Spring's Gentle Promise

Seasons of the Heart #4

by Janette Oke

Josh Jones feels the added responsibility, when his grandfather and uncle sign over the family farm to him.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Romance, Fiction, Historical, Christian Romance

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Janette Oke is a Canadian author known for her inspirational fiction, often set in a pioneer era and focused on female protagonists. Her debut novel, Love Comes Softly (1979), became the foundation for a successful series, followed by over 75 other novels. The first book in her Canadian West series, When Calls the Heart (1983), inspired the popular television series of the same name.
Born in Champion, Alberta, to farmers Fred and Amy (née Ruggles) Steeves during the Great Depression, Oke went on to graduate from Mountain View Bible College in Didsbury, Alberta, where she met her future husband, Edward Oke, who later became the president of the college. The couple has four children, including a daughter who has collaborated with Janette on several books.
A committed Evangelical Christian, Oke has authored numerous works exploring themes of faith. She has received various accolades for her contributions to Christian fiction, including the 1992 President's Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and the 1999 CBA Life Impact Award.

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars ✨

Historical Fiction

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine; the labour of the olive shall fail,
and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stalls.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength.”

I fell in love with this family in the first book, and my love has only grown with each book. It was such a joy to watch Josh grow into an incredible man. This book was like icing on the cake. It was a fantastic conclusion to this family saga. The writing is simple and sweet. If you’re looking for an inspiring read, full of lovable characters, wrapped in the bow of Hope- I would highly recommend it!

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spring's Gentle Promise is the best book in this series as far as this reader is concerned. Readers are taken through a whirlwind of emotions. This reader laughed out loud and shed tears as I read through the book. We get to see the years of plenty as crops had good if not fantastic yields. Josh's new farming techniques really were working . His stock had good blood lines and were multiplying every year.
Josh finds a wife and starts a family. Grandpa and Uncle Charlie sign the farm over to him. Everything is going great for this family but then the stock market crashes. The family has no investments in the stock market so they are not affected by the crash. Then comes the depression. As if that wasn't enough a terrible drought follows as farmers see no rain year after year. Crops die out and Josh must sell some of his stock to keep going. Things get desperate and Josh does what he has to in order to keep the farm and feed his family. Will his efforts be enough until the rains return to the land? How long can Josh hold things together?
I love the simplicity of the time era of this series. Church and faith in God was common in the community. Families were close knit and people had high regard and respect for one another. I'm glad that I took the time to read all four books of The Seasons of the Heart series. It definitely helped me to understand the struggles my grandparents faced as they lived through these years.
All readers of Christian Fiction and history lovers will enjoy this series. The author Jeanette Oke is a very well known Canadian Author.
I borrowed an ebook version of Springs Gentle Promise from the Amazon Prime Members Library. A positive review was not requested. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
this book was so good. I really missed Matilda tho 😭
the first book is still my all time favorite Janette Oke book,
Ahhhhhh, this series is so wonderful. everyone go read it
•••
My favourites:
Once Upon A Summer
The Winds Of Autumn
Winter Is Not Forever
Springs Gentle Promise

Jan 2022 reread: Gold!!! :'-) Ignore my previous review lol

[Carissa Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. What an emotional roller coaster of the good, the bad and the ugly, only to come back and end on the good. I love these sweet books by Janette Oke.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t get over how amazing this series has been.

[Abigail Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I would definitely recommend reading this book.

[Adora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book!! As a reader i just loved seeing him from his early teen years, to early adult-hood! No one writes quite like Janette Oke!! 😍

[carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one was just a little too sappy.

[Liz F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars! I enjoyed it... though I don't think this is my favorite in the series. I really liked reading the epilouge too!
And yay! Josh chose Mary! (that's what I was hoping) Matilda's really fun though!
It was also really funny when Lou's kids came over... hehe I liked that chapter!

Content:
-Some kissing/cuddling.
-(kinda) Intense longing.
-(no spoilers) Some people get hurt in some kind of accident, but it wasn't too bad.

At parts, I could totally predict what was going to happen, but I still enjoyed finished the series! :)
4 stars!

[Susy C. *MotherLambReads* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last book in this heartwarming series.
We see a conclusion yet a beginning to a family heritage and testimony.
I cried at the epilogue. Seriously?

I appreciate how the characters are real and flawed and turn to God for their strength and Hope. This particular story takes place during the Depression Time.

It has been really fun for me revisitng these books after 20+ years. It's been a comfort read I didn't know I needed.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 2 out of 5]

One review for the last three books: Imagine, if you will, a series of four books, written from the POV of a boy/young man that not a male on God's green earth could stomach reading. Unobjectionable story, but I pity any girl who reads it and thinks it depicts an actual masculine perspective. 😆

[Valerie (Val's Vicinity) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh Jones has happily settled into the farming life, glad to know that this is where God would have him be. Grandpa and Uncle Charlie have recently transferred possession of the family farm, and the deed now has Josh's name on it. He owns the farm, it's all his! Josh is near to bursting with this, and he runs the increasingly prosperous farm the best he knows how. Yep, things are pretty good, until a new neighbor starts to come calling on the two girls that live with Josh, Grandpa, and Uncle Charlie.

Mary (the hired help for the kitchen and household duties), and Melissa (the local school teacher that boards at the Jones farm) have become like family to Josh. He cares about them both, but has kind of taken for granted the fact that they would both always be around. So when this new neighbor comes calling on the girls, Josh starts to realize one (or both!) of the girls could up and marry at any time. This sets Josh thinking about having a family of his own..... Mary and Melissa are both great girls, and he cares about them both, but in different ways. How will Josh ever choose which girl to court?

I don't want to give away any more of the story line, so I won't say who Josh chooses. But I will say that Josh and the girl he picks go through quite alot, and even though their faith is stretched at times, they still try to trust God and depend on Him to get them through the tough times.

While this is a nice ending to the series, I would've liked a little more closure...it ended and I was like, "That's it?!" The short epilogue was okay, but I think one or two more chapters would've really been ideal to totally wrap things up. (However, don't let that stop you from reading the series, it does have an ending, it was just different than I expected.) In closing, I think this entire series would be a good one for just about any age!

[Lydia Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spring's Gentle Promise is the fourth and final book in the Seasons of the Heart series by Janette Oke.

This book was a good ending to the series, if a little slow at times. It was a sweet, comforting read -- it was a little predictable and not the best book Janette Oke has ever written, but I still enjoyed it somewhat.

I knew that Josh was going to end up with Mary waaaay before Josh even knew. You could just kind of tell. However, I didn't like how they ended up together. I HATE when there has to be an accident or some sort of life-threatening situation for a person to realize they love another person in books. It just frustrates me, because if they were really THAT much in love, they would have gotten together beforehand!!!

(They were still a cute couple, though.)

The ending was satisfying, but seriously glossed over.

Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. I feel like I'd also give the series, overall, that rating. There were more mediocre books than really good books. I feel like it's still worth reading, but if you're new to Janette Oke, I would recommend starting with the Love Comes Softly series. :)

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Promise
Joshua Jones, all grown, shouldering the responsibility of farm and family. The thrill of owning a car, finding love, and fatherhood. The lean years of drought and barely surviving. This story expressed all of those things and more. The lessons of God's provision and promises are woven throughout. I cannot forget to mention how Janette Oke uses this story to teach us what it means to cherish your spouse.

[Kirsten Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌾👶🏼💒

“My Mary.”

📜Overview: the first half is utter sweetness, while the last half is considerably more sad; still love being with some of my comfort characters 🥹

🫀Characters: again, COMFORT CHARACTERS 😭😭😭

🫶🏻Romance: LOVE *squeals*! I ADORE seeing Josh’s thought process of finding a wife; and when he realizes he loves Mary??? My heart 🥺 he is one of the most caring boyfriends/husbands ever. I want a man like him 🥲

✍🏼Writing: simple, charming, and heartfelt as ever <3

💐Atmosphere/Season: runs through all the seasons!

———

CONTENT: these books are literally so pure 🥹🫶🏻

———

💌PS (I LOVE YOU)
— Kirsten <3

[Brooklyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best series ever!

[Talitha Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good end to this four book series but a little lackluster in the last three or four chapters. It felt sped up too much and like the author was trying to just finish it out any way she could.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adevărul e ca povestea a fost bună, normală…numai ca la sfârșit m-a cam dezamăgit.
Nu mi-a plăcut faptul ca era foarte indecis cand a fost vorba sa aleagă dintre Matilda și Mary…e ca și cum le-ar fi vrut pe amândouă! E inadmisibil…și faptul ca an ales-o pe Mary…niciuna nu mi se părea o alegere bună…cumva, acesta a fost un fel de basm ratat, în care naratorul pur și simplu ne oferă realitatea absurdă pe un platou.
Mi se pare ca a coborât pe pantă ascendentă de când cu Camellia și Willie. Acolo a fost un potențial neîmbogățit, ceva care ar fi crescut într-o poveste cu adevărat excepțională, dar…n-a fost să fie.
Plus, accentul tot mai scăzut pe învățătura biblică din acest volum…se concentra prea mult pe vremurile grele pe care le aveau, decât să focuseze întâmplarea pe ceva care avea legătură într-adevăr cu situația lor, din punct de vedere al creșterii spirituale.
Probabil seria aceasta merita un alt destin.

[Melissa Layne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely ending to this series. I’m glad I decided to re-read it

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once Josh stopped being an idiot, the book started to be good--hard, but realistic and good. The problem was Josh's point of view in the beginning of the book. It was just plain dumb. Not in an "obliviously cute" way, either. He was plain annoying.

But once he got married, he grew smarter. His perspective on marriage was okay--a lot better than his perspective on finding a girl.

The real struggles came when there were less than five chapters in the book. A lot was packed into a little bit. Honestly, it was good that way, because it was heartbreaking enough. There were certainly enough details of hard times, and nothing was left out. There was no relief, just because 'they're Christians'. But I did admire Josh's faith, and the way his struggle was portrayed. The Depression, combined with the dust storms, were awful, but families did live through them. This book took nothing away from that, but didn't add anything, either. Well done.

The only historical fact of which I'm not really sure is Grandpa. Back then, people rarely lived long; I would imagine 96 years old was practically unthinkable.

It was a generally satisfying ending to the series, and the book was good by the end. Josh just had to be knocked in the head a few times.

[Ivonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this story the series concludes. And what a wonderful read it was. These stories have my heart. No one pens faith and God’s promises like Oke does.

On this story we see Josh as a mature and responsible grown man, a God fearing man. Now as a head of a household he faces circumstances and need to take decisions that may affect the rest of the family. But as a caring man you see where his heart lies. It was truly a delight to “be part” of the Jones family. While reading these stories you feel part of their struggles and triumphs. You cheer them on in their victories and cry with them too in their trials. Truly wholesome stories you’ll love for years to come.

‘Spring’s Gentle Promise’
Josh ❤️

“‘I will rejoice in the Lord —the Lord is my strength’,” I kept repeating over and over. Oh, what a freedom! I could finally let go. I could shift my heavy load onto another’s shoulders. Somehow —somehow God would work it out. Somehow He would see ya through.”

“…the task had not changed —but my attitude had. God was in charge now —I would simply wait for Him.”

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josh Jones lives with his Grandpa and his Uncle Charlie along with a young woman, Mary Turley, who takes care of their large farmhouse. Since both Grandpa and Uncle Charlie are aging, they turn over the farm to Josh. When Josh marries, he expects life to be happily ever after; but when the Dust Bowl hits and life becomes overwhelming, he and Mary, now his wife, have to dig deep to keep the farm going.

Janette Oke's historical fiction is always a look into real life on the prairies. I thoroughly enjoyed this series of books follows the Jones family from Josh loss of both parents through his marriage to Mary.

[Sara Cardon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story of the Great Depression era. I like how Josh gets married and thinks on what it means to cherish his wife. I love the sacrifices they make when they have so little. My only disappointment was thinking, "Hmm, you should loan the extra farmhouse out." Or at least let the sister in-law live there? (Not a big deal, just a detail I'd like included). Really sweet sentiments on what family love looks like.

[Lila Diller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I forgot that only the first half of the book is about the romance. The rest is about the economic problems during the Great Depression. I didn't mind it so much before, but this time the financial struggles hit too close to home.

I was glad to use this for a reading challenge as a book where the couple has a strong faith. The romance was beautiful.

[Lindsay Duffy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have finally finished rereading this whole series. I originally hated the whole series but the first book is actually pretty good. The rest of the books in Seasons of the Heart just aren't that good. They're drawn out. Like the author had a page quota to make. And each book was worse than the last. But a slow book is necessarily a bad book. Then I got to this one.

I dreaded rereading Spring's Gentle Promise. It was the one that made me mad in high school. I couldn't remember why. It just did. Well, it started off with potential. Just like the first book, it started off slow but seemed interesting. Maybe I misjudged it.

Nope. It's bad. Spring's Gentle Promise starts off good and has a faster pace than any of the other books in the series. Which should have been refreshing but then Mrs. Oke tries to shove in everything she could into this one poor book. It's like she wanted to write so much stuff while keeping the series to four books.

In part 1, she rushes through Josh and Mary's courtship so fast that the flow of their relationship feels unnatural. They're dating for a chapter or two and then they're married. In every single Janette Oke book I've ever read, courting to married takes a whole book.

Then in part 2, we have a few chapters devoted to them being perfect little newlyweds and only having a two little spats over nothing. No major arguments or problems like real newlyweds.

Then in part 3, they almost lose the farm. Which is bad since they now have children and Grandpa and Uncle Charlie. The whole Jones clan would be homeless. But nothing Josh does can help them since they're living in the Dust Bowl in the Great Depression. They get to a point where they can't pay the bills without Josh getting a government job and leaving home. So he does. Then he gets to where the job. Is literally breaking his back and thinks about quitting. But then everyone would be homeless. So he keeps going. Then he gets a call from home. It turns out his wife had saved money to spend on seed and his family has been watering it for harvest. Which is great because the rains have miraculously returned and now they will have a bountiful crop. Josh won't have to break his back anymore! He can go home! Which means God waited until the last minute to swoop in and save the day. (I hate when Christian authors do this.)

The easiest fix to this problem is to divide Spring's Gentle Promise into three books. Develop the courtship in book 1. In the sequel, show the newlyweds adjusting to being married and how flawed they are. Then have the final book be about the trials of the Great Depression.


TLDR? Here's a brief summary of the whole series and why the last book isn't as good as the rest.


Book 1- Josh struggles with his aunt getting married

Book 2- Josh is a new Christian struggling with death

Book 3- Josh struggles with what he should do after school

Book 4- Josh struggles with who to marry, Josh as a newlywed, and Josh almost loses the farm during the Great Depression until God intervenes at the last minute and saves the day

[annabeth ☼ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a new favorite series of mine.


My problems with it:
——

• The pacing for a short time felt unnecessarily rushed, but that worked itself back out.


My enjoyment with it:
——

• The internal conflicts Josh has throughout the book really keep you interested and drive certain parts of the story.
• Seeing Josh become a husband and father, and a provider for that family was so fulfilling after falling in love with him for the past 3 books.
• The relationships were portrayed well and in a satisfying way, as always.
• This series was just really good. I didn’t think I would think much of it at first, but now I’m going to miss all of the characters so much and my heart hurts over having to leave them.


Would I recommend this book?

Absolutely, 110% would recommend it to anyone. Even if you aren’t a big fan of Christian fiction or contemporaries, you just fall in love with the characters and become invested in the relationships until you’re swept into the story and you can’t get out.

[Puiu Mirela · Rating 4 out of 5]

În acest ultim volum reîntâlnim un Josh maturizat, proprietar de fermă după ce bunicul și unchiul Charles trec totul pe numele lui, fapt ce îi umple sufletul de bucurie, dar îi și aduce o imensă responsabilitate.
💝 Josh ne împărtășește gândurile și frământările sale în ceea ce privește bunăstarea fermei, dragostea și căldura pentru verișorii săi mai mici, copiii mătușii Lou, durerea și tristețea sufletească la pierderea celui mai bun prieten. De asemenea cunoaștem o nouă față a sa, cea a unui bărbat îndrăgostit, plin de iubire fără limite, duioșie și căldură sufletească pentru soția și copiii săi, sentimente ce îl înnobilează, dar îl și sperie. Este el suficient de puternic pentru a-și proteja familia atunci când criza economică din țară ajunge și la ei? Își găsește puterea și curajul în Dumnezeu sau mânia pune iar stăpânire pe sufletul său?

O poveste plină de frumusețe, duioșie. O lectură ce aduce zâmbet și seninătate în suflet.

[Nicoleta Deca · Rating 3 out of 5]

In ultimul volum întâlnim un Josh maturizat, proprietar de fermă după ce bunicul și unchiul Charles trec totul pe numele lui. Josh are acum alte sentimente fata de fetele din jurul lui dar si alte frământări, legate atat de ferma dar si pentru versorii lui, copiii mătușii Lou. Asistam si la o expunere a durererii și tristeții sufletesti la pierderea celui mai bun prieten. Partea religioasa si morala predomina mult, prea mult si in aceasta parte lasand povestea de dragoste in planul secund. Mi-a placut cum si-a expus dragostea dar si cum sentimentele lui au evoluat fata de femeia iubita.A fost simpatic si modul de curtare si cum decide sa isi aleaga sotia. Mi-a placut si modul cum isi protejeaza familia de noua criza economica din tara. Seria a fost emotionanta dar cred ca a parut mai mult o propaganda a crestinismului si a convertirii celor atei la religia crestina.

[Jessica Welflin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I think this book is my favorite. The time period, the struggle of adulthood that I feel now, certainly didn't feel it at 14 when I first read this book. I love how Josh is a real character in that he doesn't always make the right choices. I wish he would but I know that in his situation I'd do the same and I respect that in writing. Me relating so much to a problem that I want him to be better than me, I want me to be better than me, but I get why he does what he does. I love this book.

[Rebeca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of the series! Cannot express how much I love Janette Oke's books. This series was so wonderful to read. Enjoyed every single book and I'm so sad it's over.

Unlike her other books, this one has an epilogue to help give us closure about the main characters. The story of Joshua Chadwick Jones was inspiring. It was so sweet to be able to follow his life from start to finish. My favorite character will always be Gramps!

This entire series is an excellent read and should be required reading for every single middle school aged boy!!