Love Comes Softly Series by Janette Oke
The "Love Comes Softly" series by Janette Oke consists of eight Christian novels that explore the lives of the Davis family against the backdrop of frontier life, helping to establish the prairie romance genre. At its heart, the series emphasizes Christian values, showcasing themes of love, faith, and resilience through the characters' experiences. The first book introduces readers to Marty Claridge, a young pioneer who, after the tragic loss of her husband, enters into a marriage of convenience with Clark Davis, which eventually blossoms into a profound partnership based on mutual respect and growing affection.
As the series unfolds, it chronicles the family's struggles and triumphs, emphasizing the importance of community, compassion, and trust in God. Each installment highlights significant events that shape their lives, such as marriages, births, and personal challenges, while the characters navigate their faith and relationships. The overarching message resonates with readers who appreciate stories of enduring love and the power of divine providence. Oke's storytelling not only depicts romantic love but also illustrates the broader love shared among family members, friends, and their faith in God, making the series a touching reflection on life's journey.
Love Comes Softly Series by Janette Oke
First published:Love Comes Softly, 1979; Love’s Enduring Promise, 1980; Love’s Long Journey, 1982; Love’s Abiding Joy, 1983; Love’s Unending Legacy, 1984; Love’s Unfolding Dream, 1987; Love Takes Wing, 1988; Love Finds a Home, 1989. Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House
Genre(s): Novels
Subgenre(s): Evangelical fiction; historical fiction (nineteenth century); romance
Core issue(s): Acceptance; daily living; love; salvation; trust in God
Principal characters
Marty Claridge Davis , widowed protagonistClark Davis , protagonist who marries MartyMissie Davis , Clark’s daughterWillie LaHaye , Missie’s suitorNandry Larson , neighbor girl taken in by the DavisesClae Larson , neighbor girl taken in by the DavisesEllie Davis , Clark and Marty’s daughterLane Howard , a ranch hand who is Ellie’s suitorBelinda Davis , Clark and Marty’s youngest daughter and a nurseLuke Davis , Clark and Marty’s son and a doctorMelissa LaHaye , Willie and Missie’s daughterAmy Jo Davis , Belinda’s nieceDrew Simpson , Belinda’s suitorVirginia Stafford-Smyth , a wealthy patient of Luke and Belinda
Overview
The Love Comes Softly series, eight Christian novels about the lives of the Davis family, helped create a new genre known as prairie romances, historical romances involving the frontier. These books convey Christian values through the thoughts and actions of the characters.
In Love Comes Softly, the first novel in the series, one day in fall, the husband of youthful pioneer Marty Claridge dies. At the burial, Clark Davis proposes a marriage of convenience in which he will provide for Marty in exchange for her tending to his daughter Missie. He promises Marty the fare to go home on the spring wagon train. Everything goes wrong as Marty adjusts to her new life and tends Missie, but Clark patiently demonstrates kindness and prays for her. Marty does not know much about religion but figures the religious Clark will not drink or beat her. When Clark realizes Marty is expecting, he feels glad she will have a child to remember her husband by. Marty finally sees past her grief to notice Clark’s goodness. On Christmas, they share a special day, and the nativity story strikes a chord with Marty. Marty and Clark experience joys and tragedy. Each evening they talk about the day’s events and their feelings, dreams, hopes, and even faith. On Easter Sunday Marty attends her first church service and learns that Jesus Christ died for her sins. Clark’s God becomes her God. Marty grows in her faith and draws closer to Clark. Marty and Clark realize that love grew slowly and came softly, and they choose to stay together.
In Love’s Enduring Promise, Marty feels gratitude for God’s provision through Clark as their family flourishes. When an ailing neighbor passes away, they take in Nandry and Clae Larson, the neighbor’s daughters. The community builds a school and hires a teacher. Missie comes home with her daily report about classes and how much she hates Willie LaHaye, who torments her. Time passes, and eleven-year-old Missie still dislikes Willie but instead of fretting she ignores him. Clae trains to be a teacher. Nandry marries. The girls thank Marty and Clark for helping them succeed. Clae is hired to teach the same fall that the new preacher settles in. Missie finishes her schooling and trains for teaching. She returns and takes the position when Clae marries the parson. During Missie’s second year of teaching, Willie declares his plans to move West and his interest in her. On her wedding day, Missie thanks Marty for raising her.
In Love’s Long Journey, Missie and Willie travel West. They rely on the promises from Isaiah 41:10 that assure them of God’s presence, strength, and help. The rigors of trail life drain Missie, who battles homesickness and fatigue from pregnancy. Missie values God’s provision of a cautious and careful wagon master who leads them safely to Tettsford Junction. She remains alone in town, close to a doctor for three months, while Willie hires hands and establishes their land. When his son is nearly two weeks old, Willie moves his family to their ranch. Missie faces more disappointments at the desolate and isolated spread. The cramped sod house seems almost unbearable, but the baby brings her joy. Hardships, endless wind, blizzards, rustlers, and illness force Missie and Willie to draw strength from God’s promises. As their lot improves, Missie reflects on how God kept his promise from Isaiah 41:10—their love journeyed a long way and found a home.
In Love’s Abiding Joy, Clark gives Marty a birthday trip to visit Missie and Willie. After years apart, they relish a joyous reunion. During their stay, two boys are playing inside a mine when it collapses. Clark frees one boy and carries him out. When he retrieves the other boy’s body, another cave-in crushes his leg. He regains consciousness and the concussion clears, but gangrene claims his leg, and the poison spreads through his system. Marty and Missie come to terms with letting God heal Clark or take him home. A doctor is found and Clark’s leg is amputated to save his life. Clark sobs and prays but trusts God to help him cope. God heals him emotionally and physically. Clark and Marty stay until spring, and Clark preaches at church. On their trip home, a young boy mentions the “poor man.” Clark and Marty both look around until they realize he is referring to Clark. They laugh, jubilant that Clark does not feel handicapped—God brought joy and blessing out of sorrow.
In Love’s Unending Legacy, Marty and Clark return home and reunite with family and friends. Marty battles emotional fatigue. As her poor health continues, she realizes that she is pregnant. At forty-three, she dreads telling the family, but they surprise her with their joyful response. Lane, a Hanging W ranch hand, comes to run a neighboring farm and becomes interested in the Davises’ daughter Ellie. Although Marty and Clark treat Lane like one of Ellie’s brothers, Ellie senses Lane’s attraction and returns his interest. At Christmas, Lane gives Ellie a locket. Because Marty needs help during her pregnancy, Ellie feels she cannot leave home and returns it. She pines over losing Lane. Clark assures her that Marty wants her happiness. Lane gives Ellie the locket again, and the couple plan to wed. Ellie helps Marty deliver Belinda. The whole family cherishes the baby girl. Clark and Marty discuss their legacy of faith, character, and love for others, evident through their grown children. They trust God to help them again as Belinda will also need that legacy.
In Love’s Unfolding Dream, Clark and Marty’s grown son Luke, who is a doctor, recognizes Belinda’s desire to ease suffering. He takes her on routine medical calls to see if nursing suits her. By the time she reaches thirteen, she helps Luke regularly, though it cuts in on time spent with her niece Amy Jo, who is near her age. Melissa, Missie’s fourteen-year-old daughter, comes to live with the Davis family because she wants more schooling to become a teacher. The three girls get along well. Belinda accompanies Luke to set a broken bone, but Drew Simpson’s arm is crushed and requires amputation. She feels scared and ill but performs admirably. Belinda talks about the ordeal with Marty. Despite her fears and tears, she wants to continue nursing. Drew visits Clark to ask questions about his accident and phantom pain. When Drew sobs about his loss, Clark comforts him and talks about God’s love. Drew prays for forgiveness and God’s peace. The next time Belinda sees Drew, they talk of God and her prayer for him. Drew shares his dream of becoming a lawyer, and they discuss not being bitter.
In Love Takes Wing, Clark and Marty’s granddaughter Melissa completes teacher training and returns to the West, taking Amy Jo with her. When both girls wed, Belinda rejoices for her nieces, but she also feels lonely and left behind. When Virginia Stafford-Smyth, a passenger on a train passing through, suffers a stroke and is brought to Luke for treatment, Belinda tends her. Virginia asks Belinda to move to Boston to nurse her there. Belinda bids her family farewell and accompanies Virginia to her mansion. Although she is not used to wealth and finery, Belinda enjoys touring Boston. She sets sail for Europe as Virginia’s companion, savoring the sights and sensations of Spain, Italy, and France. In spring, they sail home. On board Belinda unearths her Bible and reacquaints herself with God and his joy. She has subtly let him slip out of her daily thoughts and habits. Repenting, she makes her heart right.
In Love Finds a Home, Belinda travels home to see her family. When Belinda returns to Boston, she and Virginia add daily Bible study to their routine. Virginia has become more open to spiritual things. At church, she asks God to forgive her sins then shares her new faith with her staff. Shortly after, Virginia dies in her sleep, and Belinda inherits much of the estate. She guarantees the staff their home and positions, but she also ponders a way to help others. Belinda devises a plan to provide housing for the elderly, and the staff agrees. On a visit to the lawyer, Belinda discovers that Drew works as a partner. They begin seeing each other, but Drew feels awkward about Belinda’s wealth. However, they still attend events and church together. Belinda sets up a board to run the home, and the occupants arrive throughout the month of December. Belinda is now free to leave Boston—and, sadly, Drew. She finishes her tasks and says emotional farewells to her friends. Back home, when another legal matter arises, Belinda seeks the new lawyer in town and finds Drew. He had not wanted to ask Belinda to leave Boston, and she came home not knowing his plans to return. They admit their feelings for each other, and love finds a home.
Christian Themes
Janette Oke’s historical novels helped launch Christian fiction and created a genre known as prairie romance. However, her books are more about love than romance. Romantic love, of course, exists between Marty and Clark and later between their grown children and their chosen life mates. However, the attraction for readers and what Oke said she wanted to convey was love.
Throughout the eight-book series, Oke shows love pervading the lives of the Davis family. God’s love becomes evident in his provision for the widowed Marty. A less than ideal marriage blooms into a lifetime commitment and a legacy of love passed down through succeeding generations. As a result, the Davises develop married love that grows out of compassion. They demonstrate love between parents and children as Marty and Clark each raise the other’s child from a former marriage as well as offspring conceived from their own union. They foster love for siblings despite hardships of life on the prairie and the age gap between some of their children. They encourage love for extended family by supporting the pursuit of dreams and God-given gifts. They nurture love in the form of compassion by helping neighbors and providing a home for two abandoned children.
Most important, in these books Oke bring to fiction the power of love between God and those who follow him. God demonstrates his unending love and faithfulness to members of this family, who in turn are faithful in loving him. When they face trials, they need not fear because he is with them. He keeps the promises in his word—the Bible. As the Davises place their trust in him, God brings blessings out of their sufferings and joy from their sorrows. The Davis family’s lives abound with enduring love because of their deep trust in God and their determination to live out their faith on the prairie.
Sources for Further Study
DeLong, Janice, and Rachel Schwedt. Contemporary Christian Authors: Lives and Works. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2000. Biographical sketch details Oke’s books and awards as well as her purpose and themes in writing.
Hedblad, Alan, ed. Something About the Author: Facts and Pictures About Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1998. Provides young adults an overview of Oke’s writing career and accomplishments.
Johnson, Sarah. “Pioneering Efforts in Christian Historicals: Sarah Johnson profiles Bethany House.” Solander: The Magazine of the Historical Novel Society 9, no.1 (May, 2005): 26-28. Profiles Bethany House’s and Oke’s impact on Christian historical fiction, starting with Love Comes Softly.
Logan, Laurel Oke. Janette Oke: A Heart for the Prairie. Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House, 1993. Biography of “best loved” novelist whose simple stories opened the door to Christian fiction.
“Love Comes Softly, Janette Oke’s Message of Hope and Expectation.” Christian Literature Today 1, no. 5 (March, 2002). Analyzes the themes of love and hope that characterize Oke’s Love Comes Softly and her other successful novels.