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Coming to America #2

Patterns of Love

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My dear Beth,

Though Uppsala, Iowa, takes its name from a city in my native Sweden, life here is different from what I have known. I have taken employment in the home of Mr. Bridger, a dairy farmer, caring for his ill mother and two young, orphaned nieces. It is most unlike me to leave home, even in a temporary manner. But the need is great and Hattie Bridger and the children are so endearing.

As for Dirk Bridger, he is an unhappy man, but also loyal, hardworking, honorable, and handsome. My younger sisters were smitten the instant they saw him. Young flirts! And with beauty to match. I, on the other hand, am considered to have common sense to attend my common looks. But, friend Beth, I am afraid my heart betrays my wisdom—I, too, long to be seen as beautiful.

Not just by anyone. By Dirk Bridger.

Your Friend, Inga Linberg

In rural Iowa, life is both the planter and uprooter of dreams. As love, long delayed, springs to life in the heart of a young Swedish immigrant, one man struggles with his withered ambitions—and new blessings that could take their place if he would but allow them room.

Patterns of Love is Book Two in the Coming to America Series about women who come to America to start new lives. Set in the late 1800s and early 1900s, these novels by bestselling author Robin Lee Hatcher craft intense chemistry and conflict between the characters, lit by a glowing faith and humanity that will win your heart.

315 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

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990 people want to read

About the author

Robin Lee Hatcher

120 books3,246 followers
Robin Lee Hatcher is the author of over 95 novels and novellas with more than five million copies of her books in print. She is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. Her numerous awards include the RITA® Award, Christy Award, Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, National Reader’s Choice Award, and the Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award, and she is also the recipient of prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards from both American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America®. When not writing, she enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, Bible art journaling, reading books that make her cry, watching romantic movies, and decorative planning. A mother and grandmother, Robin makes her home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with a demanding Papillon dog.

Be sure to follow Robin on BookBub so you'll receive new book and special deal alerts:
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5 stars
421 (43%)
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338 (34%)
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172 (17%)
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29 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
Profile Image for ✨ Gramy ✨ .
1,382 reviews
September 26, 2019
..
I listened to the audible version of Patterns of Love , Book Two in the Coming to America ..
I listened to the audible version of Patterns of Love , Book Two in the Coming to America series by Robin Lee Hatcher, about women who come to America to start new lives. This series was narrated by the talented Pam Ward, who made this wonderful Christian based, historical romance novel a pleasure to experience.

My dear Beth, Though Uppsala, Iowa, takes its name from a city in my native Sweden, life here is different from what I have known. With my parents’ blessing, I have taken employment in the home of Mr. Bridger, a dairy farmer, caring for his ill mother and two young, orphaned nieces. It is most unlike me to leave home, even in a temporary manner. But the need is great and Hattie Bridger and the children are so endearing. As for Dirk Bridger, he is an unhappy man, but also loyal, hardworking, and honorable. And, I should add, quite handsome. My younger sisters were smitten the instant they saw him. Young flirts! And with beauty to match. I, on the other hand, am considered to have the common sense to attend my common looks. But, friend Beth, I am afraid my heart betrays my wisdom—for I, too, long to be seen as beautiful. Not just by anyone. By Dirk Bridger. Your friend, Inga Linberg

The apprehension of fear, trepidation, and foreboding brings about a tearful and fearfully lousy life experience. So, the miraculous growth in the characters was an appreciated change. This inspirational experience brings a smile to the reader's face with surprise, hope, and wonder.

In rural Iowa, life is both the planter and uprooter of dreams. As love, long delayed, springs to life in the heart of a young Swedish immigrant, one man struggles with his withered ambitions—and new blessings that could take their place if he would but allow them room. Patterns of Love is Book Two in the Coming to America series about women who come to America to start new lives. Set in the late 1800s and early 1900s, these novels by best-selling author Robin Lee Hatcher craft intense chemistry and conflict between the characters, lit by a glowing faith and humanity that will win your heart. Look for other books in the series at your favorite Christian bookstore.

This is a clean and wholesome adventure that is able to stand on its own. And here comes the H.E.A. you look forward to throughout this wonderful read. I would recommend it for anyone interested in this genre.

Kudos to the author for providing an entertaining and inspiring book. I am very much looking forward to the remainder of this series.
..
Profile Image for Jewel.
Author 35 books93 followers
October 19, 2022
Beautiful!

This has always been one of my favorite books. It's such a sweet story that is emotional and uplifting. I love it!
Profile Image for Sara ♥.
1,370 reviews144 followers
October 6, 2011
3.5 stars.

The first one is still my favorite... This one made me cry! :*( But the epilogue was great! :)

I think my VERY favorite part of this book is when Inga seduces her husband... Muahahaha.... ;) For the most part, this book was sad. At first, it's sad because Inga is in love with Dirk, and he's already making plans to leave her after his nieces are grown. :( And then it's happy for like a chapter, then it's REALLY sad for a LONG time... Till the very end, really.

I did like the flip-flop of the book though. For the first half, Inga loves Dirk and he's kinda ambivalent. Then for the second half, Dirk is realizing that he loves Inga, and she's not in a place, emotionally, to be able to feel anything much for him. It was lovely symmetry.

The story was lovely... and the message was great: sometimes bad things happen to good people, but that doesn't always mean God is punishing you. But the tone... I dunno. I guess the tone just wasn't what I was looking for at the time. I guess it's because I couldn't really relate to Inga during the second half of the book. I haven't been through what she went through (and let's pray I never have to!), but you push through it, you know? You have kids to take care of, if nothing else... You can't just cave in on yourself for two or three months (it seemed like that long, anyway). I guess what really bothered me was that she ran home to her parents. That didn't seem very brave of her... I mean, yes, go to your mom and dad for advice, but leave your husband to move back home? Ummmmmmmm... no thank you.

Oh, and Dirk's past love interest showing up? I didn't like that. She was a .... word I can't use to describe things in a Christian novel. But it's also a term used to describe an un-spayed female dog. Dirk should have made her leave after 2 hours. The whole 2nd-half situation wouldn't have happened if he'd stood up to her, even if he couldn't ACTUALLY stand up at the time. Have some respect for your wife. SRSLY.

Anyway, it was still really good. Dirk and Inga went really well together... once they both got with the program.
Profile Image for Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS).
1,905 reviews326 followers
July 6, 2011
This is the second book in Ms. Hatcher's Coming to America series; it is an earlier edition. I read it out of order but it reads well by itself. Beware that this is not the newer re-edited version aimed at the Christian market.

It is 1897 and Inga Linberg has bade farewell to her homeland, Sweden. She has come to America with her parents and sisters. She is the eldest and plain in looks compared to her younger siblings. They have moved to a farming community in Iowa and she assists her father who is a pastor.

Dirk Bridger is a man who is bitter. His brother and sister-in-law have passed away and his father is no longer alive. He always wanted to see the world. Farming was not in his blood like the other men. Unfortunately for him, his honor wouldn't let him leave his mother who was ill or his two young nieces. Someone had to look out for them but his anger at being tied to the land was always simmering below the surface.

It is December and Dirk's mother convinces him to seek assistance in the form of a housekeeper and someone to watch over the girls. Inga convinces her father into letting her help out. Her patience, housekeeping skills and love for his mother and the children slowly capture Dirk's heart. Eventually his mother succumbs to her illness and Dirk offers a marriage of convenience with the understanding that someday he will leave. By then Inga loves him and is willing to the commitment in hopes that he will learn to love her and the girls and change his mind.

This is a heartbreaking story. Dirk's anguish at having to stay makes the book a somewhat dark read. Still, I enjoyed it. If nothing else I knew there would be an HEA and I wanted to see good things happen to this couple. They deserved it.
Profile Image for Ellen.
878 reviews
January 21, 2013
I think this has been my least favorite Robin Lee Hatcher book so far. Although Inga felt very real and some of her Swedish mannerisms rang true for me, the story itself was very difficult with miscarriage, depression, and a long, hard road to romance through a marriage of convenience. Sometimes it burdened my heart and even at the end of the story, I didn't truly feel the happiness. I liked the first one in the series much better. Perhaps Mary's story will suit me more in the next book.
Profile Image for Lori D.
4,077 reviews125 followers
January 17, 2022
An amazing story of an unexpected love found and the journey to get there.

Wonderful characters that year at the heart, showing how life can change with God’s grace.

Narration perfect and cannot wait to hear the next in this series!
Profile Image for Lucy Bilik.
239 reviews3 followers
April 15, 2011
I started to read this as part of Coming to America series book #2. This book is about When Swedish girl marries for convenience however has great hopes for their future. I was so drawn to it and was able to relate to some tragedies that she had to go through. So many things happen to bring her husband to believing God again and releasing his anger, and her to start believing that nothing we do can take the grace of God away. Amazing emotional book with some sparkle of excitement here and there.
Profile Image for Donna.
4,539 reviews160 followers
September 10, 2016
This was not my kind of book. I actually liked the time period and the historical fiction part of this. And it was a sweet story. I'm just not a fan of the overly predictable romance. The two main characters were carbon copies of each other except for one often repeated difference.
---they both had a heart of gold
---they both constantly berated themselves...it was relentless
---they both were prideful

but....he was "gorgeous" and she was "plain" which was repeated so many times I started the eye rolling.

This would have been 3 stars if it wasn't for the constant repetition.
Profile Image for Robin Hatcher.
Author 120 books3,246 followers
Read
July 18, 2016
RITA Award winner, Best Inspirational Romance

The Coming to America series was birthed in my imagination the day I stood in the large building on Ellis Island, looking at the passenger logs with the names of people from Ireland, Sweden, England, and more. My Swedish great-grandparents came to America in 1868, and I have often pondered the courage needed to begin that journey. I loved writing these stories. They felt very personal to me.
Profile Image for Joleen.
2,641 reviews1,224 followers
November 16, 2018
Patterns of Love (Coming to America #2) by Robin Lee Hatcher
Years: 1897-1899
Location: Uppsala, Iowa
Main Characters:
Inga Linberg: Twenty-two year old single eldest daughter of town pastor
Dirk Bridger: single man caring for his late brother's daughters and his mother
Thea, Gunda, Astrid, Kirsten: Inga's younger sisters
Hattie, Martha and Suzanne Bridger: Dirk's mother and nieces respectively
Clara Keene: Uninvited and unwanted visitor

The author prefaced the book saying Patterns of Love was originally published in 1998 for the a general romance market. But as her desires changed to a closer relationship with the Lord, her publisher allowed the series to be reissued as a more Christian fiction work. Not having read the original I had no idea what this was like, but since it was Robin Lee Hatcher I was pretty sure I’d like it.

********************************

Dirk's brother and sister-in-law have passed away leaving the responsibility of the farm, his ailing mother and his two young nieces to him alone. It’s clear he needs help. He asks Uppsala's Swedish pastor if he could help find a housekeeper, as his mother was too ill to keep up with the chores and children. The pastor's eldest (and plain) daughter, Inga volunteered.

This is where I usually write a synopsis for my own records. If you want this story to be a surprise, please read no further.

I had to view this book two ways. I was frustrated with the characters motives and mistakes they made (and a few loose ends), but also so fascinated by the story that I couldn’t put it down.
Do I rate it on its character's choices, or do I rate it on the way it kept my interest? My choice is the latter so I’m giving it four stars.

I love this cleaned up version. Even though there were implied intimacies, and implied under-one's-breath swearing, nothing is ever written or shown. The marriage was an unequally yoked one, but in order for this more Christian version of this book to be changed and published, it had to be that way. So for the sake of the story I’m okay with that, as I’d rather read a more faith based version than the earlier one.

The faith element was evident in the lives and words of many characters, and was an inspiration to Dirk who had a chip on his shoulder about God.

So all in all, I liked the book.
31 reviews2 followers
August 4, 2021
Beauty comes from within. In book two of this Coming to America series, Robin Lee Hatcher tells us the story of Inga Linberg (I don't know why Hatcher thought she had to change the name from Lindberg.) , who became friends with Lady Elizabeth Wellington while on their way to America.

Dirk Bridger, an honorable, responsible man who gave up his dream of traveling the world to care for his elderly mother and orphaned nieces on an Iowa dairy farm, which made him bitter. His mother convinced him to ask the Swedish pastor to find him a housekeeper. Inga, the pastor's eldest daughter, served the family with love, making the messy house a happy home. Inga always felt so plain compared to her four very beautiful sisters. Dirk was so handsome he made Inga breathless, and after a time found herself falling in love with him.

After his mother died, Pastor Linberg insisted that Inga return home immediately, since it was not proper for a single lady and single man to live in the same house. Dirk offered her a marriage of convenience ( with celibacy ), which would end when the girls were older. Dirk thought Inga was lovely on the beautiful on the inside and even told her that she was lovely is ways different from her sisters, but that he would never marry in the true sense because he must get away from the farm and travel.

There were happy moments and very sad moments. I cried and even got angry with the author near the end, but eventually I forgave her.

This was a very interesting story and I'd recommend it
Profile Image for Aalyn.
40 reviews3 followers
January 9, 2025
This book was okay. There are a few things I do not like about this book. One of the things I don't like is how Inga thought it was okay to rush into a marriage with an unbeliever. The Bible makes it clear that a believer should not marry an unbeliever. That verse is mentioned in one of Robin Lee Hatcher's newer books titled Like The Wind, which is my favorite of her books. Another thing I don't like is there were some... well, I'll call it mature... details that were lightly mentioned. I really didn't find it necessary to include those things (if you want to see it, it's on pages 137-138, 166, 179, 183-184). There were also some things I did like about this book, which is why I gave it three stars instead of one. I like how things turned out in the end. Overall, it was a pretty good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
2,115 reviews8 followers
August 5, 2019
Inga Linberg is from Sweden and goes to Uppsala, Iowa with her minister father and four younger, more beautiful sisters. At 22, she's considered a spinster destined to help her father with his ministry. When Dirk Bridger goes to her father looking for help with his ailing mother and two orphaned nieces, Inga volunteers and quickly falls in love. When the mother dies, Dirk proposes to enable her to stay and help him. He resents the dairy farm he took over when his brother died, but feels duty bound to his nieces. He wanted to travel the world.

Inga wins him over, but a miscarriage sends her into a depression. No real references to the first book in the series, but sets up the 3rd.
Profile Image for Heidi Morrell.
1,353 reviews16 followers
July 11, 2022
This series is a fantastic example of Historical Christian fiction! In my teen years, I had quite a few pen pals (when a 1st class stamp was around 30 cents). I've really enjoyed getting to know Beth and Inga. I'm looking forward to reading about Mary's story next!
I was able to read a copy of this book via Hoopla, but it did not in any way affect my review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for JacQueline Vaughn Roe.
Author 8 books34 followers
June 7, 2024
Beautiful Love Story with Faith Woven Throughout

I was actually in the hospital when I came across this novel and it distracted me from my illness. I had to leave the book behind when they moved me to another inpatient treatment center, but I wanted to know the ending, so I bought a copy. The copy I got was a little altered/updated, but I still loved the ending.
Profile Image for Nikki Wilson.
64 reviews6 followers
Read
February 13, 2022
The second in Robin Lee Hatcher's, Coming to America Series. I really enjoy the characters that she created. I don't have the 3rd book but I will look for it for sure. Just great feel-good stories. Perfect for unwinding from life's stresses.
Profile Image for Christine.
468 reviews
August 1, 2017
Enjoying this series. I like how each of the main characters is from a different country than the others. Looking fwd to the third book.
555 reviews
March 22, 2019
Dnf boring...not impressed with the writing...it did not flow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Em Witteveen.
56 reviews1 follower
July 15, 2020
I have read this one over and over just because it is such a beautiful story
Profile Image for Dekki.
17 reviews
August 19, 2020
The plot is so good. The development of the emotions both one sided till the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Annie.
123 reviews
January 4, 2021
I rarely give 5 stars. This book was so interesting that I read it in 4 hrs. Couldn't put it down!
Profile Image for Melissa Grace.
237 reviews3 followers
January 15, 2021
A heartbreaking novel with much loss but, in the end, with much gain as well.
717 reviews
January 24, 2021
Love this story. The main character is a quilter and I loved that. Great story that referred healing of hurts.
Profile Image for Beth.
107 reviews
September 11, 2023
The second book in the series and I think it is better than the first. Great love story and character growth. Couldn’t put it down and read it in two days.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews

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