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Red River of the North #6
Blessing in Disguise
Her first mistake was emigrating alone. Was this one even worse?
Augusta Bjorklund, after discovering her intended bridegroom married someone else, decided to leave her broken heart in Norway and start a new life in America. But knowing no English, Augusta misunderstands a ticket agent's directions in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in the harried confusion, she boards the wrong train.
Her Bjorklund relatives eagerly await Augusta's arrival in North Dakota. When the train reaches the town of Blessing with the woman nowhere in sight, the worried family hopes she will be on the next train. But the following morning only her trunk shows up.
Arriving at the end of the line, Augusta is met by a handsome young rancher, Kane Moyer, who is waiting for his Norwegian mail-order bride....
She told him she was headed for Blessing. Why will he not take her there?
Augusta Bjorklund, after discovering her intended bridegroom married someone else, decided to leave her broken heart in Norway and start a new life in America. But knowing no English, Augusta misunderstands a ticket agent's directions in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in the harried confusion, she boards the wrong train.
Her Bjorklund relatives eagerly await Augusta's arrival in North Dakota. When the train reaches the town of Blessing with the woman nowhere in sight, the worried family hopes she will be on the next train. But the following morning only her trunk shows up.
Arriving at the end of the line, Augusta is met by a handsome young rancher, Kane Moyer, who is waiting for his Norwegian mail-order bride....
She told him she was headed for Blessing. Why will he not take her there?
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1999
192 people are currently reading
848 people want to read
About the author
Lauraine Snelling
167 books1,996 followersAward-winning and bestselling author Lauraine Snelling has over 80 books published with sales of over 4.5 million. Her original dream was to write horse books for children. Today, she writes adult novels about real issues centered on forgiveness, loss, domestic violence and cancer in her inspirational contemporary women’s fiction titles and historical series, including the favorite, Blessing books about Ingeborg Bjorklund and family.
Lauraine enjoys helping others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the county. She and her husband Wayne have two grown sons, and a daughter in Heaven. They live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a Basset named Sir Winston ob de Mountains, Lapcat, and “The Girls” (three golden hens).
Lauraine enjoys helping others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the county. She and her husband Wayne have two grown sons, and a daughter in Heaven. They live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a Basset named Sir Winston ob de Mountains, Lapcat, and “The Girls” (three golden hens).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
March 2, 2025
Eeehhh…not bad but kind of ‘meh’. If you want to know who all of the people in the book are, you should definitely read the series in order. I was at sea and frankly, didn’t give a darn about most of the secondary characters because I wanted to read more about Kane and Augusta. Lots of skimming ensued.
2.5 stars, rounded down because while I didn’t hate it, I didn’t really LIKE it. It was merely ok.
2, not a bad start to my Lenten season, it beats past “Biblical porn” poor choices, stars.
2.5 stars, rounded down because while I didn’t hate it, I didn’t really LIKE it. It was merely ok.
2, not a bad start to my Lenten season, it beats past “Biblical porn” poor choices, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2015
While this was not my favorite of the Blessing series; nor do I think this was the ending I was looking for after having read five previous books! I am still glad I read the Blessing series. My favorites will remain An Untamed Heart and An Untamed Land. Ingeborg was my upmost favorite to read about and Hjelmer my least. I was sad Ingeborg did not make it into this book much; but I really enjoy the flow and light romance that has accompanied this series. It's not cheesy or flowery or overly descriptive and I also appreciated the lack of detail that went into explaining the women's appearance. Sometimes beauty can be so overstated! If you enjoy homesteading books or the pioneer feel then escape to the town of Blessing!!
August 22, 2015
Skipped everything besides the main story line because I found everything else boring.
October 4, 2017
Even though I really have enjoyed this series, and liked the main story thread of this book with Augusta and Kane, I have to mark it down to three stars because of the abrupt ending and all the dangling storylines! I don't want to list them because I don't know how to do the "spoiler thing." But this just left me disappointed by so many unanswered questions! And the very last few paragraphs almost seemed like Mrs. L.S. looked up from her wonderfully imagined world, saw the clock and calendar and said, "Oops, the deadline, I have to meet the deadline!" I am hoping, if I decide to go on to the "next generation" series, Retun to Red River Series (1-4) I will find out what happened with some of these unanswered plot points!
January 23, 2024
Another delightful installment in the Blessing series.
CW: the N word is used several times, but it is always in a context where someone is saying it to be mean and it is clear that it is unacceptable.
CW: the N word is used several times, but it is always in a context where someone is saying it to be mean and it is clear that it is unacceptable.
June 8, 2020
Audiobook- I have listened to all of the other red river series. I thought this was going to be a nice wrapup of the people already introduced as it is the final book in the series. Wasn’t!!!
Well I enjoyed the story, it was more of a love story than some of the others and I really am reading the series for historical fiction and not a love story. I wanted it to be more about how all of the families and blessing turn out.
Also a comment about the audiobook narrator, she is very monotone except for when she yells when she’s mimicking children’s voices.
EH. Disappointing.
Well I enjoyed the story, it was more of a love story than some of the others and I really am reading the series for historical fiction and not a love story. I wanted it to be more about how all of the families and blessing turn out.
Also a comment about the audiobook narrator, she is very monotone except for when she yells when she’s mimicking children’s voices.
EH. Disappointing.
June 16, 2017
This book was so crazy I couldn't put it down! It just goes to show how communication barriers can really mess things up. But thank God, He understands us no matter what language we speak!
December 31, 2024
Clean romance. Christian romance readers will probably like it.
January 28, 2022
Blessing in Disguise, a fun, suspenseful novel by Lauraine Snelling, is the sixth and last book of the “Red River of the North” series. I’ve loved them all, but Blessing in Disguise is my favorite. The story toggles between Blessing, North Dakota and Ipswich, South Dakota, 1889.
In Valdres, Norway, Augusta Bjorklund is heart-broken when she learns her intended bridegroom has married someone else. Their plan was that he would make his way to America, then send for her. Now she learns that her elderly widowed mother who has immigrated to Blessing, North Dakota, needs her. Her heart isn’t convinced it’s what she wants to do, but she feels obligated. Unfortunately, she didn’t take advice from others to first learn English. She’ll have plenty of time to learn English once she’s in America.
Rancher Kane Moyer is ready to marry. He has established a successful ranch and built a house fit for a new bride. He plans to go to the nearest town, Ispwich, some distance from his ranch, to pick up his Norwegian mail-order bride. Unfortunately, a letter written to him by his intended saying she will be detained for one month hasn’t reached him yet.
Once in America, Augusta makes her way to St. Paul, Minnesota, but not understanding the ticket agent’s directions, boards the wrong train and ends up in Ispwich, South Dakota.
By the time Kane makes his way to Ispwich with his horse-drawn wagon, the train has already arrived and there she is, waiting. She’s actually prettier than he imagined, but she doesn’t speak a word of English, and he speaks no Norweigian. She apparently had someone else write her letters to him. They resort to miming. She says something about Blessing, and he agrees that it’s a blessing they have finally met.
In the meantime, Augusta’s family is alarmed that she hasn’t arrived in Blessing and her brother goes in search of her.
Blessing in Disguise is full of details of life in the early days of North and South Dakota. Having read the previous five books of the series, many of the characters were like old friends. I enjoyed learning about the way industrious Norwegians managed to build their homes and businesses from raw materials, such as sod and later timber that they cut down themselves. The people of Blessing centered their lives around their faith, were loyal to their community, and persevered when going got tough. Blessing in Disguise is a reminder of how our nation was founded and the many sacrifices our early pioneers made.
In Valdres, Norway, Augusta Bjorklund is heart-broken when she learns her intended bridegroom has married someone else. Their plan was that he would make his way to America, then send for her. Now she learns that her elderly widowed mother who has immigrated to Blessing, North Dakota, needs her. Her heart isn’t convinced it’s what she wants to do, but she feels obligated. Unfortunately, she didn’t take advice from others to first learn English. She’ll have plenty of time to learn English once she’s in America.
Rancher Kane Moyer is ready to marry. He has established a successful ranch and built a house fit for a new bride. He plans to go to the nearest town, Ispwich, some distance from his ranch, to pick up his Norwegian mail-order bride. Unfortunately, a letter written to him by his intended saying she will be detained for one month hasn’t reached him yet.
Once in America, Augusta makes her way to St. Paul, Minnesota, but not understanding the ticket agent’s directions, boards the wrong train and ends up in Ispwich, South Dakota.
By the time Kane makes his way to Ispwich with his horse-drawn wagon, the train has already arrived and there she is, waiting. She’s actually prettier than he imagined, but she doesn’t speak a word of English, and he speaks no Norweigian. She apparently had someone else write her letters to him. They resort to miming. She says something about Blessing, and he agrees that it’s a blessing they have finally met.
In the meantime, Augusta’s family is alarmed that she hasn’t arrived in Blessing and her brother goes in search of her.
Blessing in Disguise is full of details of life in the early days of North and South Dakota. Having read the previous five books of the series, many of the characters were like old friends. I enjoyed learning about the way industrious Norwegians managed to build their homes and businesses from raw materials, such as sod and later timber that they cut down themselves. The people of Blessing centered their lives around their faith, were loyal to their community, and persevered when going got tough. Blessing in Disguise is a reminder of how our nation was founded and the many sacrifices our early pioneers made.
May 1, 2021
The final book in this series. Augusta Bjorklund immigrates to the Dakota territory after she receives a letter from her mother, Bridget and her younger brother, Hjelmer. Bridget has established a boarding house but is having great difficulty keeping enough staff to help her. She needs Augusta's help. Hjelmer encouraged his sister to learn English before she arrives but she believes she can learn afterward. When she arrives at the St. Paul train station, she misinterprets the station master and boards the wrong train.
When she arrives at a small train station a young man, Kane Moyer is waiting for her thinking she is the Norwegian mail order bride he sent for. Because he lives out in the boonies, he had not received the letter from the actual woman telling him her trip is delayed. Before she knows it, Augusta and Kane are married. Because she doesn't speak English, she erroneously believes the ceremony was to pronounce her an American citizen. When they are caught in a thunder storm she becomes ill after they arrive at her new home. She lays ill for several days with a high fever and cough. Although she kept mentioning 'Blessing', Kane doesn't understand what she means until the Army arrives to purchase horses and cattle and a German speaking officer is able to communicate with Augusta.
Meanwhile Hjelmer is searching for Augusta at his mother's insistence. It's a big country and where could she have gone?
Hard to put this book down! I wanted to know what was going to happen!
When she arrives at a small train station a young man, Kane Moyer is waiting for her thinking she is the Norwegian mail order bride he sent for. Because he lives out in the boonies, he had not received the letter from the actual woman telling him her trip is delayed. Before she knows it, Augusta and Kane are married. Because she doesn't speak English, she erroneously believes the ceremony was to pronounce her an American citizen. When they are caught in a thunder storm she becomes ill after they arrive at her new home. She lays ill for several days with a high fever and cough. Although she kept mentioning 'Blessing', Kane doesn't understand what she means until the Army arrives to purchase horses and cattle and a German speaking officer is able to communicate with Augusta.
Meanwhile Hjelmer is searching for Augusta at his mother's insistence. It's a big country and where could she have gone?
Hard to put this book down! I wanted to know what was going to happen!
August 8, 2025
Let’s be honest, this one had a bit more romantic electricity than usual, and most of it was coming from Sophie and the new doctor, Elias. He’s handsome, educated, and has the social skills of someone who’s not raised by dairy cows, which is rare in Blessing. Their attraction is undeniable, and Sophie? She’s not just swooning in secret, she’s asking big questions about her purpose, her independence, and whether love is something she wants on her own terms. There’s a scene where they discuss medicine and family over dinner that had more chemistry than half the courtships in Dakota Territory. Meanwhile, Blessing itself is practically glowing up: new homes, new faces, and a sense of bustle that makes the town feel alive. We get quilting bees, minor medical emergencies, church potlucks, and all the deeply personal town gossip one could want, delivered with decorum, of course. And Ingeborg? She remains the elegant glue holding it all together, but here, she’s watching the next generation come into their own. It’s tender, forward-looking, and just a touch spicy, like someone slipped a pinch of cayenne in the potato soup.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2023
Another amazing story by Lauraine Snelling. I love the new characters, Kane and Augusta. I imagined I was traveling like Augusta and thought about how I would feel in a new country not knowing the language and meeting a handsome, kind man. More than ever, I want to know what happens next their love story. Clean romance and frontier life as told by Lauraine makes me feel like I am there with them. I can't wait to see what happens in the new story line of Kane and Augusta. I wonder if Penny will ever have children and what will happen with the new school for the deaf. So much to look forward to reading about.
May 8, 2020
I think I would have enjoyed this story more had I not jumped into this series with this book. The story included many characters that I assume were from previous novels and that kind of threw me off a bit. However, the story of the main character (and her faux pas in finding her way to Blessing ND) was fairly interesting - albeit predictable. One thing that I got from this story: I sure am thankful for modern communication technology e.g. telephones, text messages etc. - including language interpretation software!
Clean Readers: as far as I can recall, this is completely clean.
Clean Readers: as far as I can recall, this is completely clean.
June 12, 2021
I love Lauraine Snelling's writing style and her topics. The Red River of the North Series takes place in the area of North Dakota and Minnesota where my father, brother, and I were born. We are also of Norwegian background. I enjoy Lauraine's books immensely. Blessing in Disguise was a page-turner. I wanted to know what was going to happen next and didn't want to wait. I only rated it 4 stars because I occasionally got annoyed with the behavior of the protagonist. However, I did like her and was so pleased with how things turned out.
July 17, 2021
I have become so attached to the Bjorklund clan. This final book of the series is a delightful ending for all the books. Augusta Bjorklund is coming from Norway to be with her family but she gets met at the train depot and Kane Moyer mistakes her for the woman he sent for as a wife from Norway. Mix up after mix up cause more and more confusion in Augusta's mind, all while her attraction to Kane deepens. Of course, you can imagine how the book ends but it's the journey to get there that is so delightful. A very fitting ending to a great series.
February 22, 2021
This one is mainly about Agusta who is just arriving in the USA from Norway. Her family had told her she should learn some English before starting on her journey but she did not listen which leads to a basket of problems. On her way she ends up on the wrong train, is met by a man, thinks she is gaining Citizenship, and a long way from her family. Her mother is upset so her brother is sent to find her.
February 21, 2023
I'm surprised the Hallmark Channel hasn't snapped this book up for one of their movies--or at least stolen the idea (and perhaps they have--I don't watch their channel). I'm continuing to read this series of books because I find most of the characters interesting. This new character, however, got on my nerves in a major way. I think I would have enjoyed a book about some of the secondary characters (like Morning Dove) more.
September 7, 2017
I really liked this book. So much so that I finished it in a day. For the last book in the series though it could have ended better. I really hope there's more of Kane and Augusta's story in the other Blessing series's. In all I really enjoyed reading the Red River of the North series and am definitely looking forward to starting Return to Red River.
March 6, 2023
I nice love story but it seemed unrealistic to me. I don’t know much of this time period and if things like this specifically happened m. I can understand why it happened I just don’t know if it did. I thought that God and scripture was well woven into the story. I was excited to learn about the town learning sign and such.
January 15, 2025
Christian Historical Romance
While this is my least favorite cover in the series, it's definitely my favorite book! Language confusion leads to a slew of adventures for Bridget's last daughter and her youngest son! She gets on the wrong train and he searches the country for his elder sister!
The narration was about perfect for this story!
While this is my least favorite cover in the series, it's definitely my favorite book! Language confusion leads to a slew of adventures for Bridget's last daughter and her youngest son! She gets on the wrong train and he searches the country for his elder sister!
The narration was about perfect for this story!
January 27, 2017
Characters: Augusta Bjorklund, Kane Moyer
Setting: Ipswich, SD and Blessing, ND 1889
Just finished this series about the Bjorklund family. Really enjoyed this one about Augusta and would like to revisit her later. I will take a break for a while, then I will start the next series.
Setting: Ipswich, SD and Blessing, ND 1889
Just finished this series about the Bjorklund family. Really enjoyed this one about Augusta and would like to revisit her later. I will take a break for a while, then I will start the next series.
May 6, 2017
Loved meeting this headstrong woman.
Loved this continued story. And a new character Augusta, very strong willed woman coming alone to America. I would recommend to everyone that wants a clean read that will make you laugh out loud in public while reading.
Loved this continued story. And a new character Augusta, very strong willed woman coming alone to America. I would recommend to everyone that wants a clean read that will make you laugh out loud in public while reading.
October 9, 2017
Red River of The North Series
I have read all 6 of this series and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Laurie Snelling is a masterful story teller. You also will love it as she weaves the families together.
I have read all 6 of this series and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Laurie Snelling is a masterful story teller. You also will love it as she weaves the families together.
August 15, 2018
Twists and turns in the story about a young immigrant woman from Norway. Not knowing English only adds to the confusion whe she gets on the wrong train and is mistaken for the mail order bride who was supposed to get off the stop she arrived at.
August 11, 2019
A little slow starting but get interesting after a few chapters. Lack of communication can effect so many. But being in anew country and not knowing the language is double trouble. Of course this always makes for an interesting read.
November 6, 2019
This is the only book I read from this series. It definitely won’t be the last for this author though. I loved all the chapters of Augusta in the ranch and wished the chapters of Blessings were as interesting. I think this novel would make a great movie. I wonder if any one else felt the same way!
January 13, 2020
Like many of the other reviews I have to agree that the ending was too abrupt. Such a great series all the way through there could have been more for this last daughter coming to America and her new husband.
December 28, 2023
One more great read
I really enjoyed this book. The story keeps evolving and is very captivating. I like the development of the story and the people she tells about. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
I really enjoyed this book. The story keeps evolving and is very captivating. I like the development of the story and the people she tells about. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
September 29, 2024
Another enjoyable HF read in the series. I think as the series goes on, the stories are less interesting to me as they stray away from the original main characters but still enjoyable if you like this genre.
October 26, 2017
Now I want to read the Return to Red River series!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews