About the Book

Book: A Promise Child
Author: Kathryn Spurgeon
Genre: Inspirational historic fiction
Release Date: September 10, 2017

She can’t survive the ‘30s alone…

Sibyl Trimble does everything she can to keep her family together. Before falling in love with a handsome, penniless hobo, she lived a life of new cars, speakeasies dances, and fancy cloche hats.

Then the Great Depression hits Oklahoma. The wind blows topsoil away, hundreds of jobless men hang around town, and the economy falls apart. Even Fremont, her strong, stable husband, grows discouraged and considers leaving as they struggle to put food on the table.

When disaster strikes again, will Sibyl and Fremont move on to California or try to survive in Oklahoma? Neither option sounds promising.

Click here to get your copy.

My Thoughts:

This is the story of a woman, her family, and her outlook on life as she is living life through the Great Depression. This is the second in the series and as I got to know more about Sybil in this story I felt more connected with her. She is a wife and a mother that loves her family very much. She is determined even when things look bleak, that she will be perfect. I can, and I am sure many women can relate to that thinking. However, we cannot be perfect and that can certainly add more stress as we begin to rely on our own strengths.

This story is not only relatable with fears and joys of lots of women today, but is also a historically and richly detailed account of a family trying to navigate the economic turmoil of the day. Not only that but also the break up of a family by divorce and how the bedrock of one's childhood can be washed away with that act. Sybil though sticks by her beloved husband and tries to make life the best she can for her children. She loved on her mother and sisters and even genuinly loved her father who hurt her family beyond repair. She was a woman doing her best to live in a fallen world and all that entails, while learning to trust the One who would never fail her. This was an enjoyable read.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Kathryn Spurgeon, an award-winning author and recipient of a 2018 Illumination Book Award, has published over a hundred stories, articles, and poems. She grew up on an Oklahoma farm before moving to South Korea, where she adopted two children. She and her husband, Bill, hold weekly studies in their home for international college students. They have six children and twelve grandchildren.

More from Kathryn

Researching and writing about the 1930s has been a blast, and although it was the economically worst decade of the last century, faith, love, and life went on. It has been fun to glimpse into that historical time and find amazing and uplifting stories.

Sibyl Trimble, my grandmother and the ever up-and-down, emotional but brilliant lady, did her best to create a great family environment. Seeking God, she also studied, taught, and shared about Christ in the midst of heartaches. Based on a true story, I hope this tale will inspire, uplift, and bring a touch of nostalgia to your day.

The strength and courage Sibyl revealed can encourage us all and I am honored to share her tale with you.