series!

[Lizzy Bueckert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second book just as much as the first of not more!

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than the first one. The story and characters drew me in a lot more. I felt the writing was better too, although I'm still not a huge fan.

I thought it a little strange that in the middle of the book Portia had her own POV and then after a few chapters, she and Ned disappear from the scene. I know she comes back in another book, but it still was a little odd. Sometimes I wished the author wouldn't try to involve so many characters into her story....I didn't feel like I could really get to know many of them. Having a series helps though, I suppose.

I really felt for George, Koko's brother. This book spans a lot of time just like the first one, but it didn't bother me quite as much as the first. There is a lot of involvement with Indian disturbance and it was all fascinating. There aren't as many deaths in this one, which I was relieved about (everyone died in the last one....well, not quite :)).

One thing I appreciate about this series is that there hasn't been anything inappropriate and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the series to mid-teens, although all the deaths are a little heart-wrenching.

[Paula-O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series Heirs of Montana, book #2 "The Coming Storm" by Tracie Peterson


I have not read any of this series but found books 2&4 at a thrift shoppe and love to read this author, therefore I can tell you the characters are strong and good people that I loved reading their story.
Montana in a beautiful place, this story was written in period of 1800's.
Many were settling and making their ranches to grow.
Bram had married an Indian woman and he had hoped to build a mansion of a home for them . His neice Dianne lived with them and he could see that she loved the land as much as he did.
He talked with her about leaving the land to her because Indians could not own land. Dianne promised that his family would always be welcome to live there.
you will enjoy reading this story and meeting so many people that all loved one another and helped one another.

[Kathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well now I will be reading #3 in this series...I got wrapped up in all the problems of that time and place. We have soft lives I fear. It seemed so hard to read of families that heard from each other once or twice a year if they were lucky. It seems that the young people grew up FAST in a very different way than young people today. Character and perseverance were developed for sure. I found reading about the life style of the time to be fascinating and the depth of prejudice made today's world easier to understand. What a strong woman of faith. I wonder how I would have fared in such times. I recommend this series even tho some may find parts wordy, I found it moving and descriptive.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book, although I was considering not continuing with the series. Everything seemed pretty well tied up at the end of this one.

I did like how the book made me desire to look more into the history of the Indian wars and circumstances. I really hadn't put much thought into the prejudices people had against Indians.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this series and can't wait for the next book. I love reading books in this genre and learning history in a way I never cared to in school. with such talented authors, such as this one, I lose myself in the rich detail and find myself struggling and celebrating right along with the characters.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of books about frontier Montana with a Christian Fiction perspective. I love the stories & the characters. The books are insightful & make you want to keep reading more. This is the second in the series. The first book Land of my Heart was free for Amazon Kindle. Enjoyable clean reading.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big Thumbs Up!

Oh my! I did not want to put this book down. I felt like I was living it. Traci Peterson has a way of drawing you into the story and making you feel that it's your life. I shed tears just as the family did when Bram died and so much joy when Lucas was born. Cannot wait to start the next part of their journey.

[LOLITA M FRENCH · Rating 5 out of 5]

2 down, 2 more that I can't wait to read

I am truly enjoying this series. What a blessing.

It takes me through a time when things were hard, but the love between family and friends with God in the midst of the relationship is priceless.

[Viola D. Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!!!

I just finished the "Hearts of Montana" series & what a blessing it has been! Lots of thought provoking scripture, faith enhancing, wonderful writing. Tracie....you are a wonderful gift from God.

[sandy cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series!

Ms Peterson as usual has written a well planned book. It grabs hold of you and you do not want to put this book down wanting to know what the next step is in the storyline. I highly recommend this book, but read them in order to keep the storyline straight.

[Margaret Fraleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book #2 of the series Heirs of Montana. It is so good. I can't wait to order book #3
and get started.

The characters are so real, I love the history interwoven in the story.

Recommended to all.

[Joyce Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought new maturity to our characters in the story. There are several years for this family.

I enjoy the way the thoughts and feelings of the folks are there to give you a deeper meanings to what they are made of. I'm looking forward to the next book.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Had to read the entire series.

[Lorrine Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book.

[Lynne Scholfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book

I am not used to western s but this is a well written story. I liked characters the are good
.

[ANNETTE · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a lot of twist -n- turns and for the 2nd book in the series it seems to be very interesting . This book I could re-read and enjoy .

[Kirsten Scher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the whole series

[Hanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

One day I will stop reading Tracie Peterson novels. But alas, I still enjoy self-punishment, apparently. This book met my expectations; thankfully, it wasn't worse (I think).

Setting: Begins in Montana Territory, January 1870. Sometime in the middle it skips to December 1875 (because we need more babies). Various cities, states, and other places are mentioned and visited. They would likely be more meaningful if a map was included at the beginning of the book. On one hand, the setting is very well incorporated in the book, as Indian wars, the Civil War, western expansion, and other aspects of life are mentioned and drive all the conflict (I hesitate to say plot). On the other hand, the culture of the Indians isn't shown at all. The Indians' religion (that is, truly, heathen)? Nope. Their beliefs? Nope. Much sympathy is shown to the Indians, by the main characters, but it comes from a modern perspective. However wrong, there was a reason people viewed Indians as heathens--but that reason wasn't shown at all, and modern views abounded in nearly all the characters through their awkward, rambling, and unnecessary dialogue.

Characters: I don't care about them. Any of them. I blame most of it on the dialogue. Dianne had a bit of a distinct character (the spitfire, take-charge type, which, incidentally, is the type that bugs me--but here it was actually a breath of fresh air). Takes Many Horses was terrible with his unrealism. Bram was Mr. Perfect with an added dose of unrealism. Koko basically had no personality. Gus was a fine minor character. Did Levi have a part in the story? Gotta love it when characters completely disappear by the time the book is over. Trenton elicited no sympathy from me, and Ned and Portia--did I mention characters which have no part in the story irritate me?

Oh, and don't get me started on Dr. Bufford. One character who actually had a semblance of a character arc ... well, that was one poorly constructed arc. I like gruff men, sure, but I'd prefer that said gruff men wouldn't collapse into vulnerable sentimentality with no warning or lead-up.

Plot: There was none, unless the book's real title was "Random events and unrelated modern-sounding conversations in Montana Territory after the Civil War." Like characters, plots just came and went like the wind. Natural, physical consequences were rare. Does Levi want to pursue Dianne? Not seriously. Does Diannie struggle to run a ranch without a husband? Aw, that's okay. Cole will come back and there's still over a hundred pages left in the book. Is Dr. Bufford a mean man who needs his heart softened? Well, he'll disappear for most of the book and then come back when necessary. Did Dianne's brothers break the law? Sure they did. Was there any justice meted out (or mercy, when appropriate)? Nope. Did Faith suffer numerous miscarriages? Yeah, it was terrible. But when she carries a successful pregnancy to term, well, that's notable in passing--it's not like there was a possibility that she couldn't bear children. I could go on.

Faith Content: I believe this book could be labeled "Preachy." And, I would add, "modern" preachy as well. Like the plot itself, there was no main spiritual theme that was driven home. There were about a hundred spiritual conversations that began and ended with just words. Even with a certain conversion in the book, the character basically acted the same way before and after. Before: he was extremely honorable (more honorable than most Christians) with strong beliefs. After: he was still honorable, and still acting on his strong beliefs. Yay. What a character arc that I can see was impacted by Christ.

Recommended for readers who enjoy extended speculation on an unborn baby's gender, and all the name possibilities the parents are considering (including middle names).

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Coming Storm plays out very well. There are a lot of storylines about patience and trusting in God's provision. Dianne is thriving on the ranch in Montana and looking to make steps toward the future. Once again, this book never gives its characters a break. There are a lot of sad and deeply moving moments. The community they create on the ranch is beautiful. The romance is more distant this time because of the plot, but I am glad it resolved the way it did because I didn't know if I could take another book of that storyline not completing. Dianne and Cole are wonderful characters to spend time with. I'm not entirely sure what the entire purpose was with the Portia point of view. I understand her connection to Trenton, and I'm thinking she may come into play in the future in order to help us understand why she was so included in this story. There are leaps in time during this book making the end situation very different from the beginning. They flow well, however, and add a lot to the progression of the story. I am interested to see what happens in the future with Dianne being so settled. I'm hoping we will see others more settled, like Trenton, Zane, and Morgan. Either way, I'm excited to see what happens next on the Diamond V Ranch.

[Sarah Huntting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like I said of the previous book— good story, writing needs work. Some wonky sentence structures. Unnecessary filler words everywhere. Constantly tells you whats happening instead of showing you. Characters use some high vocabulary, such as Dianne using the word “vacillates— a ranch girl who didn’t finish school and didn’t enjoy reading until later in the book.

Now, weird aspects of the story:
1. Didn’t love the four year time jump.
2. Trenton becoming a Christian was just skipped over like it was nothing. Felt like there could have been more build up
3. Takes Many Horses AND Levi are both in love with Dianne? Feels like a little too much drama
4. Everyone just decided without too much build up that they were going to operate like one big family— Charity, Koko, Faith, and Dianne. I’d like to see them earning the titles of sisters a bit more through the story. More work to overcome differences
5. Unrealistic dialogue. All over.

But I loved Cole’s story, and how Dianne grew as a character. I love the Christian elements, the historical elements, and how this author isn’t afraid to put her characters through hardship to grow.

[Maryk Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Book #2 of #4 in the set... it was a little bit slow to start on the First Book in the series but I tell you, once you are into it you just won’t be able to get anything done because you don’t want to put the book down.
After a tragedy for the family which takes place in book one, the main character makes decisions for her family even though she is not yet of age. She sets off on an adventure to meet up with her betrothed whom she hasn’t seen for quite a while.
This is a must read... but don’t start this book until you have read #1 in this series.... and trust me on this, you will want to purchase all 4 at the same time.....



Tracie Peterson

[Diana C. Kobylak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Christian novel about a family in the 1800’s that consist of diverse backgrounds. Diane, the protagonist awaits Cole, her fiancé’s return after he spends a year making things right with his parents.
He is delayed because the wagon trains are attacked by Indians and most are massacred. Cole has two arrows pierce his chest. He is captured by them and treasured. He escaped and is captured by a different tribe. Trent, Diane’s brother makes it back to her after 7 years apart. But not before he has to endure a money hungry woman lure his friend into marriage despite Trent’s pleas against it. Diane’s aunt is half Indian. Her brother and his friends pay a visit, but they have caught smallpox leading Diane and her aunt into quarantine.
There is resolution but the families grapple with death. In his sickness, Coco’s brother accepts Christ.