Red River Valley Books In Order

Publication Order of Red River Of The North Books

Publication Order of Return To Red River Books

Red River Valley Series is a Christian themed fiction series written by Lauraine Snelling. She is an author of Christian fiction that has published over eighty titles ever since her publication debut in 1982. There are also several historical fiction series that surround Norwegian immigration inspired by her heritage in addition to the Christian novels, even resulting in her being inducted into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame in 2012.

Lauraine Snelling has won many awards for her books and the books she has had published have sold over four and a half million books. She is the author of many series that make up the Red River series. Most of her series are related and take place in the same place. Series penned by Lauraine Snelling include the Dakota Plains series from Heartsong and the Red River of the North series published by Bethany House, also known as the Red River Valley series.

The Return to Red River series is one that follows the original Red River series. It has three books in it and takes the reader back to the Bjorklund farm nearly a generation later. The children are now adults, and this series follows the actions of the family as they exist in the present and plan for their future.

She is also the author of the Dakotah Treasures series, which is about four women who live in the Dakotah territories and are surviving and thriving there. It focuses on Ruby, Pearl, Opal, and Amethyst. She also wrote the Blessing series with four books in this series, where they return to 1900 and North Dakota to the characters that were a favorite in the series Red River of the North.

Lauraine Snelling is also the author of the Home to Blessing series. It was published by Bethany house and includes three books. Another series that belongs to the Red River series is the Wild West Wind series, accompanied by the three books in the West Wind series. The last book in the Return to Blessing series which features four books, ending with the novel From This Day Forward.

She started the Red River Valley book series starting with 1995 and 1996 when her first book An Untamed Land was published. Since then the series has been going strong. A New Day Rising was the second book in this series, quickly followed by the third novel of this series, A Land to Call Home. The Reaper’s Song and Tender Mercies and Blessing in Disguise currently round out the series, which features the main characters of the Bjorklund family. They are also joined by their fellow neighbors and citizens of Blessing, North Dakota, at the turn of the century.

There are also several other series penned by Lauraine Snelling that are connected to these fictional Red River of the North series. These books got new covers when they re-released the novels from this series in 2007.

An Untamed Land is the first book in the series Red River of the North. The main character in this book is Ingeborg Bjorklund and also Roald Bjorklund. Ingeborg promised herself that once they left their beloved home Norway, with its natural beauty and stunning views, she would not ever look back upon the past and instead move into the future. They have worked very hard in order to be able to save enough money to get tickets for America.

Now that they have saved enough money and scrimped it all together to buy the tickets, they are able to try and pursue their dream of having a better life in the states. Their boat comes into the docks of a bustling New York City, one of the most modern and evolving cities in the world. America promises the hope of building a heritage that is rich with promise for themselves and their children. The married couple is determined to make a good new life for their family– after all, that is why they left the fjords of Norway behind.

They must go through a long passage to get to where they will call their new home, however. The Bjorklund family travels for some time on a train and then a covered wagon. It is a long way to the Dakota Territory. But once they get there, they start settling on the Red River of the North’s banks. Things may be more difficult than they initially anticipate on this virgin prairie. No one has settled it yet, and the task falls to them.

Unlike other soils and lands, the Dakota prairie will be tough to grow food to survive on out of. But Roald and Ingeborg are determined to try. They did not leave Norway behind for this. Together they must do what they can in order to survive the hardships that they are about to go through in their first Dakota winter in America. It’s time to sink or swim– pick up this book to see the trials of the Bjorklunds’ first year in a new land. Will their faith take them through a season that has killed more experienced settlers than they before?

A New Day Rising is the second book in this series. When the Bjorklunds first thought of coming to America, they wanted to create a better life and run their own farmland. It was this desire to have that better life that pulled them to cross the Atlantic and find their dreams in the Dakota territory. But when Roald disappears in the middle of a heavy winter snowstorm, Ingeborg fears that all will be lost.

What was a dream has turned into a nightmare, and she is fearing that the worst has happened. She is already starting to wonder what has happened to him and if Roald will ever be coming back. In the meantime, she must keep the farm and family together. When his cousin Haaken comes to help with all of the field work, things are significantly easier to take care of when it comes to everything.

Ingeborg can manage her home and family better with the help of his cousin, but where is her husband? And when Roald’s brother arrives from Norway to help them, the prairie is full of life. But will they stay, and what happened to Roald? Pick up this charming novel to find out!

One Response to “Red River Valley”

1. Gwen Sorenson: 7 months ago

   I have enjoyed Laurane’s books for many years and continue to re-read some of them and always look forward to seeing any of the new ones listed. She is a favorite of mine and will always be and one of my grandson’s is married so one of her neices. Lorraine is also a fun lady to visit with when we are fortunate to see her with the families we visit with too. Her books are ‘top notch” and good reading for everyone!!

   Gwen Sorenson, Williams, MN.

   Reply