Promised Land Books In Order

Publication Order of The Promised Land Books

Promised Land Series

The romance author Carolyn Brown is well known for her unique take on the genre, combining wit and warmth in equal measure. Imbuing her work with a sense of nostalgia and tradition too, she is definitely a writer who has been inspired by her roots and her upbringing. Bringing in a large amount of influences into her work, she is very much a writer who creates work from a personal and genuine place. This has lead to her producing a large amount of series too, creating stories that have been running over a long period of time. One series that is a prime example of this is that of her ‘Promised Land’ series of novels, which incorporate historical fiction with her love of romance. Looking at a family, the books themselves concern themselves with the individual siblings and family members, telling each of their stories. Working as gentle natured historical romances, they tell of a time when a group of daughters meet at their father’s funeral and decide to collectively take the wagon trail out west to California. Joining a hundred other women, they are all set to be mail order brides, starting afresh and making an entirely new life for themselves. Each title follows a separate sister, as they experience all the adventure and the romance of the trail from another time long ago.

Lasting for a total of five books, this was a series that was released in quick succession of one another, as they came out close together. The first one was published in 2003, with the last coming out the following year in 2004, leading to a compact and complete series overall. This is down to her largely setting it all up as a series that was meant to be an overall product in of itself, with every story being instrumental to the whole. It would also allow readers to pick each instalment up individually too though, providing them with an easy casual set of reads too.

Willow

Published through the ‘Montlake Romance’ publishing label, this would be the first in the series of novels titled ‘The Promised Land’. Setting up the franchise as a whole, it also introduces the sisters for the first time too, along with establishing the overall premise as well. Originally published on the 1st of August in 2003, this would provide the first romance, whilst also providing a lot of foreshadowing for the series to follow.

Working ostensibly as a historical romance, no expense has been spared when it comes to attention to detail and authenticity. Knowing exactly what her readers are looking for, Brown has definitely managed to convey a style that keeps her audience immersed within the story. Creating a rich and inventive world, it really allows the reader to feel as if they’re actually there, giving them an idea of what it was like to live back then. The characters are also richly drawn too, with each sister having their own unique personality and idiosyncrasies to create a sense of warmth and intimacy.

At first Willow Gail Dulan would not like Raif Pierce at all, especially considering his attempts to talk Hank out of allowing her and her sisters travel to California on the wagon trail after their father’s passing. Whilst he initially doesn’t seem to care about Willow, Raif also doesn’t seem to one her and her sister to leave on the open wagon trail. Permanently in conflict with one another, the two of them seem to despise each other at first, which is a problem given that Raif is leading the rear of the trail. Some where just beyond the horizon though, lies the promised land, which means that they’ll both need each other if they ever hope to get there in one piece. Will they be able to work together along the way? Is something else going to transpire between them? What will become of Willow?

Velvet

Once again released through the ‘Montlake Romance’ publishing outlet, this would be published not long after the first in the series, this being the second in ‘The Promised Land’ franchise. With the motif of the ‘Promise Land’ running throughout, this was first published in December 2003, continuing many of the themes and ideas from before. Featuring another Dulan sister, it has its own self-contained romance story, and would later be followed by the third titled ‘Gypsy’ the following year, along with ‘Garnet’, being the fourth, and ‘Augusta’, being the fifth, as well.

Falling into a fever induced coma, it appears that Velvet is about to breathe her last breath, that is until she wakes up in a strange house. With the apparently mean spirited Dr. Hoyt Baxter at her bedside, it seems that he doesn’t care whether she lives or dies, all that he wants is to have her out of his as soon as possible. More than willing to comply, she wants nothing more than to leave, but she feels unable due to her illness, not having the strength to even make it to the door. Wanting to put his past as a doctor behind him, he was hoping to become a hermit, that is until Velvet Jane Dulan came into his life and he began practising medicine for her again. Will she ever be able to leave? Does he really want her to leave, and will she when the time finally comes? What are the true feelings of Velvet?

The Promised Land Series

Gentle natured and easy going, these stories really do draw the reader in slowly over the course of the novel, allowing them to discover it at their own pace. Rich and evocative in both its style and its approach, the series really does do what it sets out to do, giving its audience what they want and more. The characters are also extremely well drawn too, all playing off one another, thus giving them all even greater depth in the process. Paying close attention to detail too, Brown really has spared no expense when it comes to having done her research as well, giving it all an added degree of authenticity. Leaving a mark on the reader long after they’ve put the books down, this is definitely one series that really will stand the test of time for many years to come yet.