A Flood of Love

Harvey House Brides

by Tracie Peterson

1929 San Marcial, New Mexico
After traveling the West for the past ten years, working as a Harvey House girl, Gretchen Gottsacker learns her next assignment puts her back in the town of her childhood. She quickly forms a friendship with a precocious girl named Katiann, until one of their visits leads her face to face with Katiann's father--the man who abandoned Gretchen on the eve of what she was sure would be a marriage proposal. Now a widower, Dirk Martinez is intent on gaining her trust and forgiveness. Can she risk getting swept up in their strong attraction once again, or will the danger of an impending flood decide her future for her?

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

69 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2020

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

[Malia Saldaña · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so sweet! I loved learning about the Harvey House girls and the railroad. It was very interesting. I can’t wait to read the other Harvey House girl’s books! I also liked that it was in the southwest. My only complaint is that I wish it were longer.

[Chanel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute and easy-to-read novella! The second-chance romance was sweet and their relationship was quick yet still in the realm of believablility, although I was surprised by the first kiss. I loved little Katiann especially, and the shaping of this blended family was really endearing. Overall, A Flood of Love was an enjoyable, and light read. 3.5 stars.

[Allyson Jamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the historical aspect of this story! Not only was it a excellent read with such sweet characters, I finished knowing something new! Definitely a book I'd recommend!😀

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet little story. I liked that Gretchen and Dirk had a prior relationship on which to build, so there was no real feeling of 'insta-love', especially when Dirk explained the unexpected circumstances which lead to him leaving San Marcial so swiftly.
I liked the way Gretchen and Dirk were determined to rely on their faith, no matter what the future looked like. I also thought Katiann was an absolute HOOT!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Harvey House stories. Love, second chances, redemption, sacrifice and loyalty are all woven throughout this story.. Gretchen Briggs reluctantly returns to her home town in New Mexico to take the place of a Harvey House girl. Of course she runs into the one person she did not want to see, Dirk Masterson, her love from ten years ago. Can they find healing, hope, and a new beginning.
God may have a different--and better--future planned for them than either could imagine.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super short novella. But it was sweet in its way. It was based in a town in New Mexico, San Marcel. Which is no longer there cause of floods since. But Gretchen is a working for a company in hospitality and gets sent back to her hometown for work purposes. She has a lot of great memories and sad ones. The town reminds her of Dirk, the man she loved and thought was going to propose but then left and married another. Gretchen bounds with a tween named Katianna and when she realizes her father is none other than Dirk, she is shocked. Dirk can’t forget Gretchen and fights to help her understands what life journeys he had to take.

It was a sweet story of having found love losing it, but hoping it would come back again. It was light heartedly and so quick to read. Have an hour? You can read this book.

[Anaiah Bruno · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️. Trope: 2nd Chance Romance

I think my issue with novellas, is the fact that they're so short, and I'm just not a fan of super fast paced, hardly any tension or slow burn, stories. But, even if really cheesy and like I said rushed, it was also really sweet and heartwarming. And I liked learning about this time period in the now ghost town "San Marcial" here in the U.S.

[Jane Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprise

I picked this book because it was about a Harvey House "girl". It was a short love story set in a Harvey House town in New Mexico. Fun read but only took about 2 hours to read! Not what I expected but nice quick read.

[Megan Schaulis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read Tracie Peterson before and this was a fun place to start. Set in southern New Mexico, the story surrounded a true historical event that forever changed the area. The novella provided a great introduction to the world of "Harvey Girls," drawing me into the rest of the collection.

[Marty Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story

I really enjoyed this story. True loves never forget each other, they can't let others in their hearts. Seeing each other after ten years, the love is still there and they know they are meant to be together. Will a severe flood keep them apart? This is a great story.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good quick read about second chances.

[Donna Kale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I love history and what a surprise that parts of it were true!

[Heidi Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short and sweet story. I especially loved the author's note regarding the facts that took place in the town's history.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book One in the Harvey House novella series, Serving Up Love ~ A Flood of Love was a sweet story about love lost and found. Gretchen and Dirk were wonderful main characters but little Katiann was my favorite! The true historical events surrounding the 1829 flood proved to be a very sobering plot to this otherwise sweet and gentle romance.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Flood of Love – Tracie Peterson – A reunion with a lost love gets put to the test in a flash flood! Love the Harvey girls and Tracie Peterson! Happy Reading!

[Steve Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

What a pleasant way to spend my afternoon, reading this delightful story that put a smile in my heart! And the child in the story kept me smiling!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gretchen meets a little girl, Katianna and is delighted with her presence and then finds out that her father is the man whom she loved but disappeared 10 years ago.

[Linda Paton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flood of love

I like the book. It was short book packed with love of information. The story line was I expected, but enjoy the story

[Ranee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, short love rekindled story and historical fiction piece.

[Kaziah Mustard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet short story easily read in a couple hours.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical fiction romance quick read!

[emyrose8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long lost love rediscovered and explained. It was a nice story, a quick read, with a precocious kid who helps things along.

[BlueJeansAndTeacups · Rating 5 out of 5]

•*•Great Ending •*•

I don’t often find a novella collection where all the stories are 5 stars, so this was a great surprise!
This story appears in Serving Up Love – Four (unrelated) Harvey House Brides Novellas / Bethany House Publishing. Each story is now available for separate download if preferable.
Karen Witemeyer kindly sent me a complimentary book in the hopes of a favorable review, with no further compensation. All opinions are mine alone.

[Margaret Chind]

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Flood of Love was packed with historical details. I love that this was based on true stories and events.

Timing seems to be everything for Gretchen and Dirk. They have only ever loved each other but have been pulled apart. If only communication in those days had been easier.

Katiann is adorable. She seemed to know everything about everyone and is so curious about the world around her. I’m surprised her nannies had such a hard time handling her. I loved that when someone compliments her she says, “I know” instead of “thank you”.

Tracie Peterson is the only author I haven’t read in the Harvey House collection, though I have a number of her books on my TBR list. Now I know why she was so often recommended to me.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of the Serving Up Love novella collection. I am glad to be able to review this on its own. This is the story of Gretchen and Dirk whose courting was interrupted by circumstance. Ten years later, they are reunited. They get to resolve their relationship which luckily doesn’t take too long as these characters were actually willing to talk to each other. Imagine that. The main conflict surrounds a natural disaster. This is where the historicity comes in as these are apparently events that actually happened in this area. So those were some fun details.

This is a very sweet and well-written novella. It’s great for a light, easy read.

[Liz Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed it. Thoroughly enjoyed the series as a whole. This story seemed a touch rushed, but I didn’t actually mind. It helped that it was established from the start that the characters knew each other and had a history... A really great, quick read.

[annabeth ☼]

*DNF’ed at 40%

This just felt very surface level, names on a page and no more. I normally just push through with novellas because they’re so short anyways, but this was just not good and I’m not putting myself through that just cause.

[Kim carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun ,but predictable story,nice quick read.

Enjoyed the spunky Katiann.
And wholesome love story
Makes for fun read,during crazy days
Wish life were more relaxed somrtimes