Four Summers Waiting

I just finished reading Four Summers Waiting by Mary Schoenecker.  I found this book in the clean romance group on Goodreads.  Mary Schoenecker was recommending her book to another blogger who was looking for clean romance books to review.

Four Summers Waiting is set during the Civil War period of the United States of America.  The main character, Maria, accompanies her friend Carolyn to an Underground Railroad meeting.  Carolyn is to take a young black boy to a safe place.  Maria is unaware of  Carolyn's true intentions .  However, at the meeting she meets a handsome young man, who is attending school to become a Doctor.  He has beautiful green eyes that immediately catch her attention.  His name is Henry Simms.

Henry and Maria begin a romance that is conducted mainly through letters and a few meetings.  They are separated by the war.  Henry feels that it is his duty to enlist his services as a Dr. the North. Maria feels helpless and useless at her home, until she is able to visit Washington DC with and spend time with Henry's sisters.  She begins to help in the teaching of young black children to read and write.

The reason this book is called four summers waiting, is that it takes four years for Henry and Maria to be able to marry.  I don't think that it is spoiling the story to say that they come together in the end.  It is a love story and there is plenty of material to get there.

I gave this work 3 stars.  I found it confusing and slow in some places.  Mary does a fantastic job in describing the time period and the conflict between neighbors and family.  She did research for this book and it shows in her writing.

On a personal note, I am happy to say that steroid shots for carpel tunnel work.  Yesterday I went to a Hand Surgeon to discuss my options.  I would like to be able to get through the holidays without surgery, six weeks recovery will not work for me at this time.  I went with the shots, it is a temporary fix and I may need surgery at a later time.  I hated the feeling of the shots, the numbness in my hands and the loss of strength.  Today I am pain free and have full use of my hands.