Most Popular Books by Lauraine Snelling

Life once held such promise ... can she ever recapture what seems to be lost?

Eighteen-year-old Astrid Bjorklund has always dreamed of becoming a doctor. She had intended to study medicine in Chicago or Grand Forks, but when a disaster wiped out a major portion of her family''s income, Astrid stayed home instead, receiving hands-on training from Dr. Elizabeth. Joshua Landsverk left Blessing two years ago, but he''s never forgotten Astrid. Returning to town, he seeks to court her. Astrid is attracted to him, and when the opportunity unexpectedly opens for her to go to Chicago for medical training, she finds it difficult to leave. Love blossoms through their letters, but upon arriving back home, she makes a heartbreaking discovery. Will she have to give up love to pursue her dream?

While rescuing Herndon and other horses from a burning barn, fifteen-year-old DJ suffers serious injuries but also finds that God has answered her prayer to overcome a life-long fear of fire.

In bestselling author Lauraine Snelling''s new novel, a group of women realize that life is full of half-finished relationships and projects. However, they discover that the outcome is not as important as the journey. Recognizing how common it is for crafters to start many projects and finish few, a group of women join together to form a guild-Unfinished Projects Anonymous-to keep each other on track and accountable. Three of the friends are tasked with the job of home visits for their guild. Laughingly called "the Cartel," they snoop around craft rooms and knitting baskets to report on progress for the members. They even expand their mission to include checking on half-trained dogs and half-weeded gardens. As life unexpectedly changes for one of the members, this ensemble of women in bestselling author Lauraine Snelling''s new novel discovers that much of life is half-finished-projects, friendships, the raising of children, even our very relationship with the Lord. And that may be perfectly fine.

Sixteen-year-old Tricia Evanston and her father share something very special: their love of horses. With Tricia as jockey and her father as trainer, the two have big dreams of winning the Triple Crown. Tricia has other pressures, too, like declining grades, a strained relationship with her mother, and the constant worry about her father''s failing health. But Tricia''s faith in God always gives her the strength to push her limits. Collection Two includes Shadow Over San Mateo, Out of the Mist, Second Win, Close Call, and The Winner''s Circle.

“I came to America expecting to be married.” Clara Johanson had a ticket to America and a photograph of a blond, curly-haired, blue-eyed man to prove her point. But when she arrived in Soldahl, North Dakota, the man who met her at the train station, Dag Weinlander, was definitely not blond and, to make matters worse, he obviously hadn’t bathed in days. At least she knew she would see the joy in her sister’s face when she surprised her by arriving at her Soldahl home. As Clara began her unexpected life as a single, Norwegian immigrant, she experienced the truth of God’s Word that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Along the way she helped others, even Dag Weinlander, experience that truth too, as she stepped into a new Dakota Dream far different than the one that brought her all the way from Bergen, Norway. Dakota Dream is the second book of the Dakota Series that features the intertwining lives of five inspiring women, all who live in the early 1900s in the immigrant community of Soldahl, North Dakota.

Although still grieving her father''s death and facing ominous threats, Trish helps petition the Portland City Council to keep open a local thoroughbred horse racing track embroiled in rumors of corruption.

After a string of wins, Trish breaks her arm, and since the horse Trish and her father have entered in both the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby won''t tolerate another rider, it seems that they''re going to miss the greatest opportunity of their lives.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Lauraine Snelling Romance blooms between Blythe Stensrude and Thane Davidson after their dogs tangle leashes in the park—until Thane becomes guardian to his three-year-old niece. Blythe doesn''t think she''s mother material, but how can she refuse Thane''s request to give a neglected little girl the best Christmas ever? ''Twas the Week Before Christmas by Lenora Worth Upon arrival at her grandmother''s Louisiana plantation for the holidays, socialite Elise Melancon is confronted with a shocking request—her grandmother wants her to "reform" a handsome man so he can date another woman! Perhaps Elise will discover that life''s greatest gifts don''t always come in a box.

As she and her filly Firefly recover from a tragic racing accident, Trish tries to find out who is behind the disturbing threats she continues to receive and she discovers that God has a perfect plan for her life.

Book Two in Lauraine Snelling''s Exciting Wild West Wind Series After fleeing North Dakota and the now defunct Wild West Show, Cassie Lockwood and her companions have finally found the hidden valley in South Dakota where her father had dreamed of putting down roots. But to her dismay, she discovers a ranch already built on her land. Cassie''s arrival surprises Mavis Engstrom and forces her to reveal secrets she''s kept hidden for years. Her son Ransom is suspicious of Cassie and questions the validity of her claim to the valley. But Lucas Engstrom decides from the start that he is in love with her and wants to marry her. Will Cassie be able to build a home on the Bar E Ranch and fulfill her father''s dream of raising horses, or will she be forced to return to the itinerant life of her past?

In this novel filled with friendship, grief, and travel gone awry, three friends take their dream trip to Florence, Italy in memory of a beloved woman who has passed away. As the last will of a close friend is read, three women discover that they have inherited a legacy from her: the funds to take a dream trip to Florence, Italy, in her memory. With plenty of hilarious travel mishaps along the way, this book is a story of deep friendship, of making room in our lives to celebrate and remember, of grief, of the realization that friendship keeps the memory alive, and the sweet discovery of unexpected romance.

A 5-in-1 value collection of horse-themed stories for preteen girls exploring contemporary issues and faith. Ages 8 to 12.

The arrival of a wealthy young man leads Grace to question what she really wants in life.

Because her father is ill, without telling her parents, horse-loving Trish earns money after school at the race track, where trouble begins when one of her mounts is in a mysterious accident.

As sixteen-year-old Tricia grieves over the death of her father, she loses interest in horse racing and begins to question the wisdom of God.

The captivating first book in the Golden Filly series. Tricia Evanston is sixteen and must overcome many setbacks to get into the big race that can help her family.

Fourteen-year-old DJ seeks God''s guidance about a riding school students''s overt racism as well as about her mother''s surprise announcement of plans to remarry.

Will their dreams fall apart when confronted with all that is stacked against them? Delphinium Nielsen and her sisters have accomplished much in the past year, traveling west and settling in Nebraska. They are on their way to building a garden in dedication to their mother and working against the forces of nature to make their farm thrive. However, none of that can mask their concern that they are quickly running out of money. Del''s work teaching in their booming town offers hope, not only to support her sisters financially, but also to better her students'' lives. Not all of the town sees it that way, though, with the rebuilding of the schoolhouse continually neglected and her brightest student''s father demanding he work the farm instead of attend class. When their brother Anders arrives with his war-wounded and heartbroken friend RJ, Anders sees the strength of the sisters'' idea to start a boardinghouse and decides to invest in it. Del finds RJ barely polite and wants nothing to do with him. But despite Del and her sisters'' best-laid plans, the future--and RJ--might surprise them all. "Snelling''s thorough research pays off in her vivid evocation of frontier-era Nebraska . . . The result is a transportive historical worth getting lost in."--Publishers Weekly

Astrid Bjorklund wants to use her medical training to serve God and feels that He might be leading her in the direction of missionary work. Smarting from a misunderstanding with Joshua Landsverk, the young man she thought she loved, she heads east to a missionary training school, hoping to eventually use her skills in some remote outpost in Africa. When she is called home unexpectedly to help in a family medical emergency, Astrid learns of a deadly measles outbreak on the nearby Indian reservation. She immediately senses the Spirit tugging her to help the Indians and wonders if her "mission field" is not so far away as she had imagined. But if she follows God''s call, will love pass her by?