#3: Love's Faithful Promise

"Perhaps coming to Irish Meadows hadn't been a mistake after all."

Deirdre O'Leary is determined to convince Dr. Matthew Clayborne, renowned for his progressive approach to physical therapy, that he must travel back to Irish Meadows and coax her mother back to full health after Kathleen's nearly paralyzing stroke. Postponing her own aspiring medical career, travelling from Long Island to Toronto, Canada in order to meet with Dr. Clayborne face-to-face, Deirdre matches the dour doctor's excuses with every tool of persuasion in her arsenal, but in the end, the decision hinges on improving the health of the doctor's young daughter, Phoebe.

Matthew Clayborne does not intend to disrupt his life simply to appease a wealthy New Yorker with a sick wife; his patients, mostly veterans of war, are more important to him. After facing off with the fiery, but quite beautiful, Deirdre, Matthew reluctantly makes arrangements to privately treat Mrs. O'Leary, on the condition that the therapy will be on a trial basis. He fully intends to return to Toronto, putting Irish Meadows and Deirdre O'Leary's dazzling smile and compassionate heart completely out of his mind. But there is more than one person on Long Island who desperately needs to feel the touch of God's merciful healing hand, and it isn't Kathleen O'Leary.

Susan Anne Mason has written a beautiful conclusion to her three book series, not only penning a breath-holding romance between Deirdre and Matthew, but including a clever parallel story surrounding Connor O' Leary and his own unexpected rodeo of love.

Susan Anne Mason concludes her Courage to Dream series with a novel about the two youngest members of the OLeary family. Eight years have passed since the events of the previous book and Connor and Deidre are all grown up. This was a bit of a stunner for me who remembered Deidre as a little girl hugging her older sisters. Now, she looks on enviously as those sisters enjoy family life while she intends be a doctor. Shes already a nurse and therefore shes the one to assist when her mother has a stroke. Its also the reason shes sent to Toronto to persuade Matthew Claybourne to come to the USA to treat her mother.

Meanwhile at home, her brother has been tasked with bringing a race horse back from injury. It seems an impossible task until a new stable hand going by the name of Joe displays skills worthy of a horse whisperer. But something doesnt seem quite right about Joe and Connor is determined to learn the truth about his new employee.

This was a pleasant read focusing on life after World War I. Matthew is a physical therapy specialist, a discipline still in its early days at this time. Its an element I found interesting because my husband is a physical therapist. The characters are appealing and sympathetic and the story of Matthews daughter tugs at the heartstrings.

Although Loves Faithful Promise is the third title of a series, I think it can be enjoyed without having read the other two books first. I do recommend reading them, however, to better appreciate the family dynamics. Throughout the series, for example, we see the gradual transformation of the family patriarch James OLeary. Its fitting that the series should end on a scene with him thinking back on the past and also looking to the future.

Thank you to Bethany House for my complimentary electronic advance copy of Loves Faithful Promise.

Deirdre is a medical student on her way to becoming a doctor when her mother's stroke takes her home. Her dad hates to ask her to leave school, but Deirdre is the best person in the family to take care of her mother. When a family friend hears about the stroke he recommends a Dr. Clayborne who has experienced great results in his work with paralyzed patients. After working for years with war veterans he hopes to expand his practice to include stroke victims. Deirdre just needs to convince him that leaving the country and his practice for a short time to help her mother is the right choice.

This book had pros and cons for me. The pros were the double story line. I thought having the small story of the main characters brother added depth and an interesting element. I actually liked the story line for that one better than the main one. I also liked the visual that the author created for the reader. She did a great job of making the story come alive, scenery wise, without bogging the reader down with too many unneeded details. All of the characters seemed well developed and had depth.

The cons for me was the flat places in the plot, the extensive drama and angst that the main characters kept going through repeatedly, and the weak spots that occasionally appeared in what I considered the "faith element" of the story. I often felt like I was reading a regular novel instead of a Christian one.

Overall, this was an interesting story and won't stop me from picking up another book by this author, but it wasn't a favorite.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the third book in the Courage to Dream series. I love every book that is set at Irish Meadows. Deirdre wants to become a doctor and Mathew is a doctor. He has a new therapy to help people with strokes and other health issues. Deirdre and her family learn of him when their other suffers a bad stroke. Deirdre needs to leave her schooling to become a doctor to help her mother. She loses a whole semester. She must work closely with Mathew to learn his techniques so he can move back to Toronto with his daughter. I laughed and cried during this book. This is a wonderful historical romance. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion.

Loves Faithful Promise is Book 3 in the Courage to Dream series, and you will not be disappointed at all, it is an awesome addition to the first two books, and if your like me, when it is ended you will be wanting more!

This is Deidre OLearys story the nurse who wants desperately to become a doctor, and at the early part of the twenty-century it was a very difficult task. This story begins with her mother having a stroke and her desire to get her the best possible help, and when Dr. Matthew Clayborn is located in Toronto Canada, she is sent on a mission to convince him to come to help. So the paths of these two individuals are set into motion, and their fate rests within them, and all that love them.

Deidre with her dreams, and Matthew with his feeling of failure, and a loveless marriage behind him, but his little daughter may just be the answer to all that is going on between them.

There is also a new hired hand on the ranch, and another member of the family is about to open their own doors.

A great read, and the only bad part was coming to the end and turning the last page.

I received this book through Net Galley and Bethany House Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review