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Big Sky Dreams #1
Cassidy
Token Creek, Montana Territory — 1880
Cassidy Norton is a fine seamstress who makes her living sewing for others. Amid the bustle of a busy frontier town, her life is rich. What time her business doesn’t take, her friends and church family fill. But Cassidy hasn't always lived in Token Creek, and few people know her full story. So she struggles with a nagging unsettledness in her heart.
Cassidy's friend Meg is married to a rancher and has a baby, something Cassidy wants for herself. But that would mean revealing the details of her life. Will Cassidy find the strength to take that risk?
Cassidy Norton is a fine seamstress who makes her living sewing for others. Amid the bustle of a busy frontier town, her life is rich. What time her business doesn’t take, her friends and church family fill. But Cassidy hasn't always lived in Token Creek, and few people know her full story. So she struggles with a nagging unsettledness in her heart.
Cassidy's friend Meg is married to a rancher and has a baby, something Cassidy wants for herself. But that would mean revealing the details of her life. Will Cassidy find the strength to take that risk?
302 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
106 people are currently reading
1210 people want to read
About the author
Lori Wick
101 books1,632 followersFROM THE PUBLISHER:
Lori Wick is known as one of the most versatile Christian fiction writers on the market today. From pioneer fiction to a series set in Victorian England to a contemporary novel, Lori's books (over 5 million in print) continue to delight readers and top the Christian bestselling fiction list. Lori and her husband, Bob, live in Wisconsin with "the three coolest kids in the world."
Lori Wick is known as one of the most versatile Christian fiction writers on the market today. From pioneer fiction to a series set in Victorian England to a contemporary novel, Lori's books (over 5 million in print) continue to delight readers and top the Christian bestselling fiction list. Lori and her husband, Bob, live in Wisconsin with "the three coolest kids in the world."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
February 17, 2012
It’s been a while since I’ve read any of Lori Wick’s books, although I love The Princess and Bamboo and Lace, just to name two. I’ve seen this series on library bookshelves for a while and just never felt like picking it up. Until last Sunday. And then I read it in one day.
Cassidy, is an independent young lady who is making her way in life as the owner of Token Creek Apparel in Montana Territory, 1880. She is a wonderful seamstress, has a great head for business, and does her best to please her customers – even when they are cranky and demanding.
Once a week Cassidy goes to visit her best friend Meg, a rancher’s wife, to socialize and sew baby items. Meg and her husband are expecting their first little one in a few months and are worried about the safety of both mother and child. Their fear isn’t without reason since lots of women died in childbirth back then, but I thought the fear wasn’t very well explained given how much they worried about it. It also made me wonder which way the story would go.
Meg, Brad, and Brad’s brother Trace, who lives with them, are like sister and brothers to Cassidy. Not much is said about Cassidy’s family and past, since she has only shared her story with two people – Meg and Pastor Rylan. But when someone from her past shows up in town, her world is shaken and life in Token Creek won’t ever be the same.
I liked Cassidy, both the book and the woman. Lori Wick does a great job of drawing you into the lives of all the characters, not just the ones I mention above – those are some of the main people, but all the supporting characters are well done. Sometimes when an author includes sermons or Bible verses it comes off stilted, not here. They are a part of the story and help you understand the decisions Cassidy and others make. There is some kissing – mostly between married couples, and it’s implied that the couples enjoy each other behind the bedroom door.
If you like clean Christian, historical fiction set in the western frontier in the 1800s or any of Lori Wick’s other works then you’ll probably enjoy this one.
http://rinasreading.blogspot.com/2012...
Cassidy, is an independent young lady who is making her way in life as the owner of Token Creek Apparel in Montana Territory, 1880. She is a wonderful seamstress, has a great head for business, and does her best to please her customers – even when they are cranky and demanding.
Once a week Cassidy goes to visit her best friend Meg, a rancher’s wife, to socialize and sew baby items. Meg and her husband are expecting their first little one in a few months and are worried about the safety of both mother and child. Their fear isn’t without reason since lots of women died in childbirth back then, but I thought the fear wasn’t very well explained given how much they worried about it. It also made me wonder which way the story would go.
Meg, Brad, and Brad’s brother Trace, who lives with them, are like sister and brothers to Cassidy. Not much is said about Cassidy’s family and past, since she has only shared her story with two people – Meg and Pastor Rylan. But when someone from her past shows up in town, her world is shaken and life in Token Creek won’t ever be the same.
I liked Cassidy, both the book and the woman. Lori Wick does a great job of drawing you into the lives of all the characters, not just the ones I mention above – those are some of the main people, but all the supporting characters are well done. Sometimes when an author includes sermons or Bible verses it comes off stilted, not here. They are a part of the story and help you understand the decisions Cassidy and others make. There is some kissing – mostly between married couples, and it’s implied that the couples enjoy each other behind the bedroom door.
If you like clean Christian, historical fiction set in the western frontier in the 1800s or any of Lori Wick’s other works then you’ll probably enjoy this one.
http://rinasreading.blogspot.com/2012...
February 5, 2017
This book was not very good. The storyline was extremely slow and was so bad that the book appeared to have little to no plot. The characters were blah, and I couldn't really read it because the POV was terrible. The story swapped heads so many times in such confusing ways that I couldn't even finish it. I was surprised because I have heard such good things of Lori Wick. I will have to read something else by her, but this one fell short.
July 24, 2018
This book described in one word: dry. Now let's get to the specifics.
Characters: The main problem with them was that they weren't developed enough. (That was the fault of the other aspects--to be mentioned) Trace was fine. Rylan was pretty good. Cassidy could have had a unique and endearing personality, had it been actually shown more, and not told. I actually really liked Abi's storyline, but I sure had a lot of questions regarding her past, and even present. She didn't seem to be married, or have any family at all. But what does she do to earn a living? Writing a book that's not giving you any money yet? C'mon, this is 1880 Montana. If you're living out west, there's got to be a reason for it. You don't just live somewhere, without any means of support.
Anyway, about the other characters ... well, there were Brad and Meg. They were a pretty good supporting couple. They focused on some of the weirdest things sometimes, (like maybe you shouldn't try to discipline a two-month-old) but overall, they were nice. I was honestly disappointed how Brad and Trace's mother's story ended. It just kind of disappeared into nothingness. It wasn't even addressed with hope at the end. When I finished the book, I even forgot about the whole problem. Jeanette was a nice woman; she may have been the most developed character, although her character is not the type to stick in one's mind. I liked Chandler, too, and was disappointed with the way his story ended.
Even the villain fell flat. He could have been a fine bad guy, I suppose, but his sinisterness ... just didn't come across to me. I think, though, that this flatness, and all of the characters' flatness, can be blamed on the writing style. Speaking of which ...
Writing Style: The writing in this book had a little bit of everything--info-dumping, head-hopping, stilted writing, way (and I mean WAY) too much dialogue ... nothing was described in detail, though. To me, the writing was boring, dry, slow, and uninformative. It didn't drag me in at all; I felt no suspense, and was not connected emotionally to any character. The attempt to keep Cassidy's past hidden didn't make me care. There weren't enough hints to make me wonder.
Much of the dialogue--scratch that, most of the dialogue--was completely unnecessary. Half, it seemed, of what the characters said was "How are you?" and other boring pleasantries that go nowhere. Some of their speech also seemed inaccurate for the time period. Then there were the sermons and Bible studies ... *cue sighs* I'm happy to see the characters deepen their faith and learn more about God. I really am. But when it really doesn't have anything to do with the plot, and you don't see the characters' new knowledge in action, I don't see the point. Put a sermon in when it causes a profound change in someone's life, not when all it does is lead to more unnecessary dialogue among the congregation.
I could probably say more about the writing, but that's probably sufficient. And I can't remember anything more specific, anyway.
Plot: It could have been good, had the writing conveyed the seriousness of it. Part of the problem, I think, was that Cassidy wasn't really concerned. Therefore, I didn't think I should worry over it, either. Plus, I was a little confused as to why Cassidy wouldn't go to the sheriff. If Edson was really doing illegal things (it was told to me, but I didn't actually see anything illegal happen, save for the attempted murder), then maybe Cassidy should have reported it. But no, she'll just let Edson leave, and go to another unsuspecting town. Go bother someone else, why don't you?
So there was that aspect of the plot. Then there was the romance. I'm not sure if there was a romance I cared about less. Through all that unnecessary dialogue, I couldn't tell if they were in love, or just friendly. Chandler and Trace thought Cassidy might have had feelings for them ... well, I couldn't have told them. Maybe that was the point. But that's not a good idea, because I don't see any romance development. Suddenly, they're smiling at each other like they've been doing it all along. It's a step above insta-love, but I wouldn't have known it existed, if I hadn't been told. But I was told. Again and again. (There's something I forgot in the writing paragraph--so much telling, barely any showing)
Setting: The setting practically wasn't there at all, save for the back of the book. It had to tell me it was set in Montana, 1880, because if not? I wouldn't have a clue. The town, scenery, etc. wasn't described at all. The characters' speech didn't have even a hint of western accent. (As I said, there were a few times where they didn't quite speak 1880-style words) And I don't think the characters' quite knew how to court 1880-style, either. Let's just talk and talk, but nothing really important regarding marriage. We just know that we need to get married, we don't need to clarify anything. *cue more sighing* Nothing, absolutely nothing, was developed!
If I was anyone else, this would have been a DNF. I did want to know, though, if the ending would make some things more interesting. No. But that ever-important epilogue--we gotta have that. How could the story end if we didn't know that Cassidy is probably pregnant, because guess what? People had babies back then.
Anyway, I was supposed to be wrapping up this review. I don't recommend this book to anyone. I'm not even sure if I want to read the other books in this series, even though my sister says the one book is better. It was just so dry ...
Characters: The main problem with them was that they weren't developed enough. (That was the fault of the other aspects--to be mentioned) Trace was fine. Rylan was pretty good. Cassidy could have had a unique and endearing personality, had it been actually shown more, and not told. I actually really liked Abi's storyline, but I sure had a lot of questions regarding her past, and even present. She didn't seem to be married, or have any family at all. But what does she do to earn a living? Writing a book that's not giving you any money yet? C'mon, this is 1880 Montana. If you're living out west, there's got to be a reason for it. You don't just live somewhere, without any means of support.
Anyway, about the other characters ... well, there were Brad and Meg. They were a pretty good supporting couple. They focused on some of the weirdest things sometimes, (like maybe you shouldn't try to discipline a two-month-old) but overall, they were nice. I was honestly disappointed how Brad and Trace's mother's story ended. It just kind of disappeared into nothingness. It wasn't even addressed with hope at the end. When I finished the book, I even forgot about the whole problem. Jeanette was a nice woman; she may have been the most developed character, although her character is not the type to stick in one's mind. I liked Chandler, too, and was disappointed with the way his story ended.
Even the villain fell flat. He could have been a fine bad guy, I suppose, but his sinisterness ... just didn't come across to me. I think, though, that this flatness, and all of the characters' flatness, can be blamed on the writing style. Speaking of which ...
Writing Style: The writing in this book had a little bit of everything--info-dumping, head-hopping, stilted writing, way (and I mean WAY) too much dialogue ... nothing was described in detail, though. To me, the writing was boring, dry, slow, and uninformative. It didn't drag me in at all; I felt no suspense, and was not connected emotionally to any character. The attempt to keep Cassidy's past hidden didn't make me care. There weren't enough hints to make me wonder.
Much of the dialogue--scratch that, most of the dialogue--was completely unnecessary. Half, it seemed, of what the characters said was "How are you?" and other boring pleasantries that go nowhere. Some of their speech also seemed inaccurate for the time period. Then there were the sermons and Bible studies ... *cue sighs* I'm happy to see the characters deepen their faith and learn more about God. I really am. But when it really doesn't have anything to do with the plot, and you don't see the characters' new knowledge in action, I don't see the point. Put a sermon in when it causes a profound change in someone's life, not when all it does is lead to more unnecessary dialogue among the congregation.
I could probably say more about the writing, but that's probably sufficient. And I can't remember anything more specific, anyway.
Plot: It could have been good, had the writing conveyed the seriousness of it. Part of the problem, I think, was that Cassidy wasn't really concerned. Therefore, I didn't think I should worry over it, either. Plus, I was a little confused as to why Cassidy wouldn't go to the sheriff. If Edson was really doing illegal things (it was told to me, but I didn't actually see anything illegal happen, save for the attempted murder), then maybe Cassidy should have reported it. But no, she'll just let Edson leave, and go to another unsuspecting town. Go bother someone else, why don't you?
So there was that aspect of the plot. Then there was the romance. I'm not sure if there was a romance I cared about less. Through all that unnecessary dialogue, I couldn't tell if they were in love, or just friendly. Chandler and Trace thought Cassidy might have had feelings for them ... well, I couldn't have told them. Maybe that was the point. But that's not a good idea, because I don't see any romance development. Suddenly, they're smiling at each other like they've been doing it all along. It's a step above insta-love, but I wouldn't have known it existed, if I hadn't been told. But I was told. Again and again. (There's something I forgot in the writing paragraph--so much telling, barely any showing)
Setting: The setting practically wasn't there at all, save for the back of the book. It had to tell me it was set in Montana, 1880, because if not? I wouldn't have a clue. The town, scenery, etc. wasn't described at all. The characters' speech didn't have even a hint of western accent. (As I said, there were a few times where they didn't quite speak 1880-style words) And I don't think the characters' quite knew how to court 1880-style, either. Let's just talk and talk, but nothing really important regarding marriage. We just know that we need to get married, we don't need to clarify anything. *cue more sighing* Nothing, absolutely nothing, was developed!
If I was anyone else, this would have been a DNF. I did want to know, though, if the ending would make some things more interesting. No. But that ever-important epilogue--we gotta have that. How could the story end if we didn't know that Cassidy is probably pregnant, because guess what? People had babies back then.
Anyway, I was supposed to be wrapping up this review. I don't recommend this book to anyone. I'm not even sure if I want to read the other books in this series, even though my sister says the one book is better. It was just so dry ...
June 8, 2011
Page 43 Talking about hungering after righteousness: "A sated man doesn't seek. He's no longer hungry. He's satisfied and not willing to search. But a starved man will eat [anything]. He's seeking he's hungry. Have you ever noticed how fragile spiritual hunger is? One little delight and we're good for a while. We don't stay hungry for long." "[Many verses in the scriptures] are talking about real hunger--craving, pursuing, seeking. Empty-belly hunger. That's the kind of hunger God is looking for. Content in Him certainly. Content in who He is, and in the way He provides for our every need, but not satisfied. Not feeling so full that we no longer crave the knowledge and presence of God."
Page 135 "'What am I doing?' as [he] opened his mouth and then covered his mouth with his hand." Many said yawning & others said gasping. "'Isn't it interesting how the same action can look like two very different things? If I'm yawning, you're going to rightly assume that I'm tired or bored. Watching me might even make you feel tired. It's contagious. However, if I'm gasping you're going to get a little excited yourself and want to know what's going on. You won't be the least bit bored and tired. You're going to want to know what I'm excited about. It will be just as contagious. What was your latest response to God's word? A gasp or a yawn? Have you begun to yawn when [you hear someone talk about the gospel]? A gasp or a yawn, we choose, don't we?"
Page 135 "'What am I doing?' as [he] opened his mouth and then covered his mouth with his hand." Many said yawning & others said gasping. "'Isn't it interesting how the same action can look like two very different things? If I'm yawning, you're going to rightly assume that I'm tired or bored. Watching me might even make you feel tired. It's contagious. However, if I'm gasping you're going to get a little excited yourself and want to know what's going on. You won't be the least bit bored and tired. You're going to want to know what I'm excited about. It will be just as contagious. What was your latest response to God's word? A gasp or a yawn? Have you begun to yawn when [you hear someone talk about the gospel]? A gasp or a yawn, we choose, don't we?"
June 9, 2017
I'm a big fan of Lori Wick. I own and have read and reread many of her books. But this one disappointed me. It was choppy and hard to connect with any of the characters because it jumped around so often. Sloooooow and so meticulous on so many details I really didn't care about and not enough on the stuff I did. I think I'll go back to "Pretense," or "Hawk and the Jewel," to renew my admiration for Lori Wick.
February 17, 2019
I loved the storyline, ideas, and the characters, but this book fell a little short on executing it. Mrs. Wick is a wonderful writer and I look forward to the rest of the series, but at times the plot lagged and much of the book was focused on Cassidy's interaction with the town people. While this is good in a small amount, it was overdone in the novel. Even the romance was dull, and while I shipped the two characters, they had few scenes in which there was much romance.
Overall I really enjoyed it.
Overall I really enjoyed it.
September 25, 2022
I'm really partial to books by Lori Wick. I enjoyed the plot. I've read it in regular print before, but large print was the only version available at this time. Lori Wick's writing style is very fluid and easy to read. I have a harder time with large print myself, but someone with vision issues would appreciate it. The action in this book does continue up until the very end.
January 12, 2013
Lori Wick is a writer of Christian romance, but this book disappoints on many levels.
First, it is very boring. The book is little more than a series of polite conversations between the residents of a small Old West town called Token Creek. Second, there is no plot worth speaking of. There is no drama. The author attempts to add a “deep dark secret” that Cassidy, the heroine is hiding from the townsfolk, but it is anticlimactic to say the least. Third, the book suffers from having too many characters. Every conversation between every other minor character (Mrs. Hibbard, a customer of Cassidy’s) and the main protagonists is written out. This is deadly dull for a romance, or for any other type of book, for that matter. Are we as readers meant to care for these people?
Another reviewer described the book as reading “a really bad sitcom that is going to be cancelled.” This book doesn’t even rise to that level; sitcoms have some element of humor; this book has none. A potentially funny situation would involve the romantic triangle between cowboy Trace, banker Chandler, and seamstress Cassidy. But the author doesn’t do anything with these characters. They simply exist, and she expects us to care. Not going to happen anytime soon.
Speaking of too many characters, Cassidy also converses casually with the minister Rylan, and a few other minor single male characters. For a few chapters, this reads like “The Bachelorette: Old West Edition.” And I hate that show. Wick is a decent writer, but this is far from her best effort.
First, it is very boring. The book is little more than a series of polite conversations between the residents of a small Old West town called Token Creek. Second, there is no plot worth speaking of. There is no drama. The author attempts to add a “deep dark secret” that Cassidy, the heroine is hiding from the townsfolk, but it is anticlimactic to say the least. Third, the book suffers from having too many characters. Every conversation between every other minor character (Mrs. Hibbard, a customer of Cassidy’s) and the main protagonists is written out. This is deadly dull for a romance, or for any other type of book, for that matter. Are we as readers meant to care for these people?
Another reviewer described the book as reading “a really bad sitcom that is going to be cancelled.” This book doesn’t even rise to that level; sitcoms have some element of humor; this book has none. A potentially funny situation would involve the romantic triangle between cowboy Trace, banker Chandler, and seamstress Cassidy. But the author doesn’t do anything with these characters. They simply exist, and she expects us to care. Not going to happen anytime soon.
Speaking of too many characters, Cassidy also converses casually with the minister Rylan, and a few other minor single male characters. For a few chapters, this reads like “The Bachelorette: Old West Edition.” And I hate that show. Wick is a decent writer, but this is far from her best effort.
September 24, 2008
The overall story of Cassidy was very romantic and contained some good action and suspense and I liked it. I did not like it as much as some other Lori Wick books I have read however. There was an awkwardness in the writing that I did not understand, every so often it would say "that lady" instead of "she" and it always made me stop and pause losing where I was because it stood out so much. I do look forward to reading Sabrina soon.
March 9, 2020
This was book was fine. There were a lot of characters; some characters I felt I should know, but never really got to know even though they were given names and a few lines of background. I guess they were there to flesh out the small town a bit. There were times the writing felt as though I was getting a summary of feelings, actions, or conversations rather witnessing it unfold on the pages. Overall, I enjoyed the read.
June 13, 2017
Very good, kept you wanting to read more
September 26, 2022
Quick read but nothing too impressive - little Western romance.
October 19, 2015
Rating: 5.5/10
It was a lovely story and I really enjoyed getting to know Cassidy. I loved that I was a little unsure who she would end up with but eventually it is obvious. I wouldn't say it is Lori Wick's best work but it did its duty of being an enjoyable story to listen to.
The Questions:
Entertaining/Addictive?: It was an enjoyable audio book to listen to
Writing Style?: Sometimes it was a little too cheesy as I fake gagged in the 'oh love is so perfect' moments. It also moved around to focus on different characters within a chapter which at first I found confusing but I got used to easily.
Impacting/Thought Provoking?: I loved listening to the sermons and the character's faith in works
Clean?: Yes
Read it again?: Nah
Would I Recommend it: Not the best Christian fiction out there but it was good enough for my audio book needs
It was a lovely story and I really enjoyed getting to know Cassidy. I loved that I was a little unsure who she would end up with but eventually it is obvious. I wouldn't say it is Lori Wick's best work but it did its duty of being an enjoyable story to listen to.
The Questions:
Entertaining/Addictive?: It was an enjoyable audio book to listen to
Writing Style?: Sometimes it was a little too cheesy as I fake gagged in the 'oh love is so perfect' moments. It also moved around to focus on different characters within a chapter which at first I found confusing but I got used to easily.
Impacting/Thought Provoking?: I loved listening to the sermons and the character's faith in works
Clean?: Yes
Read it again?: Nah
Would I Recommend it: Not the best Christian fiction out there but it was good enough for my audio book needs
March 24, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even if there wasn't a lot of "action" in the beginning. You learned a lot about the characters of the book during this time which has a lot to with the end of the plot. I am also used to Lori's writing style which made it a lot easier for me to read the book. There could have been more interaction between Cassidy and her brother though. I think this would have helped the view on her brother. We also didn't know much about Cassidy's childhood other than a few minor details, I think a few more memories of her and her brother growing up would have helped class their relationship better.
June 12, 2021
Oh, how I enjoyed this. I liked the aspect of the dress shop and reading about all the clothing that was made. I just loved Trace and Cassidy’s relationship. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened between them. I’m so ready to read the next book in the series! I also liked how the church family connected and their relationship! I found it so cool.
I really have nothing bad to say about this book. It was clean and I loved it! I would recommend this to young and old readers!
4/5 stars
I really have nothing bad to say about this book. It was clean and I loved it! I would recommend this to young and old readers!
4/5 stars
January 23, 2016
CASSIDY is an enjoyable book that follows the life of a smalltown seamstress and the people of Token Creek. With her growing business, friends, and church family, she feels her life is full. Though she's had a difficult past, and few people know about her family, she feels richly blessed.
I enjoyed CASSIDY, even though much of the story was predictable. But once in a while, it's nice to read a book that has a relaxed pace to it.
I enjoyed CASSIDY, even though much of the story was predictable. But once in a while, it's nice to read a book that has a relaxed pace to it.
March 27, 2024
I liked this book. I thought it was a good story and I liked all of the characters. I thought that Cassidy and Trace were very good together.
I did think that this book had a fundamental flaw though. I've noticed in some older CF books that conversions come very quickly after a "sermon" from another character. Maybe some people like that, but I just don't care for it and I don't find it realistic.
Overall I did enjoy the story and I will be reading the next book in the series. 😊
I did think that this book had a fundamental flaw though. I've noticed in some older CF books that conversions come very quickly after a "sermon" from another character. Maybe some people like that, but I just don't care for it and I don't find it realistic.
Overall I did enjoy the story and I will be reading the next book in the series. 😊
March 3, 2009
I enjoyed this easy, light read. It was a cute pioneer story taking place in the 1880s. It is by a Christian author, so be prepared for a lot of bible references and characters strongly influenced by their faith. It's always good to read a book you know will be clean, and even inspiring. This is book one in a series.
July 28, 2023
I usually love Lori Wick's books, but this one was subpar to me. The amount of times she wrote "that lady" was annoying to me. I also had a hard time with the characters falling in love, since it apparently happened before the book even started and then they finally discovered it. It felt too rushed in my opinion.
March 18, 2016
A fun little historical romance/drama.
December 25, 2016
really enjoyed this one and have no idea why it took me so long to pick it up (has been on my TBR since 2008). Need to read the rest of the series now.
October 10, 2025
I really had no expectations for this book and it was so good! The focus on friendship before romance with the touch of mystery was incredible!
January 21, 2019
I have read a few Lori Wick books and what I remember is that she weaves scripture throughout her books.
This is the First book in The Big Sky Dreams trilogy. This series is set in the 1880s in Token Creek, Montana. Lori Wick has given you scripture through messages the Pastor (Rylan Jarvick) preaches to his congregation. In my opinion, the messages are not an 'in your face' kind of gospel, but a reminder of how a Christian should live.
God spoke to me through this book.
The following are two examples from the book where God spoke to me;
First, Pastor Rylan preaching - "A sated man doesn't seek. He's no longer hungry. He's satisfied and not willing to search. But a starved man will eat burnt toast. He's seeking he's hungry. Have you ever noticed how fragile spiritual hunger is? One little delight and we're good for a while. We don't stay hungry for long." "These verses [Proverbs 27:7 & Matthew 6:33] are talking about real hunger--craving, pursuing, seeking. Empty-belly hunger. That's the kind of hunger God is looking for. Content in Him certainly. Content in who He is, and in the way He provides for our every need, but not satisfied. Not feeling so full that we no longer crave the knowledge and presence of God (pg 67 in my version)."
Second, Pastor Rylan preaching (another time) - "'What am I doing?' as [Pastor Rylan] opened his mouth and then covered his mouth with his hand." Some said yawning, getting sick, being surprised, or gasping. "Isn't it interesting how the same action can look like two very different things? If I'm yawning, you're going to rightly assume that I'm tired or bored. Watching me might even make you feel tired. It's contagious. However, if I'm gasping you're going to get a little excited yourself and want to know what's going on. You won't be the least bit bored and tired. You're going to want to know what I'm excited about. It will be just as contagious. What was your latest response to God's word? A gasp or a yawn? Have you begun to yawn when I mention the fear of the Lord? Is that subject getting old for you, or are you still gasping?" 'A gasp or a yawn, we choose, don't we? (pgs 204-207 in my edition)"
I asked myself as I read these two passages was I "hungry" for the things of God? Did I crave the knowledge and presence of God? Do I gasp or yawn when I read God's word? Am I excited when I hear The Bible being preached?
This is the First book in The Big Sky Dreams trilogy. This series is set in the 1880s in Token Creek, Montana. Lori Wick has given you scripture through messages the Pastor (Rylan Jarvick) preaches to his congregation. In my opinion, the messages are not an 'in your face' kind of gospel, but a reminder of how a Christian should live.
God spoke to me through this book.
The following are two examples from the book where God spoke to me;
First, Pastor Rylan preaching - "A sated man doesn't seek. He's no longer hungry. He's satisfied and not willing to search. But a starved man will eat burnt toast. He's seeking he's hungry. Have you ever noticed how fragile spiritual hunger is? One little delight and we're good for a while. We don't stay hungry for long." "These verses [Proverbs 27:7 & Matthew 6:33] are talking about real hunger--craving, pursuing, seeking. Empty-belly hunger. That's the kind of hunger God is looking for. Content in Him certainly. Content in who He is, and in the way He provides for our every need, but not satisfied. Not feeling so full that we no longer crave the knowledge and presence of God (pg 67 in my version)."
Second, Pastor Rylan preaching (another time) - "'What am I doing?' as [Pastor Rylan] opened his mouth and then covered his mouth with his hand." Some said yawning, getting sick, being surprised, or gasping. "Isn't it interesting how the same action can look like two very different things? If I'm yawning, you're going to rightly assume that I'm tired or bored. Watching me might even make you feel tired. It's contagious. However, if I'm gasping you're going to get a little excited yourself and want to know what's going on. You won't be the least bit bored and tired. You're going to want to know what I'm excited about. It will be just as contagious. What was your latest response to God's word? A gasp or a yawn? Have you begun to yawn when I mention the fear of the Lord? Is that subject getting old for you, or are you still gasping?" 'A gasp or a yawn, we choose, don't we? (pgs 204-207 in my edition)"
I asked myself as I read these two passages was I "hungry" for the things of God? Did I crave the knowledge and presence of God? Do I gasp or yawn when I read God's word? Am I excited when I hear The Bible being preached?
July 30, 2023
Lori Wick came highly recommended by a few blogs and websites when I searched for historical fiction, so I gave this book a try. I give one star to books that are terrible enough to not finish, so this one gets two because I did make it all the way through.
This book could have been set anywhere. The fact it was in Montana Territory in 1880 drew my attention; I thought it might have some interesting history in it. Nope. The setting never came into play in the book. Something about a nice view was mentioned once, as were hot summers and cold winters. That's it. That's absolutely it in the entire book. If anything of significance happened in Montana Territory in 1880, it certainly didn't find its way into this novel.
Sometimes if a book has great characters, it can make up for other deficiencies. I'm not sure this was the case here. The characters in this book were essentially thoroughly modern people plopped into a book set in the past. However, they were very good in one sense of the word. They were kind, thoughtful, wise beyond their years, hard-working, and very prayerful. So if you're looking for a book in which everyone starts off practically perfect in every way and remains so the entire time, never learning or changing (because they are already perfect and don't need to), this might be the novel for you. And, as a bonus, you get to be inside about eight different perfect people' heads, since the POV changes so often!
Also, in the plot (it feels generous calling it a plot), nothing every goes wrong. There's no tension, no wondering how it all might turn out. Everything starts off well and comes pretty close to staying that way. Should you wish to read a happy book, maybe this is your ideal find. After recently reading some life-is-tough nonfiction, I guess I found it a happy enough diversion to read the entire thing, so perhaps I shouldn't be so critical. That being said, I definitely won't be checking any more Lori Wick books out from the library.
This book could have been set anywhere. The fact it was in Montana Territory in 1880 drew my attention; I thought it might have some interesting history in it. Nope. The setting never came into play in the book. Something about a nice view was mentioned once, as were hot summers and cold winters. That's it. That's absolutely it in the entire book. If anything of significance happened in Montana Territory in 1880, it certainly didn't find its way into this novel.
Sometimes if a book has great characters, it can make up for other deficiencies. I'm not sure this was the case here. The characters in this book were essentially thoroughly modern people plopped into a book set in the past. However, they were very good in one sense of the word. They were kind, thoughtful, wise beyond their years, hard-working, and very prayerful. So if you're looking for a book in which everyone starts off practically perfect in every way and remains so the entire time, never learning or changing (because they are already perfect and don't need to), this might be the novel for you. And, as a bonus, you get to be inside about eight different perfect people' heads, since the POV changes so often!
Also, in the plot (it feels generous calling it a plot), nothing every goes wrong. There's no tension, no wondering how it all might turn out. Everything starts off well and comes pretty close to staying that way. Should you wish to read a happy book, maybe this is your ideal find. After recently reading some life-is-tough nonfiction, I guess I found it a happy enough diversion to read the entire thing, so perhaps I shouldn't be so critical. That being said, I definitely won't be checking any more Lori Wick books out from the library.
August 22, 2017
I thought the romance in this one was a bit out of left field. I mean I liked Cassidy and Trace as a couple, but we had no warm up to their couple-ness. I guess it came upon the reader as it came upon Cassidy and Trace, by surprise! ha! Otherwise I really liked this story and Cassidy was a sweet girl who had wonderful morals. Especially when it came to not gossiping about other people. Trace was the perfect cowboy/rescuer/hero even though he was a bit slow and did things a bit backwards in the romance department. The author does tend to preach in her books, but always short "sermons" that lead the characters to make better choices in their lives and point them towards a more perfect relationship with the Savior. If you are looking for passionate kisses in this one don't count on it! Sweet pecks here and there and some longing looks, but that is as far as the physical goes. And just in case you are wondering, I love stories like this!
August 5, 2017
I just read two books in this series and really enjoyed them. I like that they are stand alone books that have the same characters and each book reveals things about several, not just one, character. I don't know if it's my mood lately or what, but there's something very inspiring about how these folks interact on a personal level with each other. I don't think it's very typical, unfortunately, even among believers, but it's just very solid. It's like everyone is very insightful and intentional. So it may not be the most realistic or dramatic, but it's just a neat thing to aspire too. None of the usual drama of this-character-just-needs-to-be-honest-with-their-friend that normally pervades fiction. People look to the Bible, the advice of their pastor and other good friends to solve interpersonal problems and work out their own issues. It's refreshing.
April 27, 2019
Weak sauce. I find it relaxing to enjoy a story with little drama, so I don’t throw around the word boring, but this made me wonder why I was listening to a lot of nothing. The plot didn’t really start until around chapter 12 and until that time it was just a collection of everyday occurrences among a group of people too close to perfect to be real. It barely scratched the surface of how anyone really felt about anything in the beginning. Just a lot of overly formal and stilted conversation without any imagination. But I have to admit that it was nice to not know immediately who the heroine was interested in and how the town’s bachelors felt about her. I got the impression at times that the book was more a vehicle for a long string of sermons. The plot did come out very clearly, and made sense of what seemed to be unnecessary tidbits in the beginning.
January 5, 2024
I tend to really enjoy historical Christian romance. This one had all the elements I love about the genre. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat. The author jumps around and never fully develops the different scenes. It also takes a bit to get into the characters because of this. The big plot points didn't have much of an impact for the same reason. The characters are likable enough but pretty generic. The author never really let's you in on the why of a character's actions or really shows you their emotion or thought process. It also leaned hard on the thing I dislike most about Christian fiction, which is, just put your faith in God and all will be alright. It did get away from this a little in the end, which I appreciated.
August 28, 2017
I love Lori Wick's books. You can always rely on her to come up with a clean and brilliantly Christ-centered romance.
I found a copy of Cassidy and Sabrina (the following book in the Big Sky Dreams series) in a little shop in Sheridan, Wyoming. I was out on a trip with my family and our next stop was Montana. You can only imagine the excitement to read a book based on the exact location you were headed to.
During the journey, we got to see all kinds of old trail kind of attractions. Which was even more awesome, because it allowed me to experience the story in depth everywhere I went!
I found a copy of Cassidy and Sabrina (the following book in the Big Sky Dreams series) in a little shop in Sheridan, Wyoming. I was out on a trip with my family and our next stop was Montana. You can only imagine the excitement to read a book based on the exact location you were headed to.
During the journey, we got to see all kinds of old trail kind of attractions. Which was even more awesome, because it allowed me to experience the story in depth everywhere I went!
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