Border Patrol agent Ben James' life is in tatters. A tragic accident stole the love of his life and he never finished grieving. Turning to the bottle for support, he lost sight of what was important. While making his last patrol run before a storm rolls in, Ben's canine partner Bo finds an abandoned baby hidden in the woods. As Ben rushes the child to the only clinic in the area, the storm strikes with unexpected fury. Esther Hanson runs a second-rate clinic in the small community of Pineville, Minnesota, on the Canadian border. Though she has fought for years to get the equipment she needs, the town refuses to approve the funding.
When the unprecedented storm ravishes the area, cutting them off from all outside help, Esther struggles to help her patients without giving in to overwhelming emotions. The event triggers a long-suppressed memory, and Esther must come face to face with the reality of her past and learn to forgive herself. Brought together by the life of a child, Ben and Esther become each other's reason to change. The Road from Gap Creek. How Lucky You Are. Down by the River. Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands.
A Life in Men. The Moment of Everything. To the Farthest Shores. Dakota December and Dakota Destiny. Phoebe's Light Nantucket Legacy Book 1. Last Night at the Blue Angel. The Farmer's Bride Collection. The Sweetness of Forgetting. The Bartered Bride Romance Collection. A Lady Most Lovely. Treasured Grace Heart of the Frontier Book 1. Just Like Other Daughters. Up at Butternut Lake. Together Forever Orphan Train Book 2. Border Patrol officer Ben James brings an abandoned infant into the clinic for help, his own medical training will be called upon to help the growing number of patients that are growing by the hour.
Knowing how quickly things can get out of hand, Ben utilizes those in the clinic to help one another out until they can all be seen. He has one disable woman in a wheelchair with a broken leg, Hannah, help care for the infant who needs to be held and cared for. He utilizes a teenage boy, Gary, to clean up the three rooms so more patients can be attended to.
It truly seems like everything is running smoothly despite the numbers of people that Esther can treat along with the growing number of wounded and dying that the local ambulance has to bring to her since the bridge is out. Now if she only keep calm despite the growing tremors of PTSD that seem to be lurking just on the edge of her sanity. Ben understands how difficult dealing with PTSD can be as he himself has been going through it as well. When he lost his wife and unborn child due to an accident late one night, the only way he's been able to sleep is finishing off a bottle of his favorite drink.
The one thing he has going for him is that he has never drank on the job but unless he gets a handle on the after hours binging, he might not have a job to go back to. Lucky for him, his patrol dog, Bo, gets him up in time for work. Now if he can only find something to live for once again, he might be able to make a new start for himself. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions contained here are strictly my own.
Lately I've been blessed to have read so many of Lauraine's novels and she never fails to hook me right in the heart so I can't give up on her characters. You feel the struggle that Esther is facing trying to hide her PTSD while trying to care for the small town clinic as best as she can. Even her counseling sessions haven't been helping much and dealing with her perfectionist mother who can never see that she does anything right is enough to keep her from wanting to spend time with her family. Dealing with their issues in spite of the hurricane that is wrecking havoc on Pineville, shows the love of a small town that can come together to help one another out when the chips are really down.
This comes across in every way through the supporting characters that Esther manages to help even though she can't save them all. I easily give this one a 4. Sep 27, Victor Gentile rated it it was amazing.
From the back cover: In the remote town of Pineville, Minnesota, folks associate U. Border Patrol agent Ben James with his days of high school football glory—not with the shell-of-himself the young widower has become. Since an accident claimed the life of his wife two years earlier, Ben has been seeking comfort in the bottle but never on duty.
As the weather finally clears and the town begins to deal with the horrendous devastation, Esther and Ben must find the courage to wake the dawn and live in the light of day. A hurricane force storm, an abandoned baby, an overextended outpatient clinic and two individuals with issues that are overwhelming them! Ben James is still devastated by the death of his wife and is slowly sinking into the bottle.
These two must work out their past issues in order to deal with the present and embrace the future. Danger, action and adventure are all rolled up in a very exciting read. On top of all of this there is the romance. These are wonderful characters that live and breathe on the pages and you care deeply for them. This book does not disappoint at all. I enjoyed it and I am sure you will also. You can find "Wake The Dawn" at a discount at http: If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www. I received this book free from FaithWords. Oct 18, Cindy rated it it was amazing. I loved this book! I hope there are more books set in this small town in northern MN. The characters are great and I'd love to learn more about them. I think this small town would be a great setting for another series. While everyone copes with disasters differently the people of this small town really banded together and helped one another through the tragedies brought about by the weather in this small town.
People who may not have been happy with those they came in contact with ended up helpi I loved this book!
People who may not have been happy with those they came in contact with ended up helping them and keeping the clinic and town afloat. They banded together to help one another through the storm and consequences beyond their imaginations and control. The Chief was very stressed out and missing his family very much but he hung in there as best he could considering the tragedy coming at him at every turn. There was a bright spot for him for just a short period of time when he realized that his daughter was coming home to see him but his joy didn't last long I won't spoil it for those who haven't read the book yet.
The rangers all rallied around the chief and the citizens of the town during the storm. Everyone worked tirelessly to make sure everyone was taken care of as best they could.
Wake the Dawn by Lauraine Snelling
The bulk of the story takes place at the local clinic where the NP is barley "keeping her head above water" as she tries to help as many as she can during the storm. She is severly lacking equipment and supplies to help all the injured and just as she thinks she will fail them all they get the biggest surprise, help in the form of the nearest military base medical personnel!
You'll have to read the book to find out what else happens. Feb 04, Catherine rated it it was ok. I've greatly enjoyed Lauraine Snelling's historical works, so I thought I'd like to see how she handles contemporary. Sadly, I was not impressed. I never got into the characters, Esther and Ben. Esther, plagued with PTSD, at least was more believable than Ben deciding in two seconds that he was going to give up alcoholism with absolutely no ill-effects other than thinking "man I could use a drink" maybe three whole times after his decision.
For being such an important part of Ben's new life, baby I've greatly enjoyed Lauraine Snelling's historical works, so I thought I'd like to see how she handles contemporary. For being such an important part of Ben's new life, baby Dawn was barely mentioned except when one or the other of the main characters needed to worry about her and then forget about her, prolonging social services plot which went nowhere.
After the big storms tear apart the town, one of the elders of the town threatens to sue unless they build a new hospital or something, and everyone proclaims that "it's impossible" to begin groundbreaking in ninety days. I was already completely bored by this storyline, but I felt even more cheated when view spoiler [it's never mentioned again after the characters give Esther her pseudo-intervention and she decides she's in love with Ben We never find out how they managed to get everything squared away for a project that huge in a small town.
I didn't even care anymore but it was still irritating. Dec 04, Carla rated it really liked it. The small town of Pineville, Minnesota finds itself caught in one of the largest storms ever to hit. Border Patrolmen, Ben James, looking for Snakeheads those helping illegals cross the border via Canada comes across a newborn just as the sky begins to open. The only clinic in town, hosts a physicians assistant, Esther Hansen, who finds that her fears of being ill equipped are realized.
With homes crashing down, trees uprooted, drug addicts with hostages - these chapters read fast and with ama The small town of Pineville, Minnesota finds itself caught in one of the largest storms ever to hit. With homes crashing down, trees uprooted, drug addicts with hostages - these chapters read fast and with amazing medical, action, and heart. The main characters are wounded in their own way, one a widower - losing his wife and unborn child, who turned to alcohol to numb the days, only to find purpose in a child left behind, left to die..
As a reader, you will dive right into the pages, enjoy the main characters, but also fall for the town - those secondary characters bring so much life to the book and a deeper dimension. There is also little "lessons" to think about throughout the novel, and the readers guide is great for book group discussions. Aug 12, Joy rated it really liked it. Lauraine Snelling is a great writer, her books always have a great storyline and the perfect ending though you can't guess what's going to happen. I enjoyed this book so much, the main character, Esther, is a physician's assistant working on her own in a clinic when a hurricane hits and much damage is done to the community with lots of injuries.
Ben lost his wife in a car accident and turned to the bot Lauraine Snelling is a great writer, her books always have a great storyline and the perfect ending though you can't guess what's going to happen. Ben lost his wife in a car accident and turned to the bottle to cope.
The day before the massive storm he finds a newborn baby girl in the desert His heart immediately melts and after getting her checked out at the clinic he makes a deal with Esther allowing him to take her home. Esther has serious problems of her own and a meltdown while treating patients during the storm. Ben recognizes the symptoms, he's been where she is. What follows is a wonderful story of loss, heartache, healing, and finally love.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. May 18, Rachel rated it did not like it. I absolutely could not finish this book. I was under the assumption because of the book synopsis that this was going to be about a baby that the border patrol officer found. Yeah, there is a little bit of that in the book, but it's mostly about a small town medical clinic and how it is run and all of the shortcomings it has during a significant storm.
Being in the medical field myself, I don't want to read about it in my spare time. Who really brings a body back to a medical clinic, compl I absolutely could not finish this book. Who really brings a body back to a medical clinic, complete with all of the tools, to perform an autopsy, especially when they don't have enough rooms as it is?
That is definitely grounds for losing your license. A border patrol officer who has been trained with what sounds like an EMT training would not decide to give a physician's assistant an 'injectible sleep medication', because she is 'catatonic' in the middle of a rain soaked road. Aug 12, Torie rated it it was amazing Shelves: Loved this book, my first by Lauraine Snelling.
A tragic storm hits a small town with only a PA, Ester, running the local clinic which is short on supplies. Enter border patrol officer, Ben James, who gets assigned to the clinic. Together they work through the storm to help those in need. Once the storm is cleared they need to decide what to do about the clinic and their personal dilemmas including a baby that was found, someone suing the city for not having available hospital supplies and PTSD. This was a very well written story that brought 2 people in need together.
It was a Christian book but it didn't hit you over the head with beliefs. Just that you should be thankful to God and if you cast your worries onto him and receive the help you need and you can overcome. The only issue I had with this book was that many scenes seemed to stop just before you saw how the controversy was handled. Aug 25, Joan rated it it was amazing.
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This novel starts off with intense action as a storm hits the northern border town of Pineville. Esther is a PA in the town's clinic and the only source of medical help. Ben is border patrol, finds an abandoned baby and when he takes her to the clinic, ends up staying and helping Esther. Ben and Esther both have hurts that need healing and we see their attempts at doing so as the novel progresses. I loved all the characters in the book, typical townspeople in rural America.
They do come together This novel starts off with intense action as a storm hits the northern border town of Pineville. They do come together in time of disaster. The Christian faith of Ben and Esther are important because Ben is mad at God for the death of his wife and Esther needs God desperately to survive day to day.
See my full review at http: Dec 22, Pamela rated it it was ok. It always grieves me to give a less than favorable review. However, false flattery benefits no one. The overall storyline is plausible. The thematic ribbons - courage under fire, hope, and second chance redemption are worthy. And there are a few stellar passages. However, the hodgepodge, hither and yon writing throughout the majority of the book makes for very muddy reading. Often the sentences were so staccato and disjointed, I'd have to ba It always grieves me to give a less than favorable review.
Often the sentences were so staccato and disjointed, I'd have to back up and reread an entire page to gain clarity. Jul 12, Cathy rated it it was amazing Shelves: I received this book as a giveaway from Goodreads. This book grabbed me from the beginning. Ben and Esther are two broken individuals living in the small town of Pineville Minnesota. Esther, a physician's assistant and the town's only means of medical care, is haunted by her past.
When a massive storm hits the town, they are thrown together to help the people of Pineville survive the storm. Lauraine Snelling's I received this book as a giveaway from Goodreads. Lauraine Snelling's engaging, realistic characters kept me reading and emotionally invested until the end. The only part I found to be a bit less than realistic was the timeline--the events of the story were condensed into only a few short months.
This book is well worth the read. Sep 04, Kimmie Blevins rated it really liked it.
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Definitely one of my favorites done by Snelling. I finished the book in 2 days!! I like that it took place in modern times because after awhile it gets old reading about pioneer's and the other tragic love stories. I feel that more people can relate to this book because it talks about getting through PTSD and alcoholism. This book got my attention just by reading the short prelude and it gets pretty intense right off the bat.
I think that this would make a really good movie, but it would probabl Definitely one of my favorites done by Snelling. I think that this would make a really good movie, but it would probably be rated PG, due to the serious injuries and other incidents that I won't mention because I don't want to spoil anything. Dec 12, Donia rated it it was ok Shelves: I get frustrated with stories such as Wake The Dawn. It began with a wonderful story which leads the reader to believe that the book will be about a baby that is found abandoned in the wilds and a sad man who will find himself a new life through the saving her life.
This soap opera just goes on and on. I was so disappointed. Snelling is usually better than this Sep 15, Myrna rated it really liked it. This is my first book by Lauraine Snelling and I really enjoyed it. This story was very realistic since it centered around a destructive rainstorm in a remote country area. We also meet Esther Hanson who runs the only medical clinic in the area.
Both of them are fighting their own demons as they rally to help their many neighbors who have been affected by the storm.